Dan Murphy – Field Service and Aftermarket Parts Manager
Dan Murphy, Micronics’ Field Service and Aftermarket Parts Manager, recently shared a story about our filtration solution that improved overall safety and press efficiency at a leading life sciences customer with two 800mm 23-chamber presses & air-over-oil hydraulics.
Micronics routinely goes on-site and performs a complete inspection on filter presses across a wide range of customer industries. Inspections & Routine Preventative Maintenance are key components of maximizing press up-time!
While we were performing this in-depth inspection at one customer’s location, the customer’s Senior Project Manager advised us that the plant was expanding, ramping-up production, and was looking to further enhance filter press efficiencies, including potentially integrating more automation into the filter press fill cycle.
Retrofitting Existing Filter Presses with New Electro-Hydraulic Power Packs
The Challenge: The existing Air-Over-Oil Hydraulic power packs on the two 800mm presses were operating as designed but were not overly efficient. Beyond efficiency, we identified critical process and safety issues related to the fact that the filter press’ closing/clamping and filter press slurry feeding were two separate and distinct operations controlled by two separate systems.
The Solution: After carefully reviewing the filtration operations, Micronics was able to present the customer with the option of retrofitting the two presses with new PLC-controlled electro-hydraulic power packs and controls.
Result: Improvement in Press Efficiency and Enhanced Operational Safety
Since the feed pump and clamping mechanism were not “talking” to each other, the feed pump could actually start-up before the press was closed and clamped. This was clearly not a safe operating condition and an operator had to always be present to visually ensure that the filter press was at clamping pressure before the pump started.
With Micronics’ new Electro-Hydraulic Power Pack solution, the PLC could be programmed to communicate with the existing pump system. Micronics designed the unit, controls and all programming so as to achieve the customer’s objectives around improved efficiency & safety. We programmed the PLC to communicate with the pump control system so that it will not start until a preset clamping pressure was achieved. This solution provided the peace-of-mind for the customer in operating the filter press, and also efficiency in being able to better sequence filter press cycles.
The customer is extremely happy with Micronics’ HPU retrofit solution. Other than normal preventative maintenance (which we recommend) including regular oil changes and filter cloth replacements, no other maintenance has been required and this solution has been in place for 10 years!
You can count on Micronics to supply customers with replacement hydraulic power units (HPUs) for any make, model, or size filter press. Our HPU solutions are highly reliable and customized to your operational needs.
Of course, Micronics can supply you with all your replacement parts for your hydraulic power units including High Pressure Relief Valves, Low Pressure Relief Valves, Intensifier Pumps, Directional Control Valves, Hydraulic Cylinder and Cylinder bellows, Gauges, and many more individual aftermarket parts. Whether you need a complete solution or replacement cloth, plates, or press spare parts, Micronics Engineered Filtration is here for you and your peace-of-mind.
Contact us and let us put our filtration solutions to work for your challenges.
