Applications

With over 90% of aluminium cans recycled, the metal beverage packaging and can making sectors are rapidly rising as the sustainable alternative to plastic manufacturing. In the transition toward a greener future, beverage cans made in aluminium are capturing growing market shares from plastic containers which are known for their low recycling rates and significant environmental pollution.

As consumer preferences shift towards eco-friendly options, aluminium cans emerge as the preferred choice due to their durability, recyclability, and ability to preserve the quality of the contents. Every aluminium can produced by the beverage packaging industry can be recycled indefinitely and may be reused without any limitation or loss in its intrinsic aluminium characteristics.

The growing demand for beverage packaging is driving innovation in the can making sector. The modern two-piece can industry produces on average over 3,000 aluminium cans per minute. In this fast and highly demanding manufacturing environment, unplanned machine downtimes must be avoided, making the selection of efficient pneumatic equipment crucial to maintain high production standards.

Without the supply of vacuum and compressed air, the can making process would halt. The production line in a can factory is a sequence, starting with aluminium coils at the entrance and ending with finished, printed and coated aluminium cans at the exit. Throughout this process, compressors and vacuum systems are essential in most manufacturing steps.

Over half of the electric energy consumption in a can plant is due to the continuous operation of vacuum pumps and air compressors. Therefore, choosing pneumatic systems with the lowest Life Cycle Cost (LCC) is crucial. The Life Cycle Cost is the sum of all costs incurred during the life time of a machine, including Purchase Price, Maintenance Costs for spare parts, labour and Power Consumption. Over a 15-year analysis, the overall energy cost becomes the largest expense, often exceeding the purchase price of the machine by a factor of 50. Here is where the value of Pneumofore appears as the ‘best in the class’.

Can making factories typically use centralized compressed air systems with pipeline networks operating at different pressure levels: a low-pressure line at 3.5 bar(g) and a high-pressure line at 7 bar(g). Additionally, a dedicated vacuum pipeline system usually runs at 300 mbar(g). Under these conditions, Pneumofore’s large vacuum pumps and air compressors stand out as the ideal pneumatic solution. The integration of these machines with various control systems and the latest communication protocols, like PLC, HMI and SCADA, further underline the advantages of Pneumofore. Hundreds of two-piece aluminium can factories already rely on our expertise, consistently choosing our Rotary Vane technology for its proven constant efficiency and durability.

Only a few can making companies have the necessary know-how in low-pressure compressor design. Factories located in hot climates or above 1,000 meters of altitude pose additional challenges, as these atmospheric conditions demand customized compressed air solutions with enlarged cooling systems to cope with ‘thin air’. For vacuum pumps, the required capacity often reaches several thousand cubic meters per hour and the entire vacuum system setup significantly impacts long-term efficiency. Therefore, with every sale of a large vacuum pump, Pneumofore offers a schematic installation drawing with pipeline diameters and definitions of vacuum accessories such as filters, valves and receivers.

Pneumofore enjoys a privileged position as one of the preferred suppliers of vacuum pumps and air compressors in the two-piece can industry, supported by extensive experience and strong references worldwide.

Video testimonials: Envases Universales, Ball Packaging

Case Studies: Envases Universales, Ball Packaging Spain, Ball Packaging UK, Ball Packaging Finland, Crown Holding, United Can in Jakarta

In the glass industry, the continuous supply of pneumatic energy is essential for nonstop glass production, particularly in hollow glass manufacturing. Glass bottles and glass containers are created using compressed air, typically at 3,5 bar(g) and sometimes at 7 bar(g), and vacuum usually at 250 mbar(a). This combination enhances the moulding speed at the IS machines and improves the glass quality, especially with intricate shapes and engravings. Given the 24/7 operational demands in glassworks, the selection of vacuum pumps and air compressors should emphasize their Life Cycle Cost over the years, focusing on high energy efficiency and long-term durability.

Pneumofore has been supplying Rotary Vane vacuum pumps and compressors to the glass industry since 1960. In some glass factories, these pneumatic systems have outlasted the entire furnace lifespan, with units operating continuously for over 50 years. This longevity is achieved thanks to Pneumofore’s sturdy system design which includes the Rotary Vane cylinder with non-consumable components and no overhauling needs, the direct coupling with low rotation speed and low temperatures, and the full accessibility for ease of maintenance. These key features ensure Pneumofore’s legendary reliability proven over decades across five continents, even in hot climates and altitudes thanks to customized machines that fit the local glass industry requirements. Long service intervals, a proper system design with filtration devices that prevent swabbing oil from the IS machines, state-of-the-art piping systems and accessories like dryers, receivers and line-filters further contribute to the long-lasting, high-efficiency of these pneumatic systems.

