International plastic processing firm chooses Elmo Rietschle vacuum pump technology
AVK Plastics produces high-grade synthetic products, such as pallets and surface boxes, from recycled material. Plastic pellets are moved from bulk hoppers to a melting and fully automated injection moulding process by a pneumatic vacuum conveying system
The process requires high quality, dry vacuum to draw the pellets across the conveyor.
Over the past two years, AVK’s Netherlands production facility has been significantly expanded and streamlined to make it suitable for current and future growth. It currently employs around 90 full-time members of staff.
As a result, the company began exploring options to upgrade and expand its vacuum conveying system, by replacing existing side channel blowers with a more energy efficient alternative capable of increased flow.
"Downtime, due to blocked pipes, and energy consumption were also greatly reduced."
For a firm where materials are processed into new products which, in turn, are also recyclable, sustainability, energy savings, and durability are key when specifying new equipment.
Following a successful trial, Elmo Rietschle VLR 401 claw pumps were installed. The units offered increased capacity and more flow at deeper vacuum, improving material flow and productivity. Downtime, due to blocked pipes, and energy consumption were also greatly reduced.
About the Elmo Rietschle VLR 401
The Elmo Rietschle VLR 401 is a low maintenance, highly efficient, dry and contact-free claw vacuum pump. The unit is ideal for clean processes where contaminants in the vacuum exhaust could adversely affect final product quality because no sealing or lubricating fluids are needed in the pump’s compression chamber.
Internal compression allows for low end pressure while using low power motors, and for sites with limited plant space, the range has up to a 35 per cent smaller footprint than other existing claw vacuum pumps on the market.
The new claw technology offers IE3 motors as standard, that are VSD compatible, adding extra controllability and helping to improve energy efficiency.
In addition, maintenance intervals and costs are significantly decreased, with only minor oil changes required every 20,000 hours, instead of typically every 5,000 hours on oil lubricated pumps.
