New technologies, equipment and products will be showcased by vendors looking to give attendees a glimpse at the latest and greatest advancements in the dry food processing industry.

At booth #2521, Powder-Solutions will demonstrate how the BFM® fitting can replace outdated and old-fashioned hose clamps and flexible sleeves.  The BFM® fitting maximizes safety, sanitation and efficiency, no matter what kind of dry food is being processed.  And by replacing outdated hose clamps and flex sleeves, this revolutionary fitting minimizes your chance for cross-contamination, while saving time and money.

Stop by our booth for a live demonstration and see how the BFM® fitting:

1. Quickly and easily snaps into place to form a dust-tight seal.
2. Can be removed for cleaning in just 40 seconds without the use of any tools.
3. Ensures proper installation every time — no matter the operator.

Not attending IBIE? Contact us for a free video showing the BFM® fitting in action!

BFM® Fitting On Display at IBIE was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

ISD aims to design and operate a safe processing plant. It tries to eliminate, or at the very least very significantly reduce, hazards in a plant rather than just manage them with procedures or hardware.

If your plant is looking to reduce the costs that accompany safety equipment or enhanced procedures, then ISD may be a worth implementing.

Chemical Processing offers three approaches for implementing ISD in new and existing plants:

1. An inherent safety analysis of a process using an ISD checklist
2. An independent Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) for a plant focusing on ISD
3. A complete PHA of the plant with ISD considerations fully incorporated into the PHA discussions

Looking to improve plant safety even further?

One area often overlooked by bulk powder processing plants is outdated hose clamps and flexible connections. Old-fashioned hose clamps are likely to fail in the event of an internal dust explosion. By replacing hose clamps with the BFM® fitting, plants can significantly reduce this risk and enhance plant safety. The BFM® fitting expands with the sudden pressure shock, but the internal snap band seal does not fail.

Discover more about the BFM® fitting and its plant safety benefits.

What is Inherent Safer Design (ISD), and how can I implement it to ensure plant safety? was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

That’s particularly true for plants that must batch change often for different types of powder, such as food, dairy and pharmaceutical processors.

Using outdated hose clamps and flexible sleeves, time spent taking down and cleaning equipment can be significant – not to mention the time spent cleaning up any resulting leaks or messes.

That equals unnecessary downtime, lost productivity and lost revenue.

On top of that, manual installation of equipment presents a slew of safety concerns:

1. Operators must climb a ladder carrying tools, which endanger employees and equipment below.

2. Operator have to reach to tighten clamps, which presents potential safety and ergonomic issues.

3. Operators could slice or puncture their hands with the tools.

One solution solves all of these issues. By replacing old-fashioned hose clamps with the BFM® fitting, plants can enhance efficiency by significantly reducing time spent maintaining equipment.

The BFM® fitting:

• Requires no tools to install, saving time and eliminating safety concerns
• Snaps perfectly into place in just 40 seconds, regardless of the operator’s experience
• Comprises two basic elements: the flexible sleeve with top and bottom snap bands, and two matched spigots

The improved plant efficiency afforded by the BFM® fitting directly translates to the bottom line.

Check out this BFM® fitting video to see firsthand how the connector system can be installed in less than 40 seconds.

How can I reduce maintenance downtime and improve plant efficiency? was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

Discover best practices and the latest technology for increasing production efficiencies, cutting costs, eliminating waste and ensuing product consistency. Visit suppliers in all major industry sectors, including chemical, pharmaceutical, food, beverage, cosmetics, paints and pigments, and more.

Stop by booth 3042 to learn more about the BFM® fitting, distributed by Powder-Solutions, Inc. Discover how you can enhance efficiency, safety and sanitation by replacing outdated hose clamps and flexible sleeves with the BFM® fitting.

PTXi
May 4-6
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
Rosemont, Illinois

Gain Bulk Powder Processing Efficiencies at PTXi was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

Don’t forget to stop by the Powder-Solutions booth to learn how the BFM® fitting can replace outdated hose clamps and flexible sleeves to maximize safety, sanitation and efficiencies at your dry food processing plant.

