Customer Requirements
Access Security Products Ltd. is a leading manufacturer and supplier of burglary and fire resistant safes, vaults and physical security equipment. The company uses an expensive proprietary cement mixture in the walls of their safes and vaults rendering them almost impenetrable to thieves and fire.
The material is a fine powder, which arrives by container quite compacted, has very poor flow characteristics, bridges easily, is very abrasive and readily absorbs moisture. The cement is packaged in twenty 2,000lb/ 900kg single trip, single loop, lined bulk bags which must be emptied into a large outdoor storage silo.
Access Security had initially purchased a $40,000/ £30,500 pneumatic conveying system from another supplier but the cement material accumulated within the conveying tube rendering the conveyor completely inoperable. After working with the vendor for some time without resolution, Access Security ultimately had no other choice but to scrap the equipment and find an alternative conveying solution.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
- Provide a completely closed robust system that could reliably convey their cement material without material build up and excessive wear on equipment.
- Accommodate bulk bag unloading inside the company’s warehouse but convey the product through the roof, outside the building and into a large outdoor storage silo 40’/ 12m away.
- Operate reliably and consistently in temperature and weather extremes typical in the Ontario, Canada region.
- Provide a dust-free solution to minimize exposure to moisture in the environment and to provide a clean and safe work environment for employees.
- Successfully unload the 2,000lb/ 900kg single loop, lined, single trip bulk bags within 30 minutes or less.
- Incorporate appropriate discharge aids to encourage material flow: side massage, bottom massage and agitation.
- Offer proof that the recommended solution will work before purchase.
Materials Testing
Due to the characteristics of the particular cement mixture and the frustration the customer had previously experienced, Spiroflow experts recommended that it be tested in the company’s test lab.
President Peter Gauthier commented, ‘Having our cement powder thoroughly tested was a vital step in the process. It gave us confidence that Spiroflow’s recommended solution would work as specified.’ Additionally, Spiroflow has long guaranteed any powder handling solution tested in their lab. ‘The company’s performance guarantee also gave us piece of mind,’ added Gauthier.
