Tag Archive for: Customized

A sound insulation concept from LK Metall - reduction of the sound insulation level by around 50%

Effective noise protection in a confined space at a height of 3.5 m

Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH has commissioned a new 600 t hydraulic press equipped with various temperature control technologies for lightweight components in its pilot plant. The press is used for processing fiber composites, metallic and foamed materials.

The processing of the materials involves thermoplastic composites treated at a temperature of up to 450 °C. In order to achieve maximum freedom in the working area of the press, the hydraulic unit was placed directly under the roof of the hall. This positioning favors the unhindered propagation of sound emissions throughout the hall. This would result in a high noise exposure that would be hazardous to the health of employees at the hydraulic press and surrounding workplaces. In order to protect employees from the stresses, it was particularly important for Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH to comply with the legal requirements and to reduce the sound pressure level at the workplaces concerned to below 80 dB(A) during operation.

The feed pumps on a 600-ton hydraulic press are a potential source of noise.
The feed pumps on a 600-ton hydraulic press are a potential source of noise.

After rebuild measures: The machine enclosure from LK Metall reduces noise.
After rebuild measures: The machine enclosure from LK Metall reduces noise.

Reduce noise at the source

In order to use effective noise protection measures in such a plant, it was necessary to completely enclose the feed pumps. A site inspection revealed that the space required for an enclosure was extremely limited. It was also necessary to ensure that the electric motors of the feed pumps continued to receive the necessary fresh air for cooling. Therefore, a soundproof enclosure with a wall thickness of around 50 mm was installed to reduce noise emissions. An additional built-in fan in the cabin continues to provide fresh air to the engines.

Soundproofed ducts cover the required supply and exhaust air openings. Special supports underneath the hydraulic unit enabled space-saving installation of the enclosure. “We were able to reduce the sound level of the feed pumps from 88 dB(A) to 77 dB(A) in working mode and from 81 dB(A) to 64 dB(A) in stand-by mode,” said Carsten Schröder, technical sales at LK Metall. Compactly built Thanks to an individual sound insulation concept and a compact design of the enclosure, the customer’s requirements were met more than expected. LK Metall reduced the subjective noise pollution at the hydraulic press by more than 50%. A meaningful contribution to the protection against health-endangering noise pollution in the workplace.

Degreasing baths pollute waste water Effectively remove oils and greases from wash liquors

Reduce wastewater loads from degreasing baths

Reducing wastewater pollution from degreasing baths while saving costs in terms of environmental protection is an important issue in electroplating plants.

The manufactured components must be degreased and freed from corrosion protection before a painting or coating process. With the light liquid separator from LK Metall, it is possible to use the contaminated wash liquor in the degreasing bath for a significantly longer period of time without additional chemicals by extreme removal of the accumulating oil.

LK light liquid separator: suitably designed for degreasing processes
LK light liquid separator: suitably designed for degreasing processes

Continuously remove oil from wash liquor

To degrease the components, they are immersed in degreasing baths and cleaned with the help of cleaning chemicals at a temperature of up to 90 °C. The oils and greases (light liquids) remain in the bath and, after a certain concentration, lead to saturation of the wash liquor. In turn, the floating oils contaminate the components and lead to a loss of quality in further processing. Suction of the oil by a simple skimmer on the surface of the wash liquor is often insufficient and too low in efficiency. Integrated into existing galvanizing processes, the easy-to-operate and low-maintenance light liquid separator from LK Metall continuously removes the oil from the wash liquor. A physically operating oil separator built into the system solves this task reliably and particularly economically. The disposal intervals are considerably extended. The oil separator guarantees high safety and long service life.

Process water treatment: degreasing with LK separator system

Process water treatment: degreasing with LK separator system

Longer service life reduces disposal cycles

Fully integrated into the ongoing production process, the service life of the degreasing bath is extended from about one week to around eight weeks. Compared to weekly disposal, this means an increase in service life of up to 8 times and thus a significant reduction in disposal cycles. An additional cost savings is achieved in the reduced load on the neutralization plant. Thus, on average, more than 100 liters of pure oil are separated within the first eight weeks after startup. At the same time, this means a substantial saving in chemicals. Adapted to the corresponding size of the degreasing bath, the LK light liquid separator can be integrated into almost any production process.