IBIE
September 26-29
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, Nevada

Dry Food Processing Cutting-Edge Technologies at IBIE was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

Stop by Powder-Solutions’ booth to discover firsthand how the BFM® fitting replaces traditional flexible sleeves and hose clamps for the ultimate in safety, efficiency and sanitation.

Expo Pack Mexico 2010
June 22-15, 2010
Centro Banamex
Mexico City, Mexico

Discover the Latest Advancements in Bulk Powder Processing at Expo Pack Mexico was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

Visit Powder-Solutions at the conference to discover how the BFM® fitting can empower dairy processing plants to improve safety and efficiency when replacing traditional flex sleeves or hose clamps.

International Cheese Technology Exhibition
April 20-22, 2010
Alliant Energy Center
Madison, Wisconsin

Dairy Processing Innovations at International Cheese Technology Exhibition was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

Don’t miss Powder-Solutions at the conference to see firsthand how the BFM® fitting can help dairy processing plants improve efficiencies and eliminate safety concerns over standard hose clamps and flex sleeves.

ADPI/ABI Annual Conference
April 25-27, 2010
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Dairy Processing Trends & Product Innovations Highlighted at ADBI/ABI Annual Conference was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

Sophisticated explosion venting and suppression systems can be successful if the primary explosion is contained within the process equipment. It’s also important to control the ignition of sources to prevent dust explosions. OSHA offers a few tips:

• Use appropriate electrical equipment and wiring methods

• Control static electricity

• Control smoking, open flames and sparks

• Control mechanical sparks and friction

• Use separator devices to remove foreign materials capable of igniting combustibles from process materials

• Separate heated surfaces and heating systems from dusts

• Proper use and type of industrial trucks and cartridge activated tools

• Adequately maintain all the above equipment

One area often overlooked are the flexible connections on process equipment. For bulk powder processing plants, hose clamps are likely to fail in the event of an internal dust explosion. In controlled tests by an independent lab, slow motion video revealed the BFM® fitting expands with the sudden pressure shock, but the internal snap band seal does not fail. Designed for food and dairy facilities to stop powder leakage, the BFM® fitting has the potential to improve safety in a wide range of industrial applications and industries.

Discover more about the BFM® fitting and its safety benefits.

What measures can bulk powder processing plants take to prevent dust explosions? was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom

Dear Powder Doctor,
With all the emphasis nowadays to reduce explosion risk in the workplace, we are reviewing all aspects of our processes and safety measures. One area of concern is our flexible sleeves held with hose clamps. Many of our sleeve connections fit poorly or have been installed incorrectly, and they are leaking powder. Also, if there was to be an explosion in a process line using these sleeves, the sleeves or the clamps would possibly fail, allowing the blast into the plant atmosphere. Sure we have suppression and venting systems, but what good are they if a flexible sleeve held with hose clamps is a weak link?

I’m under pressure to improve our safety!

Sincerely,

Mr. F. Ike

Dear Mr. Ike,

Explosion mitigation has always been important. Recent emphasis on NFPA and OSHA has manufacturers scrambling to understand what is the right thing to do. It’s not an easy answer.

You are correct in identifying sleeves held by hose clamps as a weak link for at least two reasons:

1. If a sleeve fails before your protection systems activate, the protection systems might be less effective.
2. Long term dust leakage into your plant can be the fuel for a secondary explosion.

Consider the BFM® snap-in flexible sleeve to replace your old fashioned sleeves for several reasons:

1. The snap-in design guarantees a perfect, dust tight seal, no matter who installs the sleeve. No tools required.
2. Sealing on the inside, the snap bands seal even tighter from sudden internal pressure rise.
3. In controlled explosion trials, an independent lab proved the BFM® sleeve seals at higher pressures (up to 100 KPa), when hose clamps failed (less than 50 KPa). A copy of the test results is available on request.

See the BFM® snap-in flexible sleeve in action by watching a brief video of the explosion testing.

The BFM® sleeve is a key link in creating a safer plant environment!

JUST BFM® IT!

The Powder Doctor

PS Watch my latest video to see how you can mitigate risk of explosion in your bulk powder processing plant with the BFM® sleeve.

Under pressure to reduce explosion risk! was posted at Powder Solutions News & Events. | http://www.powder-solutions.com/newsroom