In vacuum applications for the glass industry, Pneumofore’s vacuum pumps replace traditional liquid ring vacuum pumps, halving the electric power consumption and eliminating the cooling water circuit. These vacuum systems, based on the Rotary Vane technology, are particularly beneficial in the manufacturing of glass bottles and glass containers where other technologies like screw vacuum pumps are failing due to high maintenance costs and frequent capacity losses, leading customers back to Pneumofore. With a 10-year warranty on the efficiency of the UV Series vacuum pumps, Pneumofore sets the benchmark in industrial vacuum systems.

When low pressure compressed air at 3,5 bar(g) is required, 2-stage turbo compressors are sometimes used. However, they have limited adaptability to the everchanging needs of glass production. Moreover, the stoppage of a large turbo compressor can be very problematic due to the rare availability of backup units. Therefore, glassworks prefer centralised systems of mid-sized air compressors with few hundred kW. Pneumofore’s Rotary Vane air compressors equipped with Variable Speed drives precisely match the needs of glass bottle moulding at the IS machine. The line-filters used with these lubricated compressor systems purify the compressed air in order to achieve higher purity levels than oil-free compressors.

Hundreds of glassworks worldwide rely on Pneumofore’s vacuum pumps and compressors. Testimonials from satisfied customers consistently highlight the low operational costs, durability and constant efficiency of Pneumofore’s pneumatic systems, making them a trusted choice in the glass industry.

Video testimonials: Wiegand Glaswerk, O-I Italy, Changyu Glass

Case Studies: A.B. InBev – Grupo Modelo, Crown, Wiegand Glaswerk, Siam Glass, Sisecam, Sevam, Seves, Hindustan National Glass, MISR Glass, Saint Gobain, Malaya Glass, Middle East Glass

Vacuum pumps play a crucial role in electronics assembly, particularly in precision-driven ‘Pick & Place’ operations. Advanced vacuum systems manage the handling of delicate components and their safe packaging.

Traditionally, packaging machines and assembly stations were supplied by ‘on-board’ vacuum pumps, a decentralized option which may disturb the sterile environment of clean rooms and the human concentration with vibrations, contaminants, heat and noise.

Nowadays, the most efficient solution is represented by centralized vacuum systems connected to the assembly network. Sterile production rooms remain undisturbed, while maintenance procedures are strongly optimized. Instead of addressing on-board vacuum pumps individually, centralized vacuum systems undergo regular servicing and avoid production halts caused by unforeseen pump issues. Furthermore, having fewer high-performance vacuum pumps is the key to enhance reliability and energy efficiency.

With a track record of thousands of centralized vacuum systems running non-stop for decades, Pneumofore UV Series vacuum pumps offer high reliability and constant efficiency over the years. Based on Rotary Vane technology, Pneumofore machines eliminate the need of overhauls and are backed with an extended warranty, ensuring trouble-free operation with minimal maintenance requirements. With every UV Series installation, Pneumofore offers system engineering support with precise pipeline calculations in order to reduce any potential losses in pressure or capacity, resulting in further benefits in terms of power consumption, substantial cost savings, and significantly prolonged service intervals.

Case Studies: Infineon Technologies

The simulation of high altitude conditions for an airplane or space craft flight test requires a vacuum system capable of varying the absolute pressure, often with steep gradients. Unlike many other processes, in the aviation and aerospace industry, a flight test does not need a constant and continuous vacuum.

Given the large size of an airplane and the consequent extensive space required in flight test facilities, vacuum systems must offer high capacity and pressure variation capabilities. A straightforward power consumption analysis highlights the advantages of Pneumofore’s Rotary Vane UV Series vacuum pumps, which double the energy efficiency compared to liquid ring vacuum pumps. With features like air cooling as standard, a capacity of 3.240 m³/h for each UV50 vacuum pump and the Variable Speed option, the UV Series vacuum pumps represent the state-of-the-art in Rotary Vane technology and the most energy efficient vacuum solutions for the aviation and aerospace industries.

A flight test facility operates only a few hours per month. Therefore, the design simplicity and efficiency of Pneumofore vacuum pumps are ideal for a flight simulation environment. In fact, the installation of these machines is easy, they are Plug & Play vacuum pumps and they do not require foundations. They are also the most appreciated vacuum solution in terms of reduced power consumption and constant efficiency over decades.

