Video Transcript

Plastic Video 1 - RheTech, Inc.: Fiberglass filled Polypropylene Pellets

The HammerTek Smart Elbow was specifically designed to solve the demanding conveying problems challenging industry today. One of the most costly is elbow failure. RheTech Incorporated in Whitmore, Lake Michigan manufactures plastic compounds and alloys. RheTech handles extremely large volumes of material that must be conveyed to several locations within their facility. Their operation runs 24 hours a day in order to complete orders and meet customer demand. Operating one of the largest bundles of silos in the country RheTech's primary customers are in the automotive industry. RheTech supplies them with 30% Fiberglass filled Polypropylene Pellets which are extremely abrasive when conveyed pneumatically. Raw materials are delivered by rail cars and unloaded into storage silos. Next the materials are conveyed to computerized feeders, mixed with additives, fed into hoppers where minerals are added then on through the extruders, and finally re-pellitized. The finished material is either immediately boxed or stored in silos.

Due to the high material of volume that RheTech moves, up to 350,000 pounds a day, they were experiencing massive wear problems with the conventional sweep elbows. RheTech would patch the holes with ceramic tiles and duct tape and eventually shut down a line to replace them with new sweeps. All of this repair and refit caused loss of product and downtime. Downtime RheTech couldn't afford. RheTech's solution came in the form of the HammerTek Smart Elbow. Its unique design virtually eliminated the need to replace worn elbows. The secret of the Smart Elbow's success lies in how it affects the change in direction in the flow of material. Its unique chamber allows a self renewing ball of material to form, suspending in air or liquid which rotates steadily. The flow of material is gently deflected into its direction change without making contact with the elbow walls.

In this example of the standard sweep elbow, plastic pellets are shown impacting the outside wall of the pipe, causing damage to both the sweep elbow and the pipe walls. The HammerTek Smart Elbow conveys by deflection not impact with the elbow walls. Due to the flow controlled action of the Smart Elbow, the same plastic pellets are evenly distributed across the outflow.

RheTech first installed Smart Elbows in their conveying system at their Whitmore Lake facility in June of 1997. After nearly a year in service the technicians at RheTech decided to pull one of the Smart Elbows out of the system and perform a wear inspection. They found that the interior of the elbow was in almost perfect condition, showing only minimal wear. RheTech is impressed with the performance of the Smart Elbow and points out that they would have had to replace a sweep elbow four to five times within that same year.

RheTech has since opened its new plant in Fowlerville, Michigan. This new plant will never wrestle with blown out sweeps. The Smart Elbow was specified from the start and the plant opened with 65 in place. The Smart Elbow benefits RheTech in several ways: preventing elbow wear, eliminating system downtime for elbow patching and replacement, thus avoiding loss of conveyed material. The HammerTek Smart Elbow has made life easier for the team at RheTech, and it can make your life easier too. The Smart Elbow works because it saves space, saves time, and saves money. Let HammerTek solve your conveying problems with their full line of Smart Elbows. For more information contact HammerTek at area code (717) 898-7665 or toll free at (800) 505-9665.

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