![](3D"http://www.thejournalofindustryandtechnology.biz/_blnk.gif"=20)
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TOTAL ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING =
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Amarinth=20
improves collaborative working with
detailed 3-Dimensional CAD =
models=20
of pumps
Amarinth,=20
a leading company specialising in the design, application and =
manufacture=20
of centrifugal pumps and associated equipment to the industrial, =
chemical=20
and petrochemical industries has recently launched an innovative =
new=20
on-line service that gives access to detailed 3-Dimensional CAD =
models of=20
its pumps that are assisting understanding, communication and=20
collaborative working across organisations.
When an =
organisation=20
is specifying pumps, designing new systems or developing other =
processes=20
such as maintenance schedules, there are numerous other people in =
addition=20
to the engineers involved, many of whom don't have direct access =
to=20
engineering models or drawings, or indeed are not in a position to =
understand or work with these if they did. In many cases it can be =
extremely difficult for these people to understand the various =
components=20
within a pump and how they all fit together and so can prove =
frustrating=20
for them when trying to have a meaningful conversation with =
engineers or=20
pump suppliers.
In a first for the industry, Amarinth is =
rolling=20
out an innovative new service that delivers through any web =
browser=20
detailed models of its pumps to any person working in any =
organisation.=20
This new service will help address the communication and =
understanding=20
issues, making the purchasing process smoother and ensuring that =
general=20
communication about the pumps is more meaningful for all =
concerned.=20
Pictured top right: Amarinth A-series OH2 =
3-Dimensional Model, and below: Amarinth A-series OH2 =
3-Dimensional Model=20
- Internals.
The=20
advantages of having these models available across the =
organisation has=20
been underlined in the demanding environment of a major worldwide=20
contractor headquartered in the USA where the company has =
installed the=20
Amarinth models on it's own intranet and has been utilising them =
for=20
training new employees and existing staff across 30 different =
sites. So=20
valuable have they proven that the company has requested =
additional pump=20
models to help their staff identify the differences between =
different=20
types of pumps.
The on-line models enable both engineers =
and other=20
staff to explore a pump in three dimensions. The detailed models =
can be=20
rotated to see all aspects and features and zoomed into for closer =
inspection. The model is built as a full assembly and so selected =
parts=20
can be made transparent or hidden in order to see internal =
components.=20
More advanced features are also available such as measuring, =
sectioning=20
and mass properties. Finally a mark-up feature allows sharing of=20
information and comments between people and organisations. =
Importantly, no=20
special software, platform or licensing is needed to view and =
manipulate=20
these models. When the downloaded file is opened all of the =
software=20
features are available immediately to the user to start work with. =
Oliver Brigginshaw, Managing Director of Amarinth =
commented: "We=20
have taken this initiative to openly provide detailed =
3-Dimensional CAD=20
models of our pumps as we have seen so many issues within =
organisations,=20
particularly as engineers and non-engineers try to communicate =
about=20
aspects of pump design, maintenance and procurement. Although many =
pump=20
suppliers would be extremely cautious about releasing this level =
of detail=20
into the public domain we believe that the benefits that this will =
deliver, both for organisations using our pumps and in =
communications=20
between Amarinth and our customers, far outweigh any perceived =
risk."=20
The first of the Amarinth pump models to be released are =
the API=20
610 A-series OH2 and V-series VS4 pumps. Other pumps along with =
Amarinth=20
Protect System seal support systems will follow in due course over =
the=20
year.
The on-line 3D pumps can be viewed by visiting:
Amarinth=20
bucks the recession and opens new pump
assembly and test =
facilities=20
increasing capacity by 150%
Amarinth=20
bucks the recession and opens new pump assembly and test =
facilities=20
increasing capacity by 150%
Amarinth, a leading company=20
specialising in the design, application and manufacture of =
centrifugal=20
pumps and associated equipment to the industrial, chemical and=20
petrochemical industries has made a major investment in new=20
state-of-the-art assembly and test facilities to handle current =
orders and=20
predicted growth.
With its increasing order book, Amarinth =
has=20
undertaken a major investment in new facilities that will enable =
the=20
company to meet anticipated demand and needs of customers over the =
next=20
few years. The company has just completed a new building that will =
house=20
its state-of-the-art assembly facilities and provide an additional =
capacity of 150% over and above its existing =
facilities.
The=20
building has been configured with numerous workstations in a =
'cell'=20
manufacturing layout enabling staff to move pumps of any size =
through=20
their various assembly phases. A fully integrated 5 tonne crane =
ensures=20
that large assemblies can be moved anywhere within the building =
with ease.=20
Fitters will work in industry leading 'clean room' conditions when =
fitting=20
seals and bearings to reduce the risk of potential=20
contaminants.
A new test=20
facility, (pictured =
above), has also =
been=20
completed where assembled pumps are fully tested to the relevant=20
specification. The new test rig offers multiple connections to the =
main=20
test tank which can cope with flows of up to 1650m3/hr. The =
multiple=20
connections allow pumps to be prepared for test or disassembled =
after=20
tests whilst another pump is undergoing testing, saving hours of =
idle test=20
time and increasing throughput significantly.
