News items May 2009

The greatest thing since sliced bread! Germany is known worldwide for its wide-ranging selection of breads and pastries. This, in turn, poses a serious challenge to the country’s over 700 mills, which supply Germany’s baking industry with high-quality milled grains. According to the Verband Deutscher Müller ( Association of German Millers), more than 6,000 Germans now earn their daily bread milling grain. In Germany, the per-capita-consumption of milled grains is 67.1 kilograms per year, and increasing. In all Germany’s milling industry generates revenues of about 2.1 billion Euros. In contrast to years past, when the milling process consisted of hauling around sacks, sweeping up and manually changing mill wheels, today’s mills employ a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including high-tech digital milling programs, and computer controlled systems and quality monitoring in the milling laboratory. Automation is also on the rise, especially in the

for level detection in Silica Acids A specially demanding task concerning the sensitivity of measuring equipment, is level detection in silica acids. The material changes its density very much according to how it is handled. The density of around 500 g/l when in a passive state can easily turn to less than 5 g/l when operated, e.g. during metering, pneumatic conveyance, emptying of containers etc. - the surface of the silica acid can suddenly resemble a seething cloud. The new electronic module developed by UWT is so sensitive that the material is detected absolutely reliably, in spite of the very low dampening effect caused by the silica acid on the vibrating fingers of the probe. An immediate output of the level limit signal is guaranteed. From the well proven VIBRANIVO model range of units UWT is offering two additional models: the Vibrasil„µ70 and Vibrasil„µ90, which are also available with PFA-coated oscillator, depending on the area

Stanelle Silos + Automation GmbH of Southern Germany offers four different types of loading assemblies as part of its component range. Type Rondo 250 for loading abrasive material into bulk road tankers or onto open lorries; Type Quadro 220 with retractable and conical seal for loading bulk road tankers with hygroscopic and other pulverulent media; Type Rondo 500 to 800 for coarse grain bulk solids for ship, rail and open lorry loading of bulk road tankers; and Type Tele-Rondo for the loading of bulk road tankers with heterogeneous bulk solids. On loading bulk tankers, the discharge aperture of the loading assembly positions itself on the dome opening of the tanker to be filled, in a way that no dust can escape, the emission levels are optimized in conjunction with a filter unit. Rondo 250’s retractable buckets feeds the loading material and protects the exterior collapsible bellows from wear and tear. Quadro loading spout exclusively applicable to bulk tanker loading,

EURO-INDEX introduces two new clamp meters which are capable of measuring 4 to 20 mA signal without breaking the loop. Numerous other calibrating functions are available on these instruments.

Software determines separation of metal parts At Achema in Frankfurt (Hall 6, stand J32), Goudsmit has been displaying a series of trap magnets which are currently being updated. These block-shaped magnet systems are easily mounted onto existing equipment. They remove all types of metal particles from either lower or upper material flow on a conveyor belt whether it be food, chemicals, synthetic or ceramic materials. This updated version is produced using Neoflux® magnets, which are four times stronger than traditional Ferroxdure magnets. These magnets can even capture RVS scrapings. The use of finite element analysis software determines right from the start whether or not the iron scrapings can be picked up. It also allows for the correct choice of magnet type. Application Whenever iron particles need to be removed whether it is from fine-grained, granular, or liquid materials, trap magnets can be used. They are easy to mount and can be delivered with flanges, or even with a customized mounting frame, where

Savings of Transport and Storage-Costs brought up to newest state of the technologie! VACPRESS Machines from Grenzebach BSH are used in all parts of the world in production and handling of powder material. By deaerating and compacting of the powders VACPRESS Machines generate massive savings in transportation and storage costs and simplify the handling of the products. An important parameter to achieve optimal outputs is the pressure between the two compactor drums. Up to now the pressure could be set manually. In the course of continually development of new solutions Grenzebach BSH now provides a new hydraulic system, that makes it possible to regulate pressure and gap automatically (e.g. via SPS). Also still existing and/or small VACPRESS Machines can be upgraded with this improvement.

