We Listen
This is the first thing we do. And when we respond to your specific needs,
the system we offer you might be identical to one we have "on-the-shelf," one
we've built before, but that's not the norm. Typically, your requirements will call
for a unique item or a combination of components. We often suggest and build new
features into our systems features that can help your process
run better. And those items, typically, are not proprietary but are instead,
commercially-available components. If you want us to add something special to your
system, just ask.
Pushbutton Recipe Control
APT's Rotary Pump (SRD-Series) and Piston Pump (ECS-Series) systems are setting industry standards
for accuracy and versatility. To help eliminate common operator errors, our
state-of-the-art, servomotor control lets you pushbutton-preset your required ratio,
shot-size, output rate and mixer speed for each part you pour. Likewise,
temperatures throughout the system and vacuum levels maintained in the supply vessels can
be optionally preset at the interface. You first enter those digital presets and
then save them to individual pour recipes. To run a pour recipe, you simply select
it at the LCD operator-interface and run it. Each pour recipe can include any number
of preset process variables. For added protection against operator error, you can
add a vision system or barcode reader to automatically read pour-recipes right off your
individual molds or mold trays.
Closed-Loop Feedback
Ratio Monitoring and Control
Straight-tube coriolis mass flowmeters can optionally be added to any SRD or
ECS-Series fluid metering system to display, verify and digitally close-the-loop on
gear-pump leakage. This means that you won't just be driving two or more metering
pumps at preset speeds. Instead, ratio will be maintained with digital feedback from
the precise measurement of the material's mass through the mass flowmeters. The
speed, rotation and/or fractional rotation of two or more pumps is held in a linear
relationship, even while dispensing very small shots at very low output rates.
Coriolis flowmeters have a straight or slightly curved single tube inside the meter.
Unlike conventional volumetric flowmeters, mass flowmeters have no internal gears,
no mechanical elements, nothing in the path of the fluid material that can cause the meter
itself to leak or slip, which produces false flow measurements.
When material is at rest inside the Coriolis tube, the tube vibrates at a known
frequency. When material flows, sensors detect a vibration dampening effect, which
is directly proportional to the rate of flow of the material. Coriolis flowmeters
measure mass, density and temperature in order to calculate actual volume displacements
from the gear pump. Notably, volumetric flowmeters need frequent calibration,
especially when material temperatures change, because low viscosity materials more easily
"slip" or leak material past clearances in the gears. Mass flowmeters
typically need no calibration after installation in your machine.
Material Recirculation
When material temperature control is critical, your materials can be diverted back
to their respective supply tanks at each mixer injector port. Pumps inside the
heated supply tanks provide positive material pressure to recirculate the materials
through the lines, pumps, flowmeters and mixer to maintain
homogenous temperature control at all points throughout the individual component metering
systems. Recirculation eliminates hot and cold spots, ensuring consistent
mixed-material reaction and cure properties.
Unmatched Flexibility
For each reactive component you run on our system, the pump and the optional
flowmeter are mounted on separate "pump plates." These pump plates allow
you to easily change to different pump sizes and flowmeters as your formulation and
requirements change. While other systems include fixed, hard-plumbed, heat-traced
lines and special fittings, our modular systems are specifically designed for fast and
easy conversions.
With an SRD system, you will never be tied-down to one application's formulation or
ratio. Similarly, while running one formulation, you can view and select your next
preset recipe at the operator interface, or select a recipe, modify it, save it under a
new name and then run it. For fast formulation changes, if you operate your system
with four or more servomotor-driven metering pumps mounted on one machine, your system
will be preprogrammed to keep machine operation (i.e., entering presets and selecting pour
recipes) simple for all operators.
These versatile systems dispense cast urethanes, epoxies, nylons and polyesters,
abrasive-filled and unfilled. They handle ratios from 200:1 to 1:1, dispense mixed
material shot-sizes to less than 5 grams and provide continuous mixed material outputs to
more than 50 lbs/min.
We Offer You Our Experience
with Hundreds of Applications
Our customers pour into open molds, low
pressure molds, closed RTM composite molds, filament winding (wet-wound) baths and molds
inside vacuum chambers. Urethane pump impellers, rolls and wheels, vacuum-potted
high-voltage automotive ignition coils and epoxy composite RTM parts molded at up to 500
degrees F are just a few of the many parts produced by APT systems. We offer you a
wide range of experience in many different industries.
