Peristaltic pumps provide optimum process solutions at brick manufacturer
Ibstock Brick Ltd, a UK brickmaker with a history dating back well over a century, has over the course of the past five years replaced its existing peristaltic pumps with alternative Bredel SPX models supplied by Watson-Marlow Pumps Group. The previous units were deemed of insufficient quality for this progressive manufacturing company – one that had recently upgraded to inverter-based control systems.
Located 11km west of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Ibstock Brick can be found in the village of Throckley – best known as a calling point for Hadrian’s Wall. However, in an attempt to remove barriers against productivity and performance inside the factory, Engineering Manager Gavin Van Der Merwe knew the company’s peristaltic pumps required replacing.
Better quality
“I’ll just say that the quality of certain aspects of the pumps wasn’t good enough,” he states. “We needed to install high quality positive displacement pumps with constant flow capabilities and it became apparent that Watson-Marlow’s Bredel SPX range was the ideal solution.”
The pumps at Ibstock Brick work 12 hours a day, and the first application up for review was to pump mains water into a mixing process.
“Here, a constant volume and constant flow are vital for process success: too soft and the mixture collapses; too hard and it becomes difficult to cut,” says Mr Van Der Merwe. “The Bredel SPX50 high pressure hose pump offered a perfect option linked with PLC control and HMI output.”
The Bredel SPX50 provides a maximum continuous flow rate of 10,500 litres per hour. What’s more, the unique direct-coupled design of the Bredel SPX provides all the performance, reliability and ease of maintenance benefits of bare-shaft (long-coupled) designs with the compact advantages of close-coupled pumps in sizes ranging from 10 to 100mm.
Paint and additives
The success of the initial project led Ibstock to review other processes. For instance, the company has since installed smaller Bredel SPX models for pumping water-based paint into the mixture which alters brick colour. Another more recent project has seen Bredel models applied to pumping abrasive magnesium-based additives and barium carbonate solutions into the clay before it’s extruded into the brick shape. The precise function of these additives is closely guarded – suffice to say they prevent certain negative things happening to the bricks in the field.
“I have to say that all of our Bredel SPX pumps are working beautifully,” says Mr Van Der Merwe. “Furthermore, in all the years we’ve had them I can only recall one maintenance job – replacing the elements within the SPX50. And this only took 40 minutes.”
Ibstock Brick today has one Bredel SPX50 and one SPX25 high pressure hose pump, along with four SPX15 mini hose pumps at its Throckley plant, where 42 people help manufacture several million bricks every year – well into eight figures. Such is the impression made by the Bredel pumps and the support provided by Watson-Marlow that Ibstock now has further plans to add further SPX50 and SPX15 pumps in the very near future.
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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