BS&B Safety Systems has opened it’s first Dutch Sales office in The Hague. BS&B Safety Systems specializes in Pressure Relief Devices and Explosion Protection. As the originators of the Rupture Disk, BS&B Safety Systems are best suited to finding the safest solution to your pressure problem. We pride ourselves on catering for your needs with established products or custom made designs Our experienced engineering staff assure you of a reliable, cost effective, technologically advanced, code compliant product. At BS&B, we partner with you to develop products to better serve your process and related applications. By using this team-approach, we are better equipped to solve complex application problems economically and efficiently. Our rupture disks are manufactured in accordance with the requirements of the following international Codes and Standards: • ASME Section VIII (UD stamped) & Section III • EU Pressure Equipment Directive (CE marking EN

RETSCH have extended their range of cutting mills by a new model which combines powerful size reduction with very easy handling. The new cutting mill SM 300 can be perfectly adapted to many different – and also difficult - size reduction tasks thanks to the variable speed from 700 to 3,000 rpm and a very high torque. This mill tackles heterogeneous sample mixtures without any problems! Another advantage of the SM 300 is the easy access to the grinding chamber for cleaning: the housing is simply folded back and the push-fit rotor can be removed without tools. This only takes a few seconds. The cutting mill SM 300 can be equipped with a wide range of accessories, among them a version for heavy-metal-free sample preparation. Benefits at a glance: · Perfect adaptation to application requirements thanks to a variable speed up to 3,000 rpm · High torque, high throughput · Optimum grinding chamber design without dead spaces · Quick access to grinding chamber

Prorunner MK5 combines speed and quality with an attractive price tag Nedpack has expanded its range of vertical conveyors with the addition of the Prorunner MK5. The latest issue of the Prorunner family offers the speed and quality of a continuous product elevator for the price of a discontinuous conveyor. A high-quality flexible application is guaranteed. With the introduction of the Prorunner MK5, Nedpack has once again expanded its range of vertical conveyors. The Prorunner MK5 can be used to transport products that encompass no critical product transitions to any desired level. This entry-level model has a capacity of approximately 300 products per hour. The maximum capacity of the Prorunner MK5 totals approximately 2,000 products per hour. ‘Low-budget’ This new product elevator is Nedpack’s first continuous vertical conveyor developed for the discontinuous market. The Prorunner MK5 satisfies all of the requirements for this market in terms of pricing also. Since the conveyor has been developed and constructed according

PENKO FLEX; Controller for weighing and force measurement The FLEX™ Weighing Controller is adaptable to a wide range of weighing applications. Precise measurement and control of Hopper scales, Packing scales, Checkweighing scales and Batching systems are easily achieved. High speed A/D conversion rates allows top speed and accuracy for your applications. Unique display for easy and comfortable operation, specific to the appropriate application. Unique digital filters, improves machine speed compared to conventional filters. Various communication protocols enable users to build up sophisticated weighing systems within an overall PLC process control system. Features & Benefits Standard software – no more custom programming required • Check weigher (increase speed up to 25%) • Loss-in weight systems • Belt weigher • Filling systems (higher speed gives better accuracy) • “FREE” software available for programming! Cuts costs, saves money • Optimises your machine’s performance for up to 25%

Intensiv-Filter and the Russian company SAO SovPlym extend their cooperation in Russia As from April 1st, 2009, both companies signed a contract of cooperation. Infastaub GmbH, a sister company of Intensiv-Filter GmbH & Co. KG and the Russian company SovPlym, with its head office in St. Petersburg, work successfully together in the marketplace for small sized and series filters for many years now. A tight cooperation for intensifying the presence on the Russian market for process filters and nuisance filters suggested itself. “SovPlym is available for our clients with offices all over in Russia. They have long experiences with small sized and series filters. Intensiv-Filter is the expert for all questions around process filtration and the corresponding plant engineering. Experts in filtration from Intensiv-Filter will consequently carry out the project management and sign the contracts directly with us. SovPlym and Intensiv-Filter complement one another perfectly,” so Thomas Blüggel, managing partner of Intensiv Filter GmbH & Co. KG. Konrad

