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UNDERSTANDING GEAR PUMPS PART 1

This is the first article in a three part series on gear pumps.  In this article we provide a limited response to a competitor publication regarding gear pumps.  As we mentioned in our previous letter of response, the information provided in the publication was inaccurate, and often taken out of context and missing some very relevant facts.  

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It has always been our goal to advance our industry through providing accountability and transparency.  This is good for the industry as a whole.  In the following, we will address the various topics and provide the correct context to the content that was provided.

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  • Gear pumps do experience fluid slip.  This is why it is important to have a PLC driven system that is calculating for these items.

  • We agree with bullets 2 and 3.  These must be accounted for in the metering system

  • Gear pumps can wear.  It's important to use the best materials.

    • Our gear pumps are not "off the shelf".  They are specifically designed for the fluids in this industry​

    • Piston pump rebuild and maintenance can be a significant expense and is necessary for on-ratio spraying per Graco's White Paper on Ratio Assurance

    • Akurate offers a guarantee on gear pumps.  If maintenance is required, customers can exchange their gear pumps for new ones, free of charge.

  • Positive displacement piston pumps can be consistent, if maintenance is routinely done on the system

  • We agree.  Piston pumps hold stall pressure.  Gear pumps also hold stall pressure if the system is designed with a check valve.  Our system does have a check valve, therefore making it a non-issue for comparison purposes

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  • We agree that due to fluid slip, gear pumps depend of flow meters to maintain ratio. Flow meters are an integral part of our system functionality

  • Flow meter calibration is dependent on the metals and the application of the flow meters.

  • We agree with bullet point #3

  • Our system is verifiable and therefore reporting the correct ratio

  • Positive displacement piston pumps do not depend on flow meters to function.  However, they have recognized the importance of flow meters (see Graco Ratio Assurance Page 5)

    • Flow meters in this capacity function as a monitoring/alarm mechanism which can be activated or deactivated depending upon user-determined tolerances.  The alarms can be ignored or deactivated by the user.

    • Our system depends on high resolution flow meters to independently measure flow and pressure and adjust A and B motor speeds in real time to ensure on-ratio spray.  Because flow meters are an integral part of functionality, not monitoring, the system will shut down if ratio is off.

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  • We agree with bullet #1

  • A bit far reaching and not in the two industries

  • Response to this?

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