Gloucestershire-based Stonehouse Paper & Bag Mills Ltd has installed three 500 series process pumps from Watson-Marlow Pumps Group in replacement for diaphragm pumps that were proving hard to clean, difficult to maintain and expensive to run. The success of the Watson-Marlow 521VI/R2C peristaltic pumps in recirculating inks on the company’s printing presses, has led Stonehouse to order a further two identical models. In fact, the company plans to replace all of its existing diaphragm pumps with Watson-Marlow models as and when their performance starts to dip.
Cost effective
“When we were looking for new pumps, our research revealed that electrically operated pumps would be more economic and easier to use than the air-operated diaphragm pumps with which we had become familiar,” says Jonathan Daniels, the company’s Managing Director. “All compressed air systems have leaks, which basically means you are using energy even when the pump isn’t running. There are no such worries with an electric pump. Furthermore, changing the diaphragm and valves in an AOD pump is best done by an octopus, whereas access and tube loading on the Watson-Marlow pump couldn’t be easier.”
On the Watson-Marlow 521VI/R2C, the pumphead set-up using two-position, sprung-loaded tube clamps and clutched rotor makes tube loading effortless.
Mr Daniels also says that the robust build of the pump helped differentiate it from others on the market. Here, heavy duty construction with impact-proof safeguarding and robust tube clamps ensure grip even in poor operating environments. Furthermore, the 520R2C pumphead features a polyphenlene sulphide (PPS) track and rotor, with stainless steel occlusion rollers to resist chemical attack and abrasive wear.
Ink circulation
The pumps at Stonehouse are used to circulate inks on the printing presses, some of which use a ‘chamber blade’ system. This, in combination with the pump, fills a pot with ink (the pot has an overflow), constantly agitating it to keep the colour consistent
“If the pump is running too fast, or the pressure is wrong, there’s a real danger that thinner inks will leak everywhere,” explains Mr Daniels. “However, with the variable speed inverter on the Watson-Marlow 521VI/R2C, we can slow things down to negate this issue.”
In control
Mr Daniels says that a further advantage of the Watson-Marlow pump is that it’s possible to ‘back-pump’ using reverse control to extract all of the ink from the tube and save it going all over the floor when changing over.
“In theory we could have a tube for each colour because changeover is so easy,” he says. “In reality, however, we’re running all the colours of the rainbow and every shade in between, so we have to cleandown between print runs. It’s just a case of washing through with water – using the inverter on the Watson-Marlow we can wash through at whatever speed we want.”
In contrast, Mr Daniels says that the diaphragm pumps are hard to keep impeccably clean. They feature their own vessel into which ink is poured – this has to be poured back out at the end of the run, creating downtime.
Further orders
The three Watson-Marlow 521VI/R2C pumps have been working at Stonehouse since 2005. Such has been their performance that the company has now placed an order for two more.
“Not only have the pumps proved reliable, but Watson-Marlow are very knowledgeable and have been extremely helpful,” says Mr Daniels. “As and when other diaphragm pumps stop being reliable we will replace them with Watson-Marlow.”
Stonehouse Paper & Bag Mills Ltd is an independent, family run business that was established in 1922 and continues to run from its original location next to the River Frome in the Cotswolds. The 18-employee company’s main activity is manufacturing from a range of paper substrates from the reel into plain or printed bags measuring from as small as 1” wide x 1” long up to a length of 55” and in volumes of 5,000 upwards. Stonehouse differentiates itself in the market by manufacturing paper bags to exact customer dimensions, rather than having to opt for the nearest size available.
Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions
- 01326370370
- info@wmftg.co.uk
- https://www.wmfts.com/
- Bicklandwater Road, Falmouth Business Park, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4RU GB
About us
Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG) peristaltic tube and hose pumps meet requirements including: value for money; low cost of ownership; reliability and ease of maintenance to the food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining and many other industries.
We demonstrate how pumps deliver significant process efficiencies over the lifetime of the equipment. Whether performing flavouring addition in food processing, chemical metering in water treatment or mineral recovery, we have a solution which can cut pump downtime and reduce costs through higher accuracy metering and transfer. WMFTG has dedicated application engineers available to help customers make the right pump and tubing choice from a range providing microlitres per minute to 80 cubic metres per hour flow rates.
The only part of the pump to come into contact with the product is the tube or hose. This means there are no seals or valves that can wear or fail. Replacing the tube or hose can be performed quickly and safely. Peristaltic pump benefits include:
Total fluid containment with no seals No ancillaries Handle viscous and abrasive slurries and sludge Self-priming capability Dry running without damage to the pump In addition to their range of positive displacement pumps, Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group has added PTFE-lined chemical and industrial hoses to their range. Aflex hoses are reinforced to withstand the most severe conditions and use.
Where we supply to
Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America
Industries we supply to
Automation, Chemicals, Consultants, Components Electronics, Energy and Power, Food and Beverage, Glass Ceramics Cement, Metals and Minerals, OEM, Paper and Pulp, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Plastics and Rubber, Recycling, Textiles, Tobacco, Water and Wastewater
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