The German machine building industry has been badly affected by the global economic crisis. Despite the slight lift in spirits in Germany’s economy, which was reflected in the Ifo Business Climate Index at the beginning of the year, order rates in the industrial goods industry are unsteady. Pessimists anticipate not only a decline in exports, but also a slump in production investments at home. Reduced workloads on existing equipment and machines are an additional concern to those in positions of responsibility. Work places are in danger. However, within the crisis there is also opportunity. There is a recognisable trend in systems technology which moves away from large fully automated machines and leans towards variable manual systems. According to the January survey of the Munich Ifo Institute for Economic Research, approximately 7000 companies reported increased business expectations in comparison to last month. However, in these times of economic uncertainty

The master for coarse material at Steinert Ecomondo in Rimini/Italy and Pollutec in Lyon/France were the venues where Steinert’s new eddy current separator—the CanMaster—was first presented to the world. The reception it received was great! “At last”, said the visitors, “no more compromises. The STEINERT technology is finally available at a good entry-level price". The CanMaster gets its name because its target is coarse pieces of aluminium in waste—usually beverage cans—and machines from STEINERT have been masters of their trade for many years. The CanMaster is something special, made for coarse aluminium, which it captures no matter how well hidden. More than 200 visitors were enthused by its advantages: The low weight, eccentric system, integral controller, compact construction and not least, the price, which—thanks to the specialization on coarse material—is significantly below that of its predecessors. Now its time for the first customer trials and more

About ten years ago Steinert concluded a partnership agreement for its patented eccentric pole system for non-ferrous metal separators with Mitsubishi. The agreement calls for Mitsubishi to use the tried and tested eccentric pole system in the Japanese market. Due to the positive experiences with the system and the desire to form a closer partnership, the heads of the companies met with the managers of the newly established company Steinert Japan (Tokyo) to strengthen the successful cooperation over the long term. As a result of these negotiations, the management boards of the two companies signed an additional long-term cooperation agreement on 18 February 2009. According to the terms of this agreement, Mitsubishi will not only exclusively use the Steinert eccentric pole system but also employ Steinert’s recently launched sorting systems in its market segments in Japan. In addition, both parties agreed that Steinert Japan will help to set up a demonstration

Steinert GmbH"s global co-operations don’t only exist on paper. A feeling of togetherness has developed among the employees of the international partners. After watching and hearing the coverage of the bush fires in Australia, the employees of Steinert GmbH in Cologne spontaneously started a fund-raising campaign for the victims of the fires. The money collected was supplemented by a donation from the managing directors at Steinert, resulting in an impressive €1,500 that could be transferred on to the account of the Australian Red Cross. Marcus Heinrich, the Managing Director of Steinert-Sturton Gill in Australia was very impressed by the international willingness to help those in need. The generous donations from Cologne and from Steinert Sturton-Gill in Melbourne raised 1,500 AUD and will contribute to rebuilding the lives of those affected by the bush fires.

To further extend its market position in the USA, Steinert opened a new sales office in Chicago on 1 March 2009. With the help of Charles Winum our availability and service in the Northern markets is strengthened now by an experienced employee who has worked for the Steinert Group for many years. Born in America and having been active for Steinert in the mineral and recycling markets in Australia since 2000, Winum is delighted to have this new opportunity, as he can now provide a comprehensive range of advice to customers in the USA. “Introducing our new eddy current separator, the CanMaster®, into the important North American Waste market follows our previous product successes throughout Europe, Japan and Australia", says Charles Winum. "The Steinert name is well respected in the Mineral, Scrap metal and Waste markets, and we are confident that this experience will support our efforts in the American waste recycling industry".