Based on these criteria, Pneumofore has been successfully collaborating with world renowned companies and research organizations operating in the aviation and aerospace industry, such as Honeywell, Airbus, and the Fraunhofer Institute. Pneumofore’s advanced vacuum pump solutions ensure precise and efficient flight test simulation at high altitude by varying the pressure conditions while meeting the rigorous standards required in these industries.

By delivering high-capacity, variable-speed and energy efficient vacuum systems, Pneumofore supports the complex flight test needs of the aviation industry. The collaboration with leading aerospace corporations underscores the company’s commitment to advancing aviation and space technology through supplying superior vacuum pump solutions.

Case Studies: Airbus

Pneumofore is strongly committed to developing new processes used in insulating electrical windings and capacitors for medium and high-voltage devices (motors, transformers, generators etc.). Vacuum Pressure Impregnation (VPI) is the only process that can guarantee the perfect electrical insulation for high-voltage applications and as well as several benefits accruing from dielectric materials and special resins or oils, constant vacuum level is important to mantain good surface treatment all year long.
Depending on reactor size it is important to achieve high pumping speed and low pressure levels in order to optimize the productivity. Pneumofore has already attained successful references in this field and is involved in projects for vacuum centralization of several autoclaves.

Case Studies: Sicme Motori

In nature, the drying process takes place in the sun. This application of heat has been optimized in the last centuries with ovens. Vacuum evacuates humidity as well and offers several advantages. Typical large drying processes arise in the production of bricks and tiles, where vacuum offers shorter drying times with much less energy usage compared to heat drying [see the video Vacuum Pumps for Bricks Production] Where metal parts have been washed and require drying, vacuum may also be used [see the case study Brakes India]. Another application is the drying of polyester chips, which may require a multi stage vacuum system to reach low dew points [see the case study Polyester Chips in India]. Food is also dried in processes like freeze drying, as the minor water content of fruit and vegetables provides shelf longevity. The drying of pipelines is described in the dedicated section. Degassing is done in Italian pasta production as well as in brick factories. Extruders mix components for a homogeneous structure, which is later backed. The presence of water in the dough has to be avoided because water turns into vapor with a larger volume and it can create cracks and or change the taste of pasta. Thus vacuum is applied, with precise mbar(a) and m³/h dosing. Polyester chips must be packed in the shortest possible time with low residual humidity, as done with up to 3 stage vacuum systems. Vacuum is usually applied slowly, otherwise the product could break as happens when wood is dried with excessive speed. Other materials like leather or all sorts of aggressive chemicals contain dangerous elements, which could contaminate the vacuum pump, thus needs to be protected accordingly. More simple is the vacuum drying of metal components right after the washing, as alternative to heat, which requires more power, more time and causes temperature dependent deformation. Also pipelines are dried before their installation and operation.

Case Studies: Brakes India, Polyester Chips

The industrialization of food processing requires more and more vacuum as an energy form. Our pumps succeed in evacuate water vapor in pasta factories, even in Iran, with air cooling only. Tumblers to soften meat at the Kerry Food and Hilton Food plants in Ireland also use reliable and durable Pneumofore vacuum systems. In recent years, we observed a growth of vacuum chambers for baking bread or simply for the storage of perishable food like vegetables or fish. After excessive repair expenses caused by alternative processeses or small vane pumps, and with the rising importance of shelf-life, taste and environmental factors, our customers can finally meet their production needs with bespoke, centralized Pneumofore’s vacuum and compressed air system solutions. See dedicated section for pasta and food packaging.

Case Studies: Caillor in France

The challenge varies for each pasta factory and that is where Pneumofore as a bespoke solution provider succeeds, due to the tailored design of the entire vacuum pump system instead of the simple supply of standard vacuum pumps. Pasta requires the perfect amount of vacuum to improve the quality of the final product. With a 100 mbar(a) vacuum level the humidity in the mixture is sucked out but this needs to be done with a perfect balance of mixture amount and vacuum amount. The vacuum pump system must operate 24 hours a day 365 days a year, which makes  durability and reliability of the vacuum pump system very critical due to the losses of an eventual stop of the machines. The filtration system, the constant vacuum requirements and the variable capacity requests as well as, above all, the perfect taste and perception of pasta make Pneumofore a very important player in the field of industrial vacuum pump systems for Italian pasta factories.

