Application: Using fans for electroplating
tank agitation
Based in Ilminster, Somerset Daido Industrial Bearings
Europe Ltd (Formerly known as The Glacier Metal Company) is
the world’s largest manufacturer of heavywall bearings.
Bigger than those used in automotive engines, they are found
in, for example, diesel locomotives, marine engines and power
station plants.
When Daido installed a new electroplating line incorporating
10 rinse tanks that required air agitation through a sparge
pipe system, the Company had originally been using two small
air pumps. Almost immediately after installation these units
proved to be too unreliable and noisy. Mr Kevin Lewis, Process
Cells Manager, then approached ACI in search for an alternative,
more reliable solution.
After the initial contact, a trial was immediately undertaken
at Daido using an ACI Multi Stage Fan, model number 7MS11.
This is a centrifugal blower with backward bladed impellers
mounted directly onto the motor shaft giving a low noise,
high efficiency duty with excellent reliability.
The results of these tests were totally conclusive - the 1.1kW
ACI Multi Stage blower provided enough air volume to effectively
agitate all 10 of the 200 litre tanks at the fraction of the
running costs with the added benefit of extreme reliability
and low noise levels. Added to that is there is no filtration
required due to the lack of contacting parts and lubricants
in the blower.
