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Emech® Model IMC Target Markets (For Armstrong Salespeople Only)
Armstrong Emech® Model IMC Emech® uses advanced digital technology to do an exceptional job in process applications of blending hot and cold water. Because it is so far ahead of the equipment that many engineers and designers have seen they will never thinkto specify it. So until awareness and momentum has been built up for this product the following approach to the market is suggested.
Targeted Sales Calls: These markets have been identified as having potential for Emech® applications. Meat Processing Sterilization, wash down and hand wash water temperatures are enforced by federal and state requirements. Emech® can maintain plant water temperatures close to the required set point and is a “fast start up system” that achieves set point temperature quickly. This means that less water and the energy required to heat it is wasted while the system comes up to temperature. Also no pressure reducing valves are needed so additional cost savings are obtained. Efficient and effective carcass, tripe and casing/chitterling washing processes are all dependent upon an accurate and constant water temperature. If the water temperature is too high then the product becomes partially cooked and the appearance and quality suffer. If the temperature is too low then proper hygiene is not maintained. Since most plants experience fluctuations in inlet water temperature and pressure a system like Emech® is ideal to keep the output water temperature constant.
Baking The key to good quality bread is a consistent dough temperature that allows for optimal activation of the yeast. Taking into account the temperature of the bakery, ingredients and heat created by the mixing process the baker can adjust Emech® to blend the mix water to a temperature that yields a perfect final dough temperature and consistent product quality despite variable conditions. All food processing plants have recipes requiring accurate water temperatures, both hot and cold.
Wine/Brewery Industries Like baking the beer and wine industry involves yeast, and water temperature is used to regulate the fermentation process by first introducing hot water to activate the yeast and second using cold water to regulate the rate of fermentation. Because Emech® system provides a bubble tight seal, when placed at the return side of the fermentation tanks it can be programmed to send the return water to either heating or cooling tanks thus saving on water and heating costs. Additionally the temperature set point of Emech® can be easily changed to allow for different recipes, eliminating multiple single temperature mixing valves.
Dairy Most dairy plants have multiple operations using hot water from a single source. This can lead to significant temperature and pressure fluctuations. Pasteurization, cheese and butter processing all require tight temperature tolerances to maintain product quality. Whey protein binding quality is affected by temperature and critical to the quality of cheese. In butter processing water jacket temperature is used to regulate the viscosity of fats and oils to ensure correct blending and processing, and the sudden demand typical of water jacket systems can lead to temperature fluctuations negatively impacting product quality and yield. Emech® is a simple way to smooth out temperature fluctuations and improve product yield and quality.
Leather Processing and Tanning The initial stage of hide processing requires high volumes of water at a critical temperature to produce quality product. Too high a temperature and hides will be scalded creating burn marks and causing shrinkage. If the temperature is too low the hide will not be properly preserved. The ability to supply a large volume of the correct temperature water quickly means less wasted water, heating costs and labor time. Emech® easily replaces common pneumatic operated linear mixing valves, which are slow to react to changing inlet conditions and are high maintenance as well. Combining the cost savings with increased yield and product quality makes the installation of an Emech® system extremely attractive in this industry. Armstrong International | INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS IN STEAM, AIR AND HOT WATER North America • Latin America • India • Europe / Middle East / Africa • China • Pacific Rim armstronginternational.com © 2017 Armstrong International, Inc.
Emech® Model IMC Target Markets (For Armstrong Salespeople Only)
Pharmaceutical and Medical Manufacturing This industry is experiencing rapid growth and innovation. The specialty products of yesterday have become commodity items as this market expands and manufacturers are forced to consider efficiency along with accuracy on their product production lines. The stainless steel and ceramic construction allows the mixing of de-ionized water used in detergent and pharmaceutical products. Extremely quick actuator reaction times result in accurate blending for processes at a critical temperature. The simple integration of Emech® into a process control system can also be instrumental in the fulfillment of repeatability and recording standards often required of medical and pharmaceutical products.
Laboratory Use Because Emech® can blend very accurately to any temperature between the hot and cold inlets it will be a valuable tool in many laboratories. Precise water temperature control is critical in processes like culture of delicate organisms, product testing, forensics and photographic processing. The capability of Emech® to be used with RO or DI water means that these ultra-pure water sources are less problematic to blend to a desired temperature. The ease of switching output temperature on Emech® means that multiple process batches with different temperatures can all be handled by one Emech® unit for a big increase in capability and productivity.
General Manufacturing Improving valve performance is one of the most critical steps manufacturers can take to become more profitable. Reducing process variability lies at the heart of maximizing profitability. By maintaining process variables as near as possible to the set point, improved valve performance allows manufacturers to run their plants closer to constraints, thereby increasing production and reducing waste. Any industrial manufacturing process that requires critical temperature water, from cheese to silicon chips, can realize many benefits from the installation of an Emech® system to handle process water temperature control.
Vigilance during sales calls will identify applications where Emech® will be the perfect fit to the customer’s need. Not unlike The Brain® (digital recirculating valve for domestic use) this product is so far in advance of what most building and industrial engineers and other potential purchasers are aware of they will never even look for a mixing system like this, and fully expect to have to make do with a barely-adequate or cobbled together system to handle their applications. The Emech® product line needs momentum built through aggressive marketing and vigilant salespeople informing potential customers about its existence and capabilities. Decades of using thermostatic mixing valves and sub-par systems (even for purposes to which they are not ideally suited) have taught the engineers specifying their use not to bother looking for anything better! And Emech® works so well in the “set it and forget it” mode or integrated with a control system that potential purchasers can’t even imagine something like it exists. And in point of fact, there are certainly applications where Emech® will excel that we have not even identified yet! The experience with The Brain® is that after more over ten years on the market there is a trend emerging where new construction engineers and designers are only specifying digital or electronic recirculating valves for new construction and other building projects. A future where there is only digital mixing is near and Armstrong currently has a major percentage of the US market! The awareness and momentum building process for Emech® will likely follow this pattern. And the same opportunity is available. If a digitally controlled mixing valve is specified for process water temperature control then Emech® is currently the optimal choice. Thus the challenge is to grow this market as quickly as possible and create maximum sales before a competitive solution is brought to market by another company.
Armstrong International | INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS IN STEAM, AIR AND HOT WATER North America • Latin America • India • Europe / Middle East / Africa • China • Pacific Rim armstronginternational.com © 2017 Armstrong International, Inc.