The new rig =
is fully=20
automated, being fitted with electronic valve actuators enabling =
the whole=20
rig to be controlled via a single push button master test desk. =
All test=20
telemetry is captured electronically using state-of-the-art =
digital test=20
instrumentation and delivered to the testing desk, again improving =
efficiencies.
In addition, two 5 metre deep sumps have =
been=20
constructed allowing for full length testing of vertical sump =
pumps up to=20
7 metres. The same thought process allowing one pump to be =
prepared whilst=20
the other pump is operating and being tested has been used for =
these=20
vertical pits, which once again allows increased throughput for =
vertical=20
sump pump testing. An innovative hydraulic system has also been =
designed=20
to lower the pumps into position at the push of a button, =
eradicating the=20
need to use multiple cranes ensuring the job can be completed =
safely by=20
just one operator.
Oliver Brigginshaw, Managing Director of =
Amarinth commented: "Our new assembly and test facilities reflect =
our=20
drive to remain one of the quickest companies in the industry to =
deliver=20
bespoke API 610 pumps whilst continuing with our significant =
growth. We=20
can now assemble and test a greater volume of units without having =
to=20
extend our leadtimes ensuring that we are well positioned to =
undertake an=20
increased number of prestigious contracts, particularly those with =
tight=20
deadlines. We have seen our order book continue to grow over the =
past=20
year, despite the difficult economic conditions, and this =
significant=20
investment reflects our confidence in the expected growth of=20
Amarinth."
For further information, e-mail:
acs Cleans Up=20
at Saw Blade Manufacturer
When=20
Whitehill Spindle Tools Ltd operated out of its relatively small=20
manufacturing facility, the company's managing director noted an=20
increasing concentration of dust and coolant mist from its machine =
tools.=20
With a machine shop densely populated with machine tools; =
dust and=20
fume extraction equipment was a necessity to protect the health of =
the=20
shopfloor staff. As Whitehill Spindle Tools, Managing Director, Mr =
David=20
Hudson recalls: "Back in 2004 we were getting dust from our belt =
linisher=20
that was in constant use. We needed a solution and when I reviewed =
the=20
market, acs delivered the best fit solution with a downdraught =
bench and a=20
bespoke guarding system. Another attraction for me was the =
selection of a=20
British manufacturer with a UK support =
network."
The OMF=20
1000 acs media filtration system, fitted to a machining centre at=20
Whitehill.
Founded in 1930, the=20
manufacturer of tooling for the woodworking and plastics =
industries=20
produces HSS & carbide knives and the respective aluminium and =
steel=20
bodies that accommodate the knives. The Luton based company has =
produced=20
over 45,000 types of knives/blades in the last ten years with =
hundreds of=20
body types for machining wood and plastic, door and window frames, =
skirting boards and picture frames to name a few examples.=20
With an ever =
increasing=20
product range and workload, Whitehill then installed an acs AC1 =
dust=20
extraction unit on its Jones & Shipman manual surface grinding =
machine=20
to eradicate an escalating dust problem whilst polishing blades. =
However,=20
the company eventually outgrew its facility and moved to a new =
site in=20
2008. This expansion brought with it the demand for additional =
machine=20
tools and with each machine came an extraction unit. "We had an =
issue with=20
airborne particulate at our previous facility. Moving to a new =
factory, I=20
was intent upon maintaining a clean and healthy working =
environment as=20
well as a clean shop floor that portrays an excellent company =
image,"=20
continues Mr Hudson.
In 2008,=20
the company continued its expansion strategy and this noted the =
arrival of=20
a Mazak Variaxis 500-5X. However, the machining conducted by the =
Variaxis=20
prevented the operator opening the doors to the work envelope due =
to=20
coolant mist and hot fumes generated from high speed machining. =
The=20
solution arrived in the form of an acs OMF2500 free standing media =
filtration unit with individual enclosed filters to serve each =
machine. As=20
Mr Hudson continues: "With the OMF, we managed to resolve the =
issue on=20
three machines, by linking the OMF2500 to the Variaxis as well as =
the two=20
Cincinnati Arrows machining centres alongside. The OMF had an =
immediate=20
impact on productivity by enabling operators to access the work =
envelope=20
as soon as a part is machined. Minutes in lost production could be =
reclaimed on three machines, not just one. Besides reclaiming lost =
production times, our new machine shop has remained remarkably =
clean by=20
resolving the particulate issue on three =
machines."
Picture=20
shows the OMF 1000 ace media filtration system fitted to the rear =
of a=20
Cincinnati Hawk turning centre.
The successful implementation of the OMF =
2500 unit=20
soon noted the arrival of a smaller OMF1000 filtration unit that =
was=20
attached to a Cincinnati Hawk turning centre.
As Mr Hudson =
states:=20
"The free standing unit is designed for direct attachment to most =
machines=20
and machining centres, so implementing the easy-to-fit system on =
the Hawk=20
was a no brainer." =E2=80=A6../