I started doing an application spotlight to really break down the process of selecting the right product for a customer. This was an interesting application to pass vitamin capsules through a metal detector from a feed funnel.
One of the quality processes for these capsules is passing them through a metal detector to verify the product is metal free prior to packaging. Up until this point, they were filling buckets then manually dumping them into the detector. This was causing the detector to get overwhelmed and required work hours. So, instead, they are going to use a 2″ sanitary flange line vac to convey the pills through the detector as they fall off the line.
One of the largest hurdles to this kind of application was if the funnel filled up, this could cause the ambient air supply to the line vac to be cut off, really hurting the performance. To help with this, they added an open vent to the right, so the line vac could pull in ambient air!
The Sanitary Flange Line Vacs™ are an excellent way to convert pipe systems into conveying systems for moving “sensitive” materials. This would include materials in the medical, food, and pharmaceutical industries that require frequent and mandatory washing. The Sanitary Flange Line Vacs allow for easy disassembly and reassembly for hygienic and bacterial-free cleaning, as well as being made from 316L stainless steel for aggressive cleansers. As a part of EXAIR history, this product line came from a frequent special that we produced specifically for a variety of customers. And as a manufacturer, we decided to help other customers in this market by adding it to our product line in a variety of sizes.
The Sanitary Flange Line Vac uses ISO 2852-compatible flanges on both the intake and outlet of the Line Vac. EXAIR offers them in four different sizes, from 1 ½” (38mm) up to 3” (76mm) in stock. The performance is the same as our Standard Line Vacs, which move products without any moving parts or motors. This provides a compact and easy-to-use design that will last for a long time. We can upgrade the generator to a high-power version for increased conveyance rates as well as to allow for moving material over longer distances.
I wrote a blog about a Line Vac application to remove bones from the surface of salmon fillets: “Let’s go fishing with EXAIR Sanitary Flange Line Vac”. They had pipes and hoses fitted with sanitary flanges already installed. Since this application was before EXAIR started manufacturing the Sanitary Flanged Line Vacs, this customer actually welded the flanges on to a 316SS Line Vac and attached them to their system. With requests for opportunities similar to this, EXAIR was able to develop this new product line.
If you need to move a product where cleanliness is a requirement, the Sanitary Flange Line Vacs may work for your application. They work well for transferring bulk materials within the food, medical, and pharmaceutical industries. For U.S. and Canadian customers, EXAIR has a 30-day unconditional guarantee to try these out. If you have any questions, an Application Engineer will be happy to assist you.
Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer
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