Dukane has designed a new ergonomically friendly lean work cell for the manual assembly of plastic components. The cell can be designed to accommodate Ultrasonic, Spin, or Heat Staking applications. The main benefits of the cell are compact size, safety, ergonomics and robust construction.

The Lean cell has a small foot print, while still providing significant workspace for the application. The unique compact safety enclosure is only as large as the equipment inside. This leaves more table workspace to be used for staging parts while the equipment cycles. Casters with built in leveling adjustment are provided to allow for quick storage or placement of the Lean work cell to meet changing production requirements.

Safety was the driving factor in the design of this work cell. Features like OSHA approved anti-tie down activation switches and all electronically interlocked panels are standard. The pneumatics include an OSHA lock out device and filter regulator with soft start dump valve that provides an extra level of protection during equipment maintenance and setup. The front automatic pneumatic sliding door is counter balanced to meet low force pinch requirements.

All interactions are within the ergonomic reach zone of a sitting operator. The activation switch position is adjustable along with the placement of the part bins. To help reduce operator fatigue the enclosures can be manufactured with sound deadening material. The user interface is conveniently placed in operator's line of sight. Most importantly, the part load area is designed obstruction free. This area is open on three sides thanks to the unique door design. An operator footrest is also provided.

To see the Lean Manufacturing Cell and other examples of Dukane's custom engineered assembly solutions click on the Product Details weblink on the right ....... or e mail us for in depth information

The RoboDrain is a field proven industrial no-loss drain valve. Model RD11-T is large and rugged enough to use on any compressed air system. A RoboDrain collects condensate in a reservoir and releases condensate when a level switch is activated by the rising condensate. Condensate exits the 1/2 in. rifled ball valve. The compressed air pressure forces the condensate out and resets the level switch.

See eCompressedair for a full explanation of how the RoboDrain works. Plus see the dimensional drawing, installation instructions, features, advantages, spare parts, and more. The RoboDrain can be purchased online or contact eCompressedair by phone, fax, or email.

Vacuum Pump Technology: Multi-Stage Air-Driven vs. Mechanical

In a high pressure manufacturing environment, where every second counts, it's ironic that the steady, unceasing flow of product would rely so heavily on a low pressure solution. Vacuum pressure, created by any pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, is the method of choice for keeping so many products moving and so many companies operating efficiently.

To keep your applications running at maximum velocity and efficiency, there's little question that vacuum pumps are the way to go. But within the vacuum pump arena, there are a number of different players, each creating vacuum by using greatly different methods.

Two ways to reduce the pressure
The two most popular vacuum pump contenders are compressed air-driven pumps, commonly referred to as generators, and electro-mechanical pumps. (There are two sub-categories within the compressed air-driven category: single-stage and multi-stage ejectors. All references within this article are to multi-stage ejectors).

Compressed-air driven vacuum pumps rely on Bernouli's Principal, which states that there is a consistent relation between pressure and velocity: high velocity of a fluid leads to low pressure, and vice-versa. Air-driven pumps force compressed air through an orifice or nozzle, increasing the velocity and creating low-pressure air. Atmospheric pressure outside the system flows in, trying to create equilibrium. This outside air mixes with the compressed air used to generate the low pressure, and the combination exits through the exhaust. With this method, the level of vacuum is dependent on the nozzle; in the narrowest part of the nozzle, the air stream reaches its greatest speed, therefore creating the deepest level of vacuum and suction at the system's openings.

Mechanical pumps usually have an electrical motor as a power source, but can alternatively rely on an internal combustion engine. A mechanical pump uses the same pumping mechanism as a compressor, except that the unit is installed so that air is drawn from a closed volume and exhausted to the atmosphere. There are three main types of mechanical vacuum pumps—regenerative and centrifugal blowers, rotary vane and piston.

Rotary vane pumps are the most commonly used mechanical pumps, and are most often found in the industrial range of vacuum applications. These pumps have individual rotors placed around a shaft and spun at high velocities. The rotary motion traps air entering the intake port and sweeps it through, creating a vacuum behind it. Most of these port vanes are made of carbon and operate within a housing that requires very exacting tolerances for proper performance.

Save your energy
When beginning a discussion comparing the two main vacuum generators, it's best to start by looking at the big picture – the very big picture. From a global environmental perspective, air-driven pumps, when used properly, can provide tremendous advantages. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy has launched what it calls a "Compressed Air Challenge" to help lower the country's energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gases. This initiative is designed to build awareness of how users of compressed air improve and maintain efficiencies and lower output pressure.

One of the main recommendations from a major air compressor manufacturer is to regulate all point-of-use operations at the lowest possible pressure by using a quality regulator. These regulators can work to lower both leak rates and demand, making an environmentally-friendly pump system even safer and more efficient.

Airing out the differences In a side-by-side comparison of advantages and disadvantages, the multi-stage air-driven pump is a clear victor over the mechanical or rotary vane pump. Consider the following:

• Lubrication. Some rotary vane pumps require lubrication, and the precisely correct amount of lubrication at that. Too much lubrication can result in an oil feed rate that is too fast, or a heavy oil condensation. Insufficient lubrication can lead to too slow an oil feed rate, and eventually complete pump failure. Multi-stage air-driven pumps have no gears or moving parts that create friction, so they require no lubrication – another environmentally-friendly, maintenance reducing advantage.

Filling out applications
Multi-stage air-driven pumps fit the bill for a wide variety of different industries and applications. What follows are three applications for which these pumps are particularly well-suited.

