Wavin goodbye to downtime

A purging solution from Aquapurge has helped a major pipe manufacturer to cut downtime at its plant. Wavin UK has used Scrubber Freeze to improve the production of its injection moulded PVC pipe fittings. At the same time, it has freed up maintenance personnel. The company has found that, since the enforced move from lead stabilisers to calcium/zinc, downtime in the plant has increased. “The problem is that the processing window for calcium-zinc is far narrower than it is with lead,” says Mark Wilson, maintenance manager at Wavin UK’s plant in Chippenham, in Wiltshire. This led to more materials burn-ups, meaning that more time was needed to clean the screw and barrel. This job occupied two maintenance engineers for between eight and 12 hours, depending on the size of the machine. “We were doing this once a fortnight – sometimes as often as once a week,” says Wilson. “With lead stabilisers, it was very infrequent.” Wavin had tried a number of purging compounds in the past, but Wilson says that Scrubber Freeze was the first that actually worked. Part of the reason for this, he says, was down to the customer care that came with the product. “Usually, we were supplied products that we did not know how to use. Aquapurge actually demonstrated Scrubber Freeze to us, and explained exactly how to use it,” he says. The appearance of the ‘purge’ can indicate what is wrong within the machine: if the surface is contaminated, the burn is on the barrel; if the core is contaminated, it’s the screw. As part of its planned maintenance programme, Wavin checks its machines every 33 weeks. This involves removing the screw, cleaning it and making any necessary repairs. Because the screws and barrels are already clean, this part of the job can now be done very quickly. Typical condition of screw after purging with Scrubber Freeze Wilson estimates that the whole job can now be done in four days, instead of five. “The best thing about Scrubber Freeze is that it frees up valuable time for maintenance engineers,” says Wilson. “It helps us work more efficiently as a department.” John Steadman, technical director of Aquapurge, says that explaining the product is key to its success. “Scrubber Freeze is a great product, but it needs to be used properly,” he says. “Wavin came to us and we were able to develop a full package to allow them to achieve their goals. This not only included the unique cleaning ability of Scrubber Freeze, but also the information and training to fully understand how to get the best out of the product.” And Aquapurge is setting a challenge for UK moulders. “We’re throwing down the gauntlet, and asking people to challenge us with their most difficult purging problems,” he says. “We did it for Wavin – maybe we can do it for you too.”

For more information on Wavin goodbye to downtime talk to Aquapurge Ltd