Spotlight on Fillers and Dispensers

Originally Published MPMN May 2002

SPOTLIGHT

Precision filling

A dispense valve is suitable for precision filling applications. The 725HF-SS accurately dispenses up to 12 oz of low- to high-viscosity materials without overfilling, underfilling, or waste. Wetted parts are made from stainless steel or inert polymer for compatibility with a wide range of materials. A fast, clean cutoff prevents dripping or drooling. Typical applications include filling pouches, foil packs, bottle, and sample containers. EFD Inc., 977 Waterman Ave., East Providence, RI 02914-1378.

Solvent and adhesive dispensers

A line of dispensers are compatible with traditional medical-grade solvents and UV adhesives and provide a safe, reliable, rapid, and consistent bonding procedure, independent of operator variability, for all types of medical polymers such as PVC, ABS, polypropylene, and polycarbonate. The special shape of the units' dispensing brushes enables them to dispense solvent on the internal or external surface of tubing, conical surfaces, soft and rigid drip chambers, needles, and various types of connectors and components. Solvent is dispensed by inserting the tubing or component into the relevant port and immediately pulling it back. TechnoMed Inc., 59 Stiles Rd., Salem, NH 03079.

Pump and bottle

A bottle is approved for flammable liquid dispensing by Factory Mutual Research Testing. The 35306 has a one-touch pump providing for one-handed operation and eliminates spraying and splashing. A cam-lock hinge keeps the lid open or closed securely and reduces odor. Neither silicone nor latex is used in the product. Menda, 3651 Walnut Ave., Chino, CA 91710.

Industrial dispense pump

A dispense pump offers maintenance-free, precision fluid control. The IDS 2000 features a valveless design, with only one moving part—a single rotating and reciprocating piston made of dimensionally stable, chemically resistant ceramics. The pump design accomplishes all fluid control functions while eliminating valves that can clog, fatigue, and fail, causing accuracy drifting and pump failure over time. The pump will deliver from microliters per dispense up to 1 L/min while maintaining a dispense precision of 0.5% for millions of dispenses without recalibration or downtime. Fluid Metering Inc., 5 Aerial Way, Ste. 500, Syosset, NY 11791.

Meter, mix, and dispense valves

Two-component dispense valves have balanced inlet and outlet spool assemblies that do not displace material during the shift from the reload to the dispense position. This feature enables pressure feeding of the right- and left-side components at up to 1200 psi during reloading while the materials are isolated from the mixer inlet. After the valves are returned to the dispense mode, an accurate volume of each component is injected into the disposable mixer inlet by rod displacement metering technology. The PosiDot valves are available in a 2-in. metering stroke size with pneumatic drives, programmable electric stepper drives, or servo-driven motors. Liquid Control Corp., 8400 Port Jackson Ave. N.W., North Canton, OH 44720.

Filler and dispenser controller

A controller for fillers and dispensers can be placed in inaccessible areas and still be programmed and operated via Ethernet with its embedded Web server. Because the remote console model is dc powered, it can be powered from its standard Devicenet communications port or an external dc source. A power and diagnostics LED is located on the front panel, rather than a keyboard and liquid-crystal display. The IR port has been retained to allow wireless communications and control with a PDA. Inputs for three additional load cells are included to eliminate the need for an external junction box. An environmental rear cap is available for both the remote and full console versions, giving each a NEMA 4X/IP66 rating and providing protection from dust and hose-directed water. Hardy Instruments, 3860 Calle Fortunada, San Diego, CA 92123.

Dispense valve

A valve precisely dispenses silicones, mastics, or plastisols. The 2200-727 Snuf-Bak is designed for use with filled or abrasive materials and provides drip-free control of high-viscosity materials. The valve features a hardened needle-and-seat assembly coupled with tough, wear-resistant seals. An all-aluminum body can handle high-pressure operations and double-air operation and a readily fixtured housing make it suitable for high-volume applications. Sealant Equipment & Engineering Inc., 45677 Helm St., P.O. Box 701460, Plymouth, MI 48170-0965.

Syringe pumps

Standard and custom syringe pumps are available for precision filling and dispensing applications. The VersaPump series offers syringe volumes ranging from 10 µl to 50 ml, with three-way to eight-way valve capability. Pumps can be daisy-chained for continuous-flow applications. They offer chemically inert fluid paths of Teflon, Kel-F, and borosilicate glass. Resolutions from 6000 to 48,000 steps are available for better than 1% accuracy and precision. Kloehn Ltd., 10000 Banburry Cross Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89144.

Dispensing valve controller

Two dispensing valves can be controlled simultaneously with pneumatic logic that provides a continuous-off state to any valve designed for four-way operation. The valve-off state is always active until a signal is received to switch to the valve-on mode. The valve-on state can be activated from a remote robotic device when the automatic timer on the unit is off. When the timer is on, the valve-on state can be activated at intervals ranging from 0.01 to 30 seconds. I & J Fisnar Inc., 2-07 Banta Pl., Fair Lawn, NJ 07410.

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