No matter what the application, it's clear that multi-stage air-driven pumps offer a wide array of substantial advantages over alternative options.

Recent technology advances in multi-stage air-driven vacuum pumps.
Rising energy costs, coupled with increasingly strict environmental compliance regulations, have forced manufacturers to reevaluate the amount of energy they are consuming. Recently there has been a growing interest in a new ejector (nozzle) technology called COAX®, which is an improved design based on a multi-stage concept for creating vacuum with compressed air. COAX integrates the internal components of a multi-stage vacuum pump into a vacuum cartridge, resulting in a smaller, more efficient system. COAX vacuum cartridges are up to twice as fast as other cartridges and they provide 3 times more flow than a typical conventional ejector with the same air consumption. COAX is specifically designed for low and fluctuating feed pressures (25–90 psi) with sustained vacuum performance for maximum reliability. Additionally, COAX allows vacuum pumps to begin producing vacuum flow immediately when the pressure valve is turned on—making maximum use of the compressed air and consuming significantly less energy than traditional vacuum pumps.

In conclusion, when you compare the features and benefits of multi-stage (compressed) air-drive pumps versus those of the traditional mechanical pumps, one option is clearly superior. Low-pressure vacuum generators are cleaner, more durable, have a much longer life expectancy and suffer much less downtime, saving the operators countless man hours and dollars. So for your internal operation and the external environment, these multi-stage air-driven vacuum pumps are truly are a breath of fresh air.

Micro-Dispensing and Drop on Demand components include high speed dispensing valves and nozzles for use with inks, air, biological reagents and a wide range of other fluids.

Control Valves feature small size, precision performance and long life often exceeding 200 million cycles. These valves are often supplied on manifolds and/or customized to meet special OEM requirements.

Our Scientific Products, including Inert Valves and Pumps are often used in medical and scientific instrumentation where reagents and fluid samples must be handled without contamination. These are often supplied on manifolds and/or customized to meet special OEM requirements.

MINSTAC, The Lee Company's Miniature Inert System of Tubing and Connectors, helps you make the finest leak tight tubing connections. Designed for ease of use, these quality fittings help you control flow, pressure, filttration, and other aspects of aggressive fluids.

We provide an exceptional production service of custom manifolds and macro-assembly for many prominent companies in the bio-medical field. Our prices are competitive, yet we offer engineering supervision that assures quality in both design and production. We have complete electronic and pneumatic test facilities as well as a fully equipped machine shop in our modern plant.

A family that works together as a complete unit can achieve extraordinary things. Our integrated family of miniature, precision, solenoid valves, dispense pumps and inert fluid handling components has been helping designers move beyond the ordinary for over 50 years. How? Superior reliability, consistent performance, and top-notch technical support, including custom design capability. If you're designing a fluid handling system, nobody makes precision fluid control products better and in a wider selection than The Lee Company. Put our family's experience to work for you, and make your next design extraordinary.

Positech's LodeArm and LodeArm II lightweight manipulators provide excellent maneuverability of payloads up to 225 pounds, increasing employee's capacity to perform physically stressful, repetitive lifting tasks.

Lightweight

Compact

Easily adjustable to fit almost any work cell, Positech's LodeArm and LodeArm II are high-capacity lift systems in very compact packages. These units provide rigid support and reach in capability. The LodeArm 4500 functions in low headroom spaces, with a horizontal lift arm that swings downward 45º. Model 3030's horizontal lift arm travels 30º up and down. The LodeArm II is mounted on an overhead light rail trolley.

For Performance and Quality

· Lightweight and easy to position

· Push-button up/down valve controls lift and lower for ease of operation

· Up and down speed valves for precise load control

· Optional balance controls allow operator to achieve critical load positioning by hand, without activating up/down valve

· 360° rotation at main post

· Radial reach up to 113 inches

· Vertical travel up to 54 inches

· Parallel link available to support loads beyond end of arm

· Pneumatic is designed to be operated with clean dry air

· Precision bearings and thrust washers at joints for smooth motion and long life Safety Features

· 5:1 design factor minimum on all structural components

· Pilot operated lock valve on lift cylinder and gripper cylinders prevents vertical arm movement and loss of payload if supply pressure is interrupted

· Gripper Safety Circuitry senses the pressure in the cylinder and does not allow the part to be released from tooling unless it is supported

· Lost Load Cylinder is a separate, sealed hydraulic device that protects the operator from any sudden, uncontrolled vertical motion of the manipulator's arms

Click on the Product Web link on the right to learn how Positech's lifitng solutions can help you

Inflatable Pneuma-Seal® delivers in many applications, from flood doors to switching devices, work holding to sealing in semiconductor manufacturing. With a range of profiles and configurations and the deep engineering expertise of Pawling can solve very difficult sealing problems, or may be a cost effective alternative when compared to mechanical devices, such as air cylinders or camlocks. Explore the ways that Pneuma-Seal® can help in your processes.

Pneuma-Seal inflatable seals are particularly well-suited for:

• Horizontal and Vertical Sliding Doors
• Hinged Doors with Flush Thresholds
• Large Fabricated Doors
• Applications Requiring Rapid Sealing and Unsealing
• Custom valve sealing
• Airtight lid seals for processing tanks
• Clamps for controlled pressure during bonding
• Conveyor brakes and stops
• Robotic grippers that hold a variety of surfaces

For a more comprehensive understanding of how this technology works, animations showing many different applications and step by step instructions on how to design using inflatable seals, please visit the Pneuma Seal® Pawling website by using the Product Details link on the right.

Or send an e mail to discuss your needs and applications.