Eliminate Seal Problems – New Mechanical Seals Available from Waukesha/SPX

May 24, 2012
Waukesha U2 Single Mechanical Seal

Waukesha U2 Single Mechanical Seal

Holland Applied Technologies has had some customers recently eliminate their seal problems with a new single mechanical seal from Waukesha / SPX.  Many products are abrasive and/or sticky so mechanical seals tend to either wear quickly or become stuck together when the pump is not running.  In order to combat this problem, Waukesha/SPX has developed a special seal for their Universal Series Pumps and for their Scrape Surface Heat Exchangers Votator II models.   These new seals fit into new and existing pumps and heat exchangers.

When pumping either an abrasive product or something that is sticky, the typical mechanical seal may have 1/8” to ¼” of the surface the rotating seal riding against the stationary seal.  This wide or thick surface allows product to build up on or between the two surfaces allowing wear and leakage to occur.  This same surface also allows sticky products more surface area to adhere together.  When the pump is shut down for a period of time, the two surfaces may become stuck together then break apart causing cracks/chips in seal as the pump starts up again.

Many pump manufacturers will recommend Double Flushed Mechanical Seals but the end user is then forced to use a flushing material that could possibly integrate into the end product causing Quality problems.  Many end users simply cannot use a double flushed seal because of the risk from contamination.

To prevent these problems, Waukesha has come out with a Narrow Face Single Mechanical Seal that now has less surface area for these problems to occur.  The Narrow Face prevents buildup and has less surface area for products to adhere to.   Please contact Holland Applied Technologies at 800-800-8464 for more information on this New Narrow Face Seal to help prevent similar problems in your facility.

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New Mechanical Seals Make the Votator II Even Better

May 8, 2012

In years past scraped surface heat exchangers had a very limited offering of Double Mechanical seals.  Now, SPX has enhanced the mechanical seal

Illustration of new votator rotary seal face.

New Votator Rotary Seal Face

offerings for the Votator II in 2012. This enhancement will give you the following:

  • Replacement rotary and stationary seal faces in several materials that have been added.
  • Enhanced anti-rotation feature.
  • Narrow-Face configuration for more difficult sealing applications

These modifications can provide reduced cost in parts, faster installation, and improved seal life. The new parts offering can be retrofitted to your existing Votator II, if equipped with shafts for double mechanical seals.

New Votator Stationary Seal Seat and Stationary Gland

New Votator Stationary Seal Seat and Stationary Gland

Regardless if it’s a new application or retrofitting your existing Votator II,  contact a Holland on our website or call 800-800-8464 for additional information.

 

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Introducing the New Graco 515 Double Diaphragm Pump

May 3, 2012
The Graco 515 Sanitary Double Diaphragm Pump

The Graco 515 Sanitary Double Diaphragm Pump

Holland Applied Technologies is introducing the New Graco 515 Double Diaphragm Pump from Graco.  This new Sanitary Double Diaphragm pump is one more addition to the Saniforce Line of pumps offered from Holland/Graco.  The Model  515 is smaller in size weighing just 23 lbs.  As with the other pumps in the Saniforce line, the 515 has 316 stainless steel wetted parts with either PTFE or Santoprene Diaphragms and Check Balls.  Some of the other features include:

  • 1.0 in (25.4 mm) standard sanitary clamp fluid connections
  • Flow rates up to 15 Gallons Per Minute Maximum
  • FDA-compliant fluid section components meeting CFR Title 21
  • A polypropylene center section to easily handle chemical wash down
  • Graco’s durable, lube-free, non-sticking air valve
  • Bolt-through and overmolded diaphragm options

The SaniForce 515 Drum Evacuation Kit (Graco part # 262828) comes standard with:

  • SST drum length suction tube
  • SST Elbow
  • SST Mounting Bracket
  • SST Bung Adapter
  • SST Clamps (2)
  • FDA-Compliant Gaskets

Contact Holland Applied Technologies at 800-800-8464 for questions or a quote

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Factory Acceptance Testing Excellence

May 1, 2012

The Holland Applied Technologies Systems Division designs and builds high purity skids and modules for the food, beverage and biopharmaceuFactory Acceptance Testing tical industry.  The last phase of the project usually includes a factory acceptance test (FAT).  Following are our thoughts on conducting a successful factory acceptance test.

Closure to a high purity process system project traditionally ends with a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT).  This is an important client function that almost always dictates the final grade on a significant project.

What makes for a successful FAT?  Here are some of the basic principles we use to consistently execute an excellent FAT:

  1. Keep your FAT date.  We understand the coordination required to schedule a FAT.
  2. Be prepared.  A good FAT begins before it starts.  We will have completed our pre-FAT checks on the system prior to customer arrival.  The more time the customer has to work on their FAT and not ours, the sooner they can finish.
  3. Assign a dedicated technician to run the FAT activities.  This person’s first priority is to assist the client in executing the FAT.
  4. Eliminate punch list items on-the-go.  Don’t wait for a list at the end before working off punch list items.
  5. Be flexible.  Be prepared to change course during the FAT if problems arise.  Be prepared to come in early or stay late to help the client finish.
  6. Make the best use of the time available.  Have hook ups ready to go before starting.  Plan for the next round of tests and what might be needed to execute.  Bring in lunch.  Anything to make best use of the client time during FAT.