Gericke manufactures for more than 100 years batch mixers. As a new development Gericke shows its single shaft mixer GBM (Gericke Batch Mixer). This mixer can be used for divers different processes. The GBM can be operated with Froude numbers varying from 1 to 3 which influences the energy input and mixing result. It is available pressure tight, and is suitable for heat exchange operation as well. For dispersion duties high speed rotating de-agglomerators can be integrated into the mixing chamber. The mixer is delivered as ATEX category 1, 2 or 3 equipment. Standard sizes are manufactured from 150 liter up to 3000 liter volume. The “clou” of the Gericke GBM is the expansion zone where particles can exchange easily their position. By this movement the axial dispersion can be improved. Optional are different drive units, rectangular standard or long outlets, inspection and cleaning doors and different surface finishes. The Gericke Batch Mixer stands for a robust

Many raw materials tend to create lumps during transporation or storage. The product loses his ability to be processed easily. Pneumatic conveying systems may get disturbed, feeder deliver inaccurate recipes and mixers cannot distribute the ingredients to a homogene concentration in the mixing chamber. To reduce the size of the agglomerates, Gericke offers a size reductor (Nibbler) for the reliable and quick particle size reduction. Gericke Nibblers treat the raw material gently and reduce blocs, lumps and agglomerates. Rotating paddles push the material through a screen. The rotation and angle of the paddles sweep the product against the serrated screen with the reduced particles passing through the holes. Size reduction is achieved by a cutting action (not grinding) and the breaking effect of brittle materials. The Nibbler works with a low peripheral tip speed avoiding the heating up of the products. Gericke Nibblers are available for the integration into different

Gericke delivers for more than 60 year pneumatic conveying systems. Gericke delivers under the brand name pneuwork® dense phase conveying technology for abrasive or high temperature products. The construction of the pressure vessel and of its accessories is specially designed to ensure a reliable and durable operation in heavy duty industries. The vessel is equipped with a fluidising bottom, a special wear resistant conical inlet valve. Combined with the diverter valves and anti-abrasion deviation pot, the Gericke Pneuwork conveying technology incorporates all necessary parts for a robust and efficient material transfer. Gericke pneuwork® systems are placed in factories for building material, in power stations, waste treatment plants or steel and glass production. The conveying capacity ranges from some 100 kg/hr to 80 tons/hr. The vessels are in the standard execution manufactured for an operation temperature up to 300 °C and 6 bar conveying pressure. Trials

Visit us on stand J20 - J21, hall 5.0 ROTEX, the global leader in the development and supply of screening equipment and technology for the process industries will be exhibiting at ACHEMA, Frankfurt, the largest and the most important European exhibition for the bulk industry. It will be a pleasure to welcome you between 11-15 May 2009 to our stand J20-J21, hall 5.0. Our screening experts will be on hand to provide customised solutions to a wide range of processing applications and to show you our most popular machines: the ROTEX® screener, the MS™ screener and our newest machine, the APEX™ screener. You will have the opportunity to see the famous ROTEX gyratory movement in action and to test our new panel system on our new APEX™ machine. Visit our booth and the benefits of using Rotex machines and spare parts will become obvious. We look forward to seeing you there

Bulk Solids Flow Properties Laboratory shear testing. Bulk Solids Flow Properties - Laboratory and onsite testing for shear, cohesion, time consolidation, density, wall friction unconfined compressive stress, tensile strength, fluidisation - permeability - dearation. For classification of powders, equipment and systems design, quality control and specifying for purchasing of materials. Silo and Hopper design. Design for mixing, avoiding segregation, avoiding agglomeration, avoiding degradation, avoiding caking, heating and cooling. That discharge and / or blend free flowing and cohesive products to very high accuracy, with flow control and shut off capability. Integrated with PLC control, discharge systems can provide variable flow regime from ideal flow, mass flow, eccentric flow and funnel flow. Easily retrofitted to existing silos and hoppers if required. The behaviour of a powder or pouring good must want to judge objectively and qualitatively to be able to influence flow properties specifically.