Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts

Load Cells for Weighing Vessels in Hot and Vibration Prone Areas

Tank weighing
Most load cells are designed to handle vertical force and cannot discern errors introduced from side loading and/or torque loading. In real world conditions, though, load cells see much more than vertical loading, and unfortunately, can output erroneous values. While they are excellent for static weighing situations, such as scales, load cells typically can’t handle the rigors of process vessel applications.

A case in point is a chemical manufacturer with several, existing three cubic meter batching tanks. It was decided the tanks needed modifications to provide more accurate weighing of the individual ingredients. The existing load cells were experiencing errors due to thermal expansion of the vessel, and the resultant side loads from expansion. Additionally there was a problem with vibration in the plant. A better solution was needed, and whatever the solution would be, the customer made it clear the new weighing system must provide system accuracy in the range of ±0.1%.

Tank weighing

An approach to deal mechanically with the thermal cycling while using the same type of load cell was discussed. It involved several mechanical modifications that required significant and costly structural changes.

BLH KIS
BLH KIS
Another suggestion was to evaluate a unique load cell design that was particularly tolerant against thermal expansion, vibration, and high lateral forces - the BLH Nobel KIS series.  The KIS load cell offered some obvious advantages over rebuilding the tanks supports and frame, namely time and expense. Beyond the short installation time and easy modification, the KIS also offers excellent reliability and accuracy.

BLH Controller
BLH Controller
The customer decided to “take the easy way out” and just replace the old, error-prone load cells with KIS load cells. Installation and start-up was very easy, taking very little time. After installation, the customer was pleasantly surprised by the high accuracy of the new KIS load cells, despite the thermal expansion of the vessel and the inherent vibration.

For more information on BLH Nobel products in New England and Upstate New York contact A-P Corp. Call them at (816) 353-6550 or visit them at https://a-pcorp.com.

Plastics Industry Feed Screw Classification White Paper

The feed screw is used in plastics extrusion to force melting plastic resin through a die into a mold to form a desired shape. As screw designs have evolved through the years, there are several generic categories.

Glycon Corporation, the industry leader manufacturer of high performance and innovative feed screws, has put together this white paper describing the classifications of feed screws used in the plastics industry.








AP Corp.
https://a-pcorp.com
(508) 351-6200

Polymer Analysis Using ASTM/ISO Method A Testing and the Dynisco LMI5500 Melt Flow Indexer


One of the specific ways to speed development, quality testing, and analysis of polymers is the ASTM/ISO Method A Test using the Dynisco LMI5500 melt flow indexer. This test is used in order to determine flow characteristics of plastic melts are used in various plastic processing techniques, namely extrusion and injection molding.  

The LMI5500 brings a new level of ease of use with its removable inspection plate, increased access for sample cutting, and improved touch screen. This device provides values on the melt flow rate melt volume rate and melt density of polymers to ensure that the conditions of production are at peak efficiency without sacrificing the quality of your products. Upon test completion results are viewable, and can be sent to the cloud. The information obtained from this test is important for achieving a quality product while maintaining a high level of efficiency in production.

For more infomration on all Dynisco products, contact AP Corp. Visit their web site at https://a-pcorp.com or call (508) 351-6200.

The Badger Meter Cox EC80 Flow Processor

Cox EC80 Flow ProcessorThe Cox EC80 Flow Processor is a programmable electronic processor, providing total compensation to enhance flow meter accuracy, while extending the linear flow range. Packaging is provided for remote, direct or embedded mounting to support most installation or application requirements.

The compact design includes both single and dual frequency inputs from 4 or 10 ohm pickups, as well an RTD input and an additional analog input for other temperature inputs. The EC80 processor tracks all variables to compensate for viscous and inertial effects, using proven Strouhal-Roshko algorithms. Enhanced DSP technology allows for exceptional signal characterization using a 32-bit floating point processor at 150 MHz, capable of producing a 100 microsecond speed of response.

Cox EC80 Flow Processor Applications

  • Precision monitoring
  • Engine test cells and test stands
  • On-board automotive and aerospace testing
  • Control loops
  • Custom OEM flight and commercial applications

Cox EC80 Flow Processor Industries

  • Aviation & Aerospace
  • Petrochemical, Refining & Chemical Metering
  • Process or Industrial
  • Test Equipment & Services



For more information, contact AP Corp. Call them at 508-351-6200 or visit their web site at https://a-pcorp.com.

Bonding Strain Gages? 5 Steps to Getting Surface Prep Right!


When bonding Micro-Measurements Advanced Sensors Technology strain gage sensors (CEA, C4A, C5K)  you want to ensure an excellent bond. The key element in bonding strain gages is surface preparation.

The video above demonstrates specific procedures and techniques with proven advantages. By precisely following these carefully developed instructions (along with the requisite procedures for gage and adhesive handling), the result will be strong and stable bonds. This video presents a procedure that is simple to learn, easy to perform, and reproducible. Keep in mind, it is very important to pay attention to detail and follow the instructions precisely. The importance of surface preparation for strain gage bonding cannot be understated.

