Pukka Pies – no compromise as MasoSine pumps replace AOD’s to offer faster, quieter and more efficient operation Watson-Marlow Pumps Group
“We were using a pneumatic air pump to transfer pre-cooked meat from a 200-litre capacity low level hopper to a top hopper ready for the depositor to fill the pies,” explains the company’s maintenance manager, Simon Kemp. “In the first instance, the pump was very noisy and we wanted to improve the working conditions for our bakery operatives. We also found that the meat mixture – which is rich, thick and full of meat chunks and therefore must not be damaged – was problematic for the pumps we had on site. We needed to find a pump which could suction lift the mixture from the mixing bowl up to the depositor feed hopper whilst maintaining product integrity.”
An enquiry for a MasoSine positive displacement pump from Watson-Marlow saw Pukka Pies introduced to the SPS 2.5 model, a highly reliable, economic pump ideally suited to high pressure, hygienic operations in sectors such as food manufacture. The pump’s exclusive sinusoidal rotor overcomes the limitations of conventional rotary lobe pumps to produce powerful suction with low shear, low pulsation and gentle handling, all of which contributes significantly to lower noise output.
“With the installation of the first MasoSine SPS 2.5 we managed to lower noise from 94 decibels peak, to 74 decibels peak,” states a pleased Mr Kemp.
The process of transferring meat to the top level depositor feed hopper is controlled by Pukka Pies’ own variable speed drive (VSD) system. In combination with the easily-integrated SPS series pump, which features impressive suction lift for the dense pie fillings, the new system is delivering a further benefit in the name of 20% faster pumping times.
“Furthermore, since the installation of our first MasoSine pump around two years ago, we now use far less compressed air – to the tune of 660 litres per minute. This obviously equates to significant savings in our energy consumption,” adds Mr Kemp.
The MasoSine pumps at Pukka Pies consist of stainless steel powerframes and bearing houses with elevated baseplates and wheels to assist with mobility and reduce friction. They also feature a right-angle gearbox to reduce footprint.
16 May 2011