Call Holland at 800-800-8464 to learn more about our systems design and build capabilities.

 

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Measuring the Hold- Up Volume in Sanitary Hose Assemblies

April 24, 2012

We have been assembling and selling pharmaceutical grade sanitary hose assemblies for over 15 years. One of the questions we are constantly Sanitary Hosesasked is what is the potential hold-up volume of liquid in the hose?

The standard design for crimped-on hose fittings leaves a step in the ID of the hose where the barbed insert ends.  This step ensures that there will be some amount of liquid retained in the hose, but how much?  Sanitary hoses with flare through ends are supposed to alleviate this condition but they are expensive and available only with Teflon hoses.

Since none of the hose manufacturers publish this data, we at Holland decided to do our own testing. We built a test rig that would allow us to test the drainage of hoses at various angled.  Our test methodology consisted of pouring a known volume of water through a series of 1 ½”ID hoses and capturing what drained through.  The liquid volume draining from of the hose was compared to the input into the hose to determine the hold-up volume.  The results are listed below.

Fluid Retained (mL) in Teflon Hoses at Various Drain Angles of 1 ½” Hose

Drain Angle (Degrees)

Teflon Hose Crimped Ends

Teflon Hose Flare Through Ends

Teflon Hose No End

3

4

1.1

1.15

5

3

0.5

1

7.5

1

0.1

0.9

10

1

0

0.3

12.5

1

0

0

20

0.5

0

0

30

0.5

0

0

Conclusion

If your hose is going to be at a 7.5 degree drain angle or higher, the type of end connection used will have will not affect the hold-up volume.  At that angle, the only hold up on any of the hoses was a function of surface tension.  Below 7.5 degrees, the flare through style end connections drain better.

So which end connection do you choose?  The hold-up volume on crimped end type hoses is minimal.  They are less expensive and available in a wider range of materials, including Teflon, silicone and EPDM.   In many cases they are an excellent choice.  But, if you are dealing with a high value product and want to ensure you get complete drainage, flare through hoses might be a better choice.  The flare through design is expensive and offered only in Teflon.  Also, the Teflon ferrule face on flare-throughs can sometimes wear out prematurely if the sanitary clamps are over-tightened causing the entire hose assembly unusable.  But they do offer more complete drainage.

Holland Applied Technologies stocks and assembles an extensive line of sanitary hose assemblies from the finest manufactures in the industry, including Aflex PTFE hoses and Saint Gobain silicones.  Call us at 800-800-8464 with your application or click on this link to contact us via the web.

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Sanitary Pump Skids and Carts

April 21, 2012

Along with our broad offerings of sanitary pumps, Holland Applied Technologies also designs and builds complete pump skids, carts and sanitary

Waukesha Sanitary PD Pumps Mounted on Polished Stainless Steel Round Tube Frames

Waukesha Sanitary PD Pumps Mounted on Polished Stainless Steel Round Tube Frames

pump process systems. We will work with you to design a pump skid designed for you specific application. The process starts with reviewing your application and specifying the most efficient, cost effective pump for the application. We can assist in proper seal selection, drive selection and specifying the other process components required to meet your application.

Before construction of the skid, we will provide you with an AutoCAD 3D approval drawing to review. All of our pump systems are built in house in our sanitary fabrication shop. We build square tube frame pump carts, round tube frame carts and pump carts mounted on stainless plate. Multiple polish options are available, from mill finish to fully polished.

Our Sanitary Pump Skid Offerings include:

  • Pumps skids with custom stainless steel frames with couplings and drives
  • Sanitary pumps with integrated pressure relief systems
  • Pump and metering skid systems
  • Portable sanitary pump carts
  • Sanitary pump carts with integrated VFD’s
  • Integrated seal flush systems
  • Sanitary jacketed pump skids
  • Pump dispensing systems

All of our sanitary pump skids are customer built. Call us at 800-800-8464 or  email us by clicking on this link.  Give us  your application and one of our application specialists will respond.

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Solving Customer Problems with our Sanitary Custom Fabrication Capabilites

April 18, 2012

Extended Sanitary Butterfly Valve Handles: The Original OEM Piece in on the Left, the Holland Fabricated Handle on the Right.

In today’s economic times, manufactures are rationalizing their product lines, often eliminating many legacy products.  This means niche,  specialty  products have been eliminated.  That is an area in which we can help.

Holland recently had a customer that came to us with such an issue.  They were looking for extended valve handles for sanitary butterfly valves.  The manufacturer for the valves had rationalized their product line and this was one of the products that were no longer offered.  The customer turned to Holland and asked if we could make the part.

