New BFM® Weighing Bellows: a durable, affordable silicone alternative
Weighing bellows are commonly used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as the flexible transition between mixers, feeders, dosing equipment and other machinery where accurate weighing is required.
Designed to minimise any resistance from created by vertical movement or vibration on the weighing/load-cells, they are commonly made from highly flexible, moulded silicone rubber.
Although moulded silicone rubber is widely used, it does have two significant drawbacks for use as a flexible connection – very poor tear strength and a high price tag. They are usually fastened using manually adjusted system like hose- clamps which means they can be difficult to fit. This makes moulded silicone connectors a particularly high-risk option from an overall cost efficiency perspective: they are expensive to stock, but easy to break.
Many customers have often experienced product failures during installation as one small slip with a screwdriver or hose-clamp can tear the material – a costly mistake.
So what’s the alternative?
The new patented BFM® fitting Weighing Bellows, which combine the easy snap-fit installation and seal of a BFM® fitting connector with the unparalleled strength and flexibility of their urethane-based Seeflex material.
“Seeflex is a proprietary material exclusive to us and is manufactured in a way that maximises its mechanical strength while still providing excellent flexibility” said Blair McPheat, inventor of the BFM® fitting system and CEO of its manufacturer, BFM® Global Ltd.
“You simply can’t tear it – it’s virtually indestructible, unlike silicone rubber which will just rip if there is even the slightest nick in it.”
Matthew Bailey, BFM®’s Technical Lead in charge of new product development says the company has spent a lot of time perfecting the method of forming the Seeflex material into the new BFM® Weighing Bellows to ensure minimal reactive force for weigh-scales but maximum durability for longevity of the connector itself.
“Seeflex is super flexible but has amazing wear resistance,” said Matthew. “We’ve moulded it into an asymmetrical cone shape to minimise the possibility of any product staying inside the connector during operation, which can happen with single-fold style bellows.”
Here’s 5 reasons why the new BFM® Weighing Bellows are superior to other products currently available:
- Incredibly durable: Our Seeflex material has mechanical properties that far exceed those of the incumbent silicone weigh scale connectors or other urethane versions. It is virtually indestructible in normal use and BFM® fitting Weighing Bellows wont rip or tear during installation or operation like silicone does.
- Clean & hygienic: The patented BFM® design is 3A and EU approved for food contact and ensures all your valuable powders stay inside the connector with zero leakage. This is especially important for pharmaceutical manufacturers where the product being processed is often very expensive. It also helps for loss in weight feeders as no product is lost during loading.
- Fast & accurate installation: The patented BFM® snap-in fitment means that the Weighing Bellows is installed in the right place every time in seconds, no need to worry about adjustments or making sure the connector is secured in the right place,
- Product-flow visibility: Unlike most silicone weighing bellows which are opaque, Seeflex used to manufacture the BFM® Weighing Bellows is a transparent material that gives full visibility of product flowing through your process.
- No contamination risk: Because no tools are needed for installation, there is no risk of screwdrivers, clamps or gaskets damaging the connector or falling into the downstream equipment, potentially causing product contamination.
The patented BFM® fitting cuff and spigot installation system ensure a perfect fit and 100% seal every time, which is a big benefit in terms of reducing any downtime for installation or removal.
“Simply being able to snap fit the BFM® Weighing Bellows in and out for ease of access and cleaning will be a big bonus for customers, many of whom have struggled in the past with accurate fitment for similar clamped connectors,” said Matthew.
“There’s often a lot of time wasted with manual adjustments to get the height exactly right with clamps – with the BFM® fitting spigot system, you just snap it in and walk away knowing it’s going to be the right height!”
The BFM® Seeflex material and the patented blue-band cuff and spigot system are fully food-grade and are compliant with all relevant 3A and EU regulations.
For more information on the BFM® Weighing Bellows, go here or contact: marketing@bfmfitting.com
BFM Global
- 6494823395
- sales@bfmfitting.com
- http://www.bfmfitting.com
- 290 Beach Haven Road Birkdale 0626 NZ
About us
BFM® Global Ltd is the New Zealand based manufacturer of the BFM® fitting system, a revolutionary snap-in flexible connector and spigot that eliminates the problems associated with traditional hose clamp systems.
Traditional hose-clamp fittings have been used in manufacturing for more than a century… and the associated problems they bring have just been accepted as standard. Apart from the difficult nature of removing and refitting the hose-clamps, leakage is the main problem. If your process involves pressure or vacuum, any hose-clamped connection is a potential point for product and air leakage.
While hose-clamps are generally a cheap initial solution, the loss of valuable product, daily clean-up costs, and potential associated health and safety issues will, in the long term, significantly affect your bottom-line.
The more cost-effective solution being used by many of the world’s leading manufacturers is the revolutionary BFM® fitting system.
BFM® fitting has revolutionised industrial flexible connectors
A BFM® fitting generally fits between two pieces of machinery, either where a stationary machine connects to a moving one, or where access to product flow is needed. It comprises two steel spigots (or flanges) that are welded to your pipes and a snap-fit flexible, blue-band connector, or sleeve, that seats on the inside of the shaped portion of the two spigots, holding it securely in place.
Because they seal from the inside, BFM® fittings provide a 100% sealed connection, even if there is pressure or vacuum running through the system. This means no leaks, so no loss of valuable product and a much cleaner, safer and more efficient operating environment.
BFM®s patented blue band connectors provide superior performance:
- 100% sealed, no mess, no leaks
- Seals tighter under pressure
- No product build-up means better hygiene
- No tools required for fitting
- Snap-in design makes installation easy
- Explosion resistant design for added safety
- More durable materials last longer
- Standardised connector sizes mean you need to keep less stock
The BFM® fitting is used in a wide variety of applications, especially those involving dry dust or powders, to supersede old hose-clamped systems:
- Vibrating & oscillating sifters/sieves
- Conveyors & Feeders
- Fans
- Baghouses
- Silos & bin inlet & outlets
- Cyclones
- Blenders
- Vibro tubes
- Rotary valves
There is a full range of materials and specific connector designs that offer solutions for virtually any processing application or environment.
Compliant with global food and safety regulations
We pride ourselves in meeting global certifications across food safety, explosion and materials, making us the product of choice across the world. We have a wide variety of products that conform to important global standards such as 3A, USDA, FDA, EC & ATEX and our products and production facility has been certified as both Halal and Kosher compliant.
BFM® fitting is being used by some of the biggest names in the global food, pharmaceutical, chemical and mineral industries.
The BFM® fitting range of products are available from more than 50 Authorised Distributors who sell to over 70 countries around the globe – to find a local Distributor, visit www.bfmfitting.com/distributors.
Where we supply to
UK Ireland, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America
Industries we supply to
Chemicals, Consultants
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