Sometimes existing products just don’t fit your needs. Some situations don’t havean off-the-shelf solution. Some equipment doesn’t fit anything you can find online or from previous orders. In fact, you’d probably be better off making your own solution - you just need a bit of advice from an expert. Sound familiar?
The challenge
Have you ever felt like this? If so, you’re not alone. The design team at a manufacturer of industrial mixers recently faced this predicament. Their client required pressure relief for existing equipment that had very specific constraints. The key challenges were:
- Space Constraints: Limited space on top of the mixers, already crowded with pipework, inlets, and outlets.
- Connection Limitations: Only 6-inch diameter sanitary ferrule connections available.
- Venting Requirements: The pressure relief device had to vent directly to the atmosphere.
- Low-Pressure Requirement: The need for an unusually low burst pressure of just 7 psig.
Transformation for a tailored solution
It was evident that standard rupture discs would not suffice due to the unique combination of requirements. A tailored solution was necessary. This involved adapting the LoKr rupture disc, known for its precision and performance at low pressures, to meet the customer’s unique requirements. The key steps were:
- Design Modification: Altering the LoKr disc to extend its minimum burst pressure capability from 10 psi to 7 psi.
- Custom Integration: Welding the disc into a sanitary ferrule connection on the inlet side, while ensuring a standard outlet for direct venting to the atmosphere.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: The R&D, Engineering, Quality and Production teams in Broken Arrow worked to turn the process disc into a bespoke, welded OEM product that fit the customer's unique specifications.
After successfully completing all phases of the customization process, the finished product was shipped to the customer with the full knowledge that it was another quality designed and manufactured pressure relief product from OE.
So when is a process disk not a process disk?
When the OE Innovation Team transforms it into a custom-welded component for OEM equipment. This is just one example of our ability to customize existing products beyond their standard specifications and intended use. Thanks to innovative thinking and cross-functional collaboration, the finished product met the challenges of limited space and pressure requirements while ensuring compliance with safety standards.
If you are interested in this product, or have specific requirements that standard solutions cannot meet, contact us to explore how our Innovation Team can assist you.