For years, the pump industry has been challenged. The need for a new wear material product, providing better performance, dimensional stability at high temperature, and longevity at a lower cost, has always been the dream. Zeon Technologies, a resin and molding compound manufacturer, has made this dream a reality. The company has introduced a new material used to produce wear-rings and bushings for the pump industry made from carbon fiber-ceramic or kevlar-ceramic.
NEW MATERIAL, NEW SOLUTIONS
Before Zeon Technologies, the industry responded with thermoplastics that worked but still had challenges of high temperature as well as high pricing. Recently Zeon Technologies developed a unique thermoset composite that fulfills the basic needs of many wear parts used in the pump industry. The North Carolina based company offers these specially formulated compounds in a variety of fiber and mineral fillers such as carbon fiber-ceramic or kevlar-ceramic. Randy Lewis, an engineer for Zeon Technologies, recently said, “Parts from these composites can be easily molded and machined.” Field use of nearly five years has shown no measurable wear on pump shafts, wear-rings, or bushings.
PROVEN IN THE FIELD
Positive feedback from field operations praises the performance of these parts in water pumps and in dry run operations. High temperature resistance is also an outstanding feature of these composite materials. In addition to exceptional performances, the materials are also very cost competitive in comparison to the high priced thermoplastics currently used in the market place. In five years in the field, no measurable wear has been found on either the wear components or the pump shaft on which they ride.
READY FOR THE FUTURE
While change is hard to accept, proactive maintenance engineers and proactive new product designers have taken Zeon Technologies materials and tested these composites in today’s pump market applications. There are no “one product fits all” solutions, but serious attention is being given to Zeon materials as they are establishing themselves as unique materials for rather common pump solutions. Only with forward thinking can new products be incorporated into traditional applications which are hard to change. Every application is unique and requires the utmost attention to implement materials that are best suited for pump operations. Thus, such materials offer the industry a new outlet for obtaining high performance, low maintenance, and cost effective materials for today’s and future use.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Roman Nykyforuk is a consultant for Zeon Technologies of Salisbury, North Carolina. Zeon Technologies offers ideal materials to replace or create new products for the pump industry. For more information, call 704.680.9160 or visit www.zeontech.net.
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MODERN PUMPING TODAY, February 2014
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