1) Degreasing

Rigorously  degrease the gaging area with a good solvent, such as CSM Degreaser or GC-6 Isopropyl Alcohol. Be aware though that some materials (e.g., titanium and many plastics) react with strong solvents. Make sure your solvents do not contain any contaminants

2) Abrading

Preliminary dry abrading with 220 or 320-grit silicon-carbide paper is generally required if there is any surface scale or oxide. Final abrading is done by using 320-grit silicon-carbide paper on surfaces thoroughly wetted with M-Prep Conditioner A; this is followed by wiping dry with a gauze sponge. Repeat this wet abrading process with 400-grit silicon-carbide paper, then dry by slowly wiping through with a gauze sponge.  Finish with 320 grit on most steels and 400 grit on aluminum alloys.

3) Burnishing of Layout Lines

Using a 4H pencil (on aluminum) or a ballpoint pen (on steel), burnish (do not scribe) whatever alignment marks are needed on the specimen.


4) Conditioning

Repeatedly apply M-Prep Conditioner A and scrub with cotton-tipped applicators until a clean tip is no longer discolored. Remove all residue and Conditioner by again slowly wiping through with a gauze sponge. Never allow any solution to dry on the surface because this invariably leaves a contaminating film and reduces chances of a good bond.

5) Neutralizing

Now apply a liberal amount of M-Prep Neutralizer 5A and scrub with a cotton-tipped applicator. With a single, slow wiping motion of a gauze sponge starting within the clean area and wiping outward in one direction.  Repeat the wiping step with a clean gauze pad, again, start in the clean area, wipe though the gage location moving outward in a single stroke to fully dry this surface. Do not wipe back and forth because this may allow contaminants to be redeposited.

For proper outcomes, the procedures and techniques presented here should be used with qualified installation accessory products from Micro-Measurements, namely:
  • CSM Degreaser or GC-6 Isopropyl Alcohol
  • Silicon Carbide Paper
  • M-Prep Conditioner A
  • M-Prep Neutralizer 5A
  • GSP-1 Gauze Sponges
  • CSP-1 Cotton Applicators
  • PCT Gage Installation Tape
For more infomration, contact AP Corp. Call them at 508-351-6200 or visit their web site at https://a-pcorp.com.

New Product Alert: A Noise Monitoring Station with Built-in Noise Directivity Detection


The SV 200A is a Class 1 sound level meter integrated with a wireless communication via 3G, LAN, Wireless LAN and Bluetooth®. The list of add-ons also includes a built-in electrostatic actuator, GPS module and e-compass. The waterproof power supply is also provided.

The SVANTEK SV 200A is the top-of-the range noise monitoring station with built-in microphones for noise directivity detection. This innovative, new product enables the identification of dominant noise sources providing information about their location both vertically and horizontally. In practice, measuring directionality gives the opportunity to indicate the dominant source of noise in the measurement area or exclude unwanted events.

Four additional microphones located on the sides of the housing use the sound intensity technique to recognize both the vertical and the horizontal direction of a dominant noise source. Leq distribution in angle sectors is saved as time-history and can be used to filter and report data.

The SVANTEK SV 200A can perform a 1/1 and 1/3 octave frequency analysis in real-time and store it as time-history data. It can also record the audio signal for the recognition of noise sources and recalculation of the data.

The advanced alarm function can send email and SMS notifications caused by threshold levels and time events. Status alarms of the SVANTEK SV 200A are also available.

The 3G modem, Wi-Fi and LAN features provide fast Internet transfer to PC with standard internet connectivity. SvanNET enables Internet plug & play and easy management of measurement projects. Irrespective of the type of a public or private sim card, SvanNET will make a connection to allow full access to your data via Web browser. The Bluetooth ® and Wireless LAN features provide a point of access for easy SvanNET application configuration.


For more information on SVANTEK products in New England and New York, contact AP Corp. Call (508) 351-6200 of visit https://a-pcorp.com.

Why Plastics Industry Feed Screws are Designed the Way They Are

Feed screw selection
Download the white paper here.

The selection of the proper screw for a given injection molding or extrusion application can be critical to its success.

Screw geometry — length-to-diameter ratio, profile, channel depth, compression ratio, helix angle and a host of special design features — has everything to do with how well the screw performs in a given application.

There are documented applications where customers have improved production rates or reduced cycle times by 30 or 40% simply by switching to an improved screw design. Similarly, reject rates have been lowered from more than 4-6% to less than 1% by incorporating a custom designed mixing screw.

And experience shows that the amount of color concentrate required to achieve optimum color mix can be typically reduced from 4% (of the total blend) to 2%, just by using an optimized screw design. When considering resin and concentrate costs, payback for an optimized screw and non-return valve design can be almost immediate.