Case Studies: Zar Macaron, Pezzullo, Chirico

In the field of food packaging different vacuum levels for higher packaging speed are needed. Specific humidity and vacuum values must remain constant with air as the only cooling medium. Small on-board vacuum pumps are often used in the food packaging industry. However, as soon as the size of production is large enough to allow the centralization of vacuum, Pneumofore offers the opportunity to increase the vacuum level using multiple stages. This allows longer shelf life of products and sensibly improves the cold room operators’ working ambient. Several on-board vacuum pumps create running noise, oil mist and low performance. These deficiencies can be resolved with the centralization of the vacuum pump system.  Moreover, reduced power consumption and increased packaging speed are important features of UV installations on this field. This criteria allows operational success throughout the four seasons 24 hours for 365 days a year.

Case Studies: HKScan

In the absence of a dedicated filtration system, the presence of solid silicate and clay particles in the suction of the vacuum pumps causes the slow erosion of all materials. This was served by liquid ring vacuum pumps. But the degassing process must be continuous at a specific vacuum level, the quality of tiles and bricks must be mantained while the press is hot: this is achieved with UV pumps in several bricks plants. We offer fully engineered vacuum solutions with air cooling, with less power usage, less noise and without continuous repair of the pump’s cylinder.

Case Studies: Lusoceram in Portugal, Marble Tiles Production

In the 90’s, only liquid ring vacuum pumps were known to create vacuum for pipeline drying purpose. As the evacuated air contained water vapor, the cooling liquid was usually water. But the performance of liquid ring vacuum pumps strongly depends on the sealant’s (water) temperature. With gas available in rather hot or below 0°C countries, water sealed pumps failed to fully satisfy the requirements of pipeline drying companies. The complexity of the Generator – Liquid Ring Vacuum Pump – Cooling Water Tower circuit was further complicated by their replacement with ultra-dry compressed air systems which required much higher energy consumption due to the compressor size and the multi-stage drying systems with chillers. In the end , they were worse than the liquid ring vacuum pumps in energy terms. At that time, the environmental awareness of energy considerations was not the priority of companies in the worldwide petrochemical industry. In 2006, the largest company in this sector, Gazprom, found the solution by simply installing one generator and two Pnuemofore UV50 vacuum pumps on a truck trailer: a completely air cooled vacuum system, based on the exclusive performance of the UV pumps in evacuating large water vapor quantities. Furthermore, the drying speeds were further improved by installing additional (roots) stages on the UV H backing pumps, as done by BJ Services and Trans-Asia Pipeline Services.

Case Studies: Narmada, BJ Services, Gazprom

Ferrero, an italian chocolate producer with plants in Italy, Belgium and Argentina, chose Pneumofore to provide vacuum solutions for multiple applications, from drying to transportation or pick and place during the box packaging phase. With a centralized vacuum solution, a higher production speed can be achieved. Several UV vacuum pumps provide 24/7 vacuum supply. However, Pick & Place is found in a huge number of industries, especially where a serial production requires an automated and fast moving of product or packaging, as found also in food, medical, containers and electronics production sites. Our machines installed at Becton Dickinson in UK meet the Pick & Place process within a medical factory, and the UV pumps at Seagate in Asia move little screws for Hard Disk assembly.

The pharmaceutical industry uses vacuum for specific processes in medicine production and in the final stage of packaging. Vacuum, the absence of air, supports ‘clean’ requirements, where contamination y volatile impurities is avoided. Access to the production area in Pharmaceutical Industries is limited, we rarely know about improvements regarding constant vacuum level or lower absolute residual pressure, which might speed up or simplify specific steps. When we replace liquid ring or screw pumps with our rotary vane technology, our installations are based on Return of Investment calculations and we are perfectly aligned with the strict standards of precision and reliability requirements of the Vacuum System. UV pumps are also appreciated in such continuous applications for their clean exhaust, as happened at Becton Dickinson in Ireland, substituting rotary screw pumps. In Belarus, the air-cooling and strongly reduced power consumption of UV pumps, combined with our vacuum system engineering competence, allowed considerable savings compared to the previous liquid ring system. Lifescan, in Scotland, moved away from costly repair and spares of ‘compact vane pumps’ by installing a Pneumofore system, which offers industrial values of durability with easier Maintenance.

Case Studies: Borisovmed in Belarus

A wide range of materials can be moved with pneumatic conveying. But cement differs from polymer granulate or cereals, in specific weight, fragility, hardness, etc. thus pipe sizes and materials are calculated accordingly. When moving products with vacuum, rather than pressure, a risk is always present by the potential contamination of the pumps, which requires tailored filtration systems.

In the industry of food processing, strict food production regulations can potentially halt the entire production or, in the very least, cause enormous fines and possibly high costs