Easy-to-clean low maintenance epoxy resin injection pump for mould filling

Epoxy resins are extremely hard to pump due to their high viscosity, sensitivity to shear and fast setting on mixing. These characteristics are liable to clog the pump or fail the seals.

North Ridge Pumps were contacted by an organisation who were going to fill small moulds at the initial stage of the manufacture of test pieces using a process known as Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM).

What is resin transfer moulding?

RTM is a widely used low-pressure moulding process for producing fibre plastic composite components needing rigidity and strength. The process involves forcing a resin and catalyst mixture into a sealed mould filled with dry semi-finished fibre materials in the shape of a preform or fibre pack.

The customer needed to introduce the moulds slowly and gradually at a steady flow rate, in a very strictly controlled pressure range. No fibres in the resin should ever be put under high pressure, which would lead to warping of the mould. This, in turn, would cause premature test sample failure.

North Ridge recommended the DS-M/Lab pump – a low-flow, compact peristaltic metering pump. Best for use in laboratory or small-scale applications, the DS-M/Lab is also used on:

• Processing
  Critical control of drug flow, chemical dosing, transfer of corrosive liquids, distribution and sampling of lab reagents.
• Microbiology labs
  Transfer of diluents, buffers, culture media and sterile solutions.
• Medical and biotech
  Infusion, dialysis, extracorporeal circulation and analysis of high-purity fluids.

The DS-M/Lab features a quick hose change pump head designed specifically for situations where ease of maintenance is top priority. No special tools or training are required to replace the hose – simply:

Other advantages are single-phase power supply, self-priming and dry-running without danger of damage

Due to its peristaltic nature, the pump provides full traceability and contamination-free analysis, as every chemical or blend is treated through a specific tube. Since there are no seals in the pump head, there is no danger of leakage and the hoses can be changed in minutes.

At the client's special request, the pump was also fitted with a built-in inverter so that users can have speed control or flow direction reversal when necessary.

If you need a low-maintenance solution for fluid injection, circulation or transfer, North Ridge Pumps can help you choose the right fit for your process.