Related Articles

• Six days instead of six months delivery 

  MENZEL ELEKTROMOTOREN says its motor customers in the UK appreciate its fast delivery capability. Two of them recently contacted the company after experiencing motor failures, which meant that the water supply to 30,000 households was threatened and production in a cement plant was halted. After delivery times of only six and ten days, respectively, both the pump and the cement mill could be restarted in the shortest imaginable time. Faced with unexpected downtime due to equipment failures, customers often cannot afford to wait for a motor manufactured from scratch – standard delivery times in higher output ranges start at six months. Menzel says it has proven a strong partner in an emergency, quickly configuring suitable motor systems for a wide range of high-output applications.

• Surround yourself with pump expertise  

  Most pump failures are maintenance or installation-related and that is good news because it means that a lot can be done to minimise the risk. Proactive maintenance is key to eliminating common failure. It extends the useful life of the pump and increases both its efficiency and reliability. Bob Orme* reports.

• Minimising whole life costs 

  Bearings are key components in dry vacuum pumps – their reliability and operating life have a significant effect on pump operating costs. Nick Dowding, business development manager at The Barden Corporation (UK) Ltd, discusses how bearings can play a pivotal role in reducing whole life costs of dry vacuum pumps.

• Maximising energy savings through the systems approach 

  Various countries around the world have taken different approaches towards energy usage and possible energy reduction. Across Europe, the Commission has concentrated on components within the Energy Related Products Directive (ErP).

• Extended Product Directive – a pump is not a light bulb 

  The aim of the EU Eco-Design Directive is to improve the environmental impact of energy-intensive products by optimising their design. Since pumps require a lot of energy, some inevitably fall within scope of this directive. Better design could significantly reduce their energy consumption. However, considerably more can be achieved if the pump is not viewed in isolation, but as part of the overall system along with its electric motor and controller.