Member Article

Bredel pumps handle highly abrasive bodywork preparation compounds

A Bredel 40 hose pump from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group is the latest arrival at Farécla Products Ltd, a world class manufacturer of cutting compounds and finishing products principally for the automotive market, but also marine, industrial and aerospace industries, where it is being used on a mobile platform to serve filling lines. The pump joins existing Bredel 65 and Bredel 100 pumps on site that are being deployed to transfer a number of extremely abrasive, highly viscous products. The company has been relying on Bredel technology for around two decades.

Based at Ware in Hertfordshire, Farécla Products is an 80-employee business that exports its products to over 150 countries worldwide. Founded in 1952, the company has over 60 years of experience in the development and manufacture of surface finishing solutions. Moreover, recent growth has been impressive, with turnover rising to £17 million this year, from just £5 million as recently as 2000.

Two decades of success

“We’ve been using Bredel pumps for around 20 years, which tells its own story,” states Richard Buxcey the company’s plant and maintenance manager. “Although nearly all of our products are abrasive, some are very abrasive and we’ve found that only the Bredel range can overcome the challenges presented by both viscosity and abrasion.

“We use Bredel pumps on all of our main filling lines: our paste line, bottle line and tube filling line,” adds Mr Buxcey. “The pumps help us transfer the compounds and polishes from overhead hoppers and IBCs into actual product hoppers on the filling lines.”

Increased flexibility

The latest investment, a Bredel 40 hose pump, is mounted on a portable trolley to introduce a greater degree of flexibility into Farécla’s small filling line activities. Although used intermittently, between 1000 and 2000 litres per hour are pumped, topping up hoppers with various non-abrasive retail products.

Other Bredel pumps on site, however, face far more challenging applications. The company’s two Bredel 65 and two Bredel 100 pumps are used for transferring highly abrasive surface cutting compounds that can easily strip paintwork to bare metal in a matter of moments. In combination with viscosities that in some instances exceed 90,000 cP, it’s easy to see that correct pump selection is a vital component of business success.

Despite the highly abrasive nature of these challenging cutting compounds, we often get over a year of life from a single hose. Furthermore, the pumps are very quick. Depending on viscosity we can easily empty a 5 tonne container in 30 minutes.“

The two Bredel 100 hose pumps are used to transfer Farécla’s most abrasive and viscous products. Both pumps transfer the ‘fluid’ from overhead vats into a hopper where it is dosed into 5 litre tubs/tins. The two Bredel 65 pumps are used in the same way but for the smaller line, which fills 250 or 500 ml bottles. All of the pumps run intermittently and are activated using ultrasonic level sensors on the filling lines.

Farécla products are extremely versatile and can be used across a wide variety of paint types and surface substrates. Although the principal market is automotive, other sectors that exploit the advantages of the company’s products include marine, industrial, aerospace, consumer retail and valeting.

Investment pays dividends

“We implement a planned programme of ongoing investment in the latest technologies at Farécla that not only helps us provide our customers with the fastest way to the finest finish, but ensures we remain highly competitive in the marketplace,” concludes Mr Buxcey.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matthew Hyde .