Adhesive & sealant dispensing


These applications can be diverse, some times it is easy to choose the best machine for the application, other times it can be more problematic. Our range of piston and gear pump equipment covers for simple manual to robotic and automated applications, where both response time and deposition rates are critical. Although choosing the right machine can be problematic, there are some generalisations.

Most two components materials will mix through a disposable static mixer, the normal limiting factor is output rate.

If the amount to be dispensed is small and can be dispensed in a single cycle use a piston pump machine, but where the piston pump has to multi-cycle it often better to use a continuous delivery gear pump machine if possible. However, gear pumps can be limited by their viscosity acceptance when gravity feeding and there may be a need to apply overpressure to the feed.

If there is no need to fit hoses and a gun, then don’t… there is less to go wrong if the part moved passed the mixer. Also it is often easier to use a simple machine to mix the material and fill re-usable air powered cartridges or syringes for dispensing.

Our standard machines used for applying adhesives and sealants comprise;


Piston pump units


The Iota range:

Designed specifically for dispensing small, discrete volumetrically metered shots or controlled rate beads. The metering pumps are integrated with the mixing head to minimise hysteresis, improving flow synchronisation and reducing response delays. It can be driven with either a pneumatic cylinder for shots, or ball screw with a stepper or servo motor for dispensing controlled rate/volume beads.

Typical pneumatically powered small shot applications include dispensing of 0.012gms @ 30cycles/Min and 0.075gms @ 100cycles/Min. of 1:1 acrylic adhesives for component assembly.

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The three pictures above show an automated system using 6 Iota modules for dispensing a 0.05gm shot of paste epoxy onto to bottle tops at 200 +/minute. The epoxy is fed automatically from 20L.supply pails to accumulators, providing a buffer store on pail changeover. The accumulators then feed the Iota units mounted over a conveyor. The equipment modules being heated to provide control of adhesive rheology.




For robotic or automated applications, the Iota can be mounted on to a medium duty articulated or scara type robots, as well as Cartesian type X-Y units. When configured with a stepper or servo drive and ball screw, the response to Start/Stop and/or dispense rate change is immediate and repeatable, with non of the initial ‘surge on start’ associated with conventional stalled systems.

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Delrin Iota mounted on robot for dispensing programmed rate 2gm. bead of 10:1 acrylic, fed automatically from remote bulk supply




With the ball screw/stepper motor drive discrete, controlled rate beads down to 0.10ml are being dispensed over a 1.0 – 1.5 Secs. duration with 2.5 Secs. total cycle. With a Servo motor faster cycle rates can be achieved, for example a discrete controlled rate 0.2gm bead of 1:1 paste epoxy is dispensed over 0.45 Secs. with a overall cycle rate of 1.1 Secs.

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The Iota can be supplied with stepper or servo drive and controls as ‘Stand Alone’ package. Alternatively, as a bare shaft unit with Datum and overtravel sensors for the customer to integrate into their own control system. The benefits of this being, easier machine programming, faster response speeds as external ‘Hand Shakes’ eliminated and cost. Integration is simple, straightforward and we have supplied numerous machines on this basis.

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The 2MIX GM & GMC range

These are pneumatically powered, single acting piston pump machines, with the mixing ratio and output per cycle (from say 3ml. up to 500ml.) set by the piston diameters. Fitted with gravity feed reservoirs they will accept material viscosities up to 250,000cps. Modular in design, the range starts with the…


2MIX GM.

Fitted with a direct mount mixer, the bench mounted it can be used as a simple mixing station or for backfilling cartridges or syringes. Alternatively it can be mounted on to casters and fitted with hoses and Calibre tip seal mixing gun for manual application.

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2MIX GMC

Higher output rate than the 2MIX GM the ‘C’ type uses a more powerful drive unit and can be fitted with third metering pump. It can be fitted with reservoirs or coupled directly to bulk feed from 205L. drums or 1tonne IPC’s.

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2MIX DCF

Pneumatically powered using single acting piston pumps, it is designed to meter high viscosity base material directly from the supply container. If the second component is flowable, it can be reservoir fed. If not, then by a buffer accumulator, which is automatically fed from an extrusion pump. Alternatively where both components are ultra viscous or thixotropic, individual electronically interlocked servo/ball screw driven pumps can be used to meter directly from the supply containers



GEAR PUMP UNITS


MiniRim

Small, bench mounted gear pump machine, feeding a remote mounting or hand held mixing gun. It is driven by a single invertor controlled variable speed motor with the two pumps linked together by a timing belt. It can be controlled either manually or automatically with continuous, steady output ranging from 5ml to 1.0L/minute.


MiniCaster

A larger version of the MiniRim, using a single invertor controlled drive motor with the metering pumps linked together with a timing belt drive it can provide continuous outputs of up to 5L./Min. In applications where electrical controls are an issue, as with solvent based adhesives, the MiniCaster can be fitted with a pneumatic drive.

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MasterCaster

This uses independently driven metering pumps which are then electronically interlocked. The pumps are normally directly driven, however in applications where high frequency Start/Stops are required, such as spraying P.U. adhesives, electro magnetic clutches are be fitted. Because the pumps are independently driven, if required they can be fitted with secondary flow monitoring and closed loop feed back to the pump drive motors. Depending on pump sizes/displacements continuous mixed outputs can range from 5ml. to 10L/minute.

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