This white paper, published by Glycon Corporation, provides an in-depth look into plastics industry feed screw design.

Occupational Health & Environmental Sound and Vibration Meter: The SVAN 977A


The SVAN 977A is a class-one sound and vibration level meter that offers unprecedented state-of-the-art technology designed for general acoustic, occupational health,  and building acoustic measurements of  vibration and environmental noise. The instrument comes equipped as standard with the SV7052E polarized half inch microphone, the SV12 microphone preamplifier, and the SA22 foam windscreen, as well as a large 16 gigabyte internal memory which can be easily upgraded by a micro SD card. The meter comes equipped with a standard quarter inch photographic thread. On the bottom panel you can locate the usb serial and I/O sockets. There is also a micro SD card slot under the bottom cover and spaces for the four double a batteries. The SVAN 977A is equipped with a super contrast led color display. The instrument's user interface makes both configuration and measurement easier than ever before. The user can easily operate the instrument by selecting the appropriate position from the selected menu lists.

The instrument has 2 general modes of operation: Configuration mode; and measurement performance and results preview mode. The SVAN 977A can be used in the meter mode to perform the real-time 11 octave or 1/3 octave analysis including calculations of statistical levels, and can also perform FFT analysis.  For building acoustic applications SVAN 977A offers reverberation time measurements RT60 and building acoustics assistant application for smartphones.

With a special microphone the meter provides measurement range of the ultrasounds up to 40 kilohertz. Measurement results can be viewed indifferent view modes, the set of which you can change and activate depending on the selected measurement function. If you disconnect the microphone preamplifier, you can use the instrument to take vibration measurements simply by connecting a cable and a vibration sensor.  SVAN 977A can be easily installed into the SM277 case and used as an outdoor monitoring station thanks to a dedicated modem station which enables connection to the SVAN NET, an advanced server solution supporting remote connection giving users full access to the measurement data via web browser or dedicated application.

For more information, contact AP Corp. by visiting https://a-pcorp.com or by calling (508) 351-6200.

Check Out the Current AP Corp. Line Sheet

AP Corp. represents the top manufactures of industrial sensors and instrumentation. Product categories include Analyzers, Color Sensors, Displacement Sensors, Flow Sensors, Instrumentation (Data Acquisition), Load Cells & Instrument Hardware, Machine Controls, Pressure Gauges, Pressure Sensors, Sanitary Sensors, Sound Sensors, Strain Gages, Temperature Sensors, and Vibration Sensors. As one of New England's and New York's premier Manufacturer's, AP Corp. will assist you in selecting the perfect sensor for your application.

Check out the AP line sheet by reviewing the embedded document below, or you can download a PDF line sheet from this page on the AP Corp. web site.

AP Corp.
https://a-pcorp.com
(508) 351-6200

Three Types of Common Industrial Sensors: Inductive, Capacitive, and Photoelectric


Three common industrial sensors are inductive proximity sensors, capacitive proximity sensors, and photoelectric sensors.

Inductive sensors can detect a target from 0.5 millimeters to 40 millimeters. They only detect metallic targets and therefore use a magnetic field to detect presence when a ferrous metal enters the magnetic field.

Capacitive proximity sensors on the other hand can detect dielectric materials such as liquids plastic glass, wood and granulated substances as long as it has a dielectric constant of 1.2 or more. Their range is from three millimeters to 15 millimeters depending on the dielectric material to be detected.

Photoelectric sensors have the greatest detection range from one millimeter to 25 meters or more. They operate by the use of an emitter which transmits a beam of light to the receiver. They operate by detecting the presence, or absence, of a light beam sent from transmitter to receiver.

These are three very basic sensor technologies used in many common applications. The video above provides an elementary understanding of the operational differences.

For more information on any industrial or OEM sensor, contact AP Corporation by visiting https://a-pcorp.com or by calling 508-351-6200


The SVAN 971 Class 1 Sound Level Meter


The SVAN 971 is a Class 1 sound level meter and real-time analyzer. It is an ideal choice for industrial hygiene noise measurements, short period environmental noise measurements, acoustics consultancy surveys, technical engineers dealing with noise issues, and general acoustics noise measurements.

The SVAN 971 is an extremely small instrument with options for 1/1 & 1/3 octave analysis. The instrument brings unprecedented state of the art technology to a SLM of this size.The user interface makes both configuration and measurement easier than ever before. For those who don't have time to work with measurement settings, SVAN 971 offers extremely simple operational mode with Start/Stop. Another exceptional feature is built-in self-vibration monitoring providing information about level of vibration that influences the measurement results.

For more information, contact:
Andruss-Peskin Corporation
https://www.a-pcorp.com
(508) 351-6200

Andruss-Peskin Introduction Video

Here's a short introduction video for those of you who don't yet know AP Corp. Thanks for watching.