TPT March 2009

H andling & P ackaging T echnology

Meeting the higher demands on tube and pipe surface quality

Mink-Brushes, Germany, is a highly experienced manufacturer of high value technical brushes for protective handling, with support of many companies in the machine tool sector. The company has produced the new Mink Prisma- System ® specially for internal and external transportation of tube and pipe. Tube and pipe are high value components in machine construction and therefore high  The Mink Prisma-System provides an optimal and universal solution in work areas for sensitive products

quality expectations are placed upon their surface finish. Through poor handling and storage, surfaces may become damaged. Scratches and marks on polished, coated or painted surfaces can result in high scrap rates. High value stainless steel or aluminium profiles and delicate glass or ceramic tubes are in use in many sectors. These products must be handled and stored with great care. Scrap rates for products with sensitive surfaces are often increased by the use of conventional transport racks, trolleys and stillages. Solutions for the transportation, support and storage of sensitive products do not always give the desired results. Profiled wooden or plastic bases can be covered with either carpet or soft rubber matting. Both options can bring problems: carpet wears down in the areas where the greatest pressure is applied and then fails to act as an adequate support. On soft matting such as rubber, swarf and dirt embeds itself into the mat and can damage the surface of components. Scratches, marks and dull spots lead to increased scrap rates and slow down productivity. The new Mink Prisma-System offers a solution to these problems. The body consists of a plastic injection moulding in the form of a prism onto which a small brush segment with a multitude of flexible bristles is clipped. The system can simply be screwed onto an existing base. Further prisms can be placed next to one another, to increase the load bearing capacity or to increase the length of the support area. To enable precise assembly and to centre individual units, a bore hole is provided which can house a linking shaft if required. The Prisma-System is supplied as a kit available in two different sizes, one for tubes with a diameter of 0-60mm, the other for tube diameters of 0-140mm. The user simply chooses the appropriate support segments for the tube. By changing the clip-on brush segment type, the Prisma- System is easily modified to suit a variety of tube types, with no need for tools. The standard range consists of four differing hardness grades, each clearly identified by a colour coding on the brush surface. This allows the choice of the right system

to be made without problem and also aids re-ordering. The system is designed to suit each individual customer’s requirements. Dirt can easily become embedded where carpet or other plastic surfaces are used, and swarf and splinters are not easily visible once they have been pressed into the body of a carpet. Cleaning such surfaces is no easy matter, and their shelf-life as a means of effective protective support is limited. The bristled support areas of the Prisma-System can be easily cleaned and maintained, for example by washing, by use of an air gun or by individual segment replacement. Swarf and splinters fall into the gaps between the bristles, providing a constant and reliable protection for sensitive surfaces. At the same time, the surface area with its numerous bristle tips reduces friction and enables heavy goods to be moved around with ease. Unlike a carpet, dull spots can be avoided, as products are resting on bristle tips. Durability is also greater. The Prisma-System offers an optimal and all-round solution in areas used for supporting sensitive goods. Scrap rates, rejects and the resulting financial and time loss are reduced to a minimum. The flexible design of the system allows simple integration into a range of handling and storage products. Mink’s technical brush solutions consist of a standard catalogue range and bespoke solutions. Catalogue products enable the customer to choose from a range of standard items that are competitively priced and are ready for shipment within seven working days. If standard options are not suitable, individual customer bespoke  The system can be quickly and simply assembled or dismantled

solutions can be considered. Mink-Brushes – Germany Fax : +49 71 6140 3150 Email : info@mink-buersten.de Website : www.mink-buersten.com

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M arch 2009

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