A metal finishing company specialising in electroplating are using Pinch Valves from AKO UK within their applications.
The company operates an internal Environmental Management System and has a close working relationship with their local water company which AKO’s Pinch Valve assists with.
For the main application of metal electroplating, the media passing through the Pinch Valve at this site is a water-based paste of powdered metals, namely liquid soda lime for pH neutralisation. The media is room temperature, and travels through the Pinch Valve at 2 Bar.
VM model, air operated, aluminium body, POM plastic BSP threaded end connections, EPDM rubber sleeve rated to 120°C.
The Valve for liquid soda lime is installed at ground level adjoined to a diaphragm pump. The valve operates a number of 50 cycles per day and is held in the normally open position. An air pressure amount of 4.5 Bar is used to seal the internal rubber sleeve tightly closed. When the rubber sleeve is open it allows a full and true clear bore with no dead spots or other restrictions. The free flow of product allows for an efficient and reliable production.
The company have been using Pinch Valves for liquid soda lime from AKO UK for 3 years to date. The valve was already supplied in a new installation for water pH control that the company purchased. They have had no reason to change the Pinch Valve to an alternative valve type or like-for-like model by an alternative supplier because the site chemist confirmed that AKO’s Pinch Valve for liquid soda lime performs excellently.
The EPDM rubber sleeve inside the Pinch Valve, which is the only wearable part, is replaced every 18 months. The company have no further potential for more valves in the future and are just repairing the rubber sleeves when needed. AKO advises to keep one replacement spare sleeve on the shelf in case of emergency failures.