We tried to get a print from the manufacturer, but they it was not available.  The customer loaned Holland a handle and our fabrication group reverse engineered the extended handle and were able to provide the customer with a better product than they had before.

We have some of the most extensive product offerings and capabilities in the sanitary process industry.  Besides our broad offerings of standard sanitary pumps, valves, fittings, hose assemblies and single use products, our in house custom fabrication capabilities allow us to go the extra mile.  We have extensive sanitary machining, welding, metal forming and polishing capabilities.

Call us at 800-800-8464 with your special needs. Or contact us via our web site at www.hollandapt.com

Our Stainless Steel Custom Fabrication Capabilities include CNC Machining, Manual and Orbital Welding, Metal Forming and Polishing

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Single-Use Filling

April 7, 2012

At Holland, we keep seeing more and more processes moving from traditional stainless steel applications to single-use

Single Use Filling Manifold

processes.  One of the most recent we’ve been tackling is biopharm filling operations. Customers have been expressing a strong desire in moving to a one-time use, pre-sterilized and complete filling manifold.  There are two ways (predominantly) our customers have been using this technology: 1) mating up single-use fill manifolds to existing fillers and 2) using these disposable assemblies and driving them via peristaltic pump.

For traditional fillers (Optima, Inova, Cozzoli, etc.) – we can take the last wetted part of the filler (tube through needle) and convert everything into a single-use assembly (gamma irradiated or autoclavable).  Your operators can open up the double bag and have a fill manifold ready to go.  Our customers have been very straightforward about the amount of time this operation has saved them on the front end (reduced labor, reduced validation, reduced downtime, etc.) as well as after completing their fill run (no cleaning/cleaning validation, less time to breakdown, etc.).  In some instances, we’ve been able to increase the productivity of a fill line up to 20%.  That kind of efficiency speaks right to the top and bottom line.

Peristaltic pumps completely subvert the manufacturing/cleaning hurdle of a wetted, stainless fluid path.  Our end users are working with smaller batches and taking cleaning completely out of the equation.  Now, there is no need to clean the traditional filler.  Every part of the fluid path is single-use and ready to go.  Once the single-use fill manifold is placed into the peristaltic pump – it’s just a matter of running the machine, finishing your fill and starting over with a fresh batch.

We have a long history of resolving our customers’ engineering issues at Holland.  It is the backbone of our business and the reason why we have been servicing the biopharm industry for over 50 years.  Please call us today at 800-800-6464 to get your technological questions answered.

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Custom Fabricated Stainless Steel Sanitary Components

April 3, 2012

At Holland we specialize in fabrication of custom sanitary components.  Our facility is a ‘stainless steel or higher alloy only” shop, ensuring that there cannot be any material cross contamination. Our shop features:

Welding

  • Computer controlled orbital welders with weld documentation
  • Dedicated argon dewers with certs
  • Oxygen control on each orbital welder
  • All welders  ASME Section IX and  AWS D 1.6

Machining

  • Hitachi Seiki machining center
  • CNC vertical milling center
  • Milling machines
  • Engine lathes

Polishing

  • Assorted ID and OD mechanical polishing equipment
  • Most polishing is done in a segregated room with its own air purification system
  • Electropolishing is available

A Sampling of the Custom Sanitary Components We Have Fabricated

 

If you can get us a sketch, we will get you a proposal.  We will furnish you with an approval drawing before any fabrication begins.  Call us at 800-800-8464 for more information.

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Look to Holland for Sanitary Hose Assemblies

March 21, 2012

 

The Aflex Puretag Labeling System

 

Holland Applied Technologies has one of the broadest offerings of sanitary hose assemblies available.  We build almost all assemblies on site at our

Burr Ridge, IL facility.  .  We have the ability to fabricate hoses from 0.25” all the way up to 3” hose.  With a variety of hose materials and manufacturers to choose from, and hundreds of end connection combinations, we are the right choice for your sanitary hose needs. Our offerings include:

 

  • Aflex Teflon Hose:  Aflex is the world leader in flexible PTFE hose for the food and pharmaceutical industry.
  • Saint Gobain Silicone Hose:  We sell both the Sani-Tech and PureFit brands.  Offerings range from single ply braided hose to 4/ply wire reinforced hoses in sizes ¼” to 4”.

Holland now offer’s Aflex’s Puretag hose labeling system. The Puretag labeling system comprises a label or color code on the inner braid, encapsulated by a transparent, platinum cured silicone which is integrally vulcanized and fully bonded to the cover on the hose without any adhesive.

Having the ability to assemble hoses and labels in house allows us to quickly react to customer needs. In a recent case, Holland received a phone call at 2pm on a Friday with a customer looking for four 1” Aflex Pharmaline anti-static PTFE hoses.  These hoses were needed for a shut-down that was going to happen the following day.  They were to be installed on the ports of the main fermentation vessel at a Bio-Tech facility.   Holland was able to assemble the four 1” hoses and ship them that day for Saturday delivery.

Call Holland at 800-800-6464 with your sanitary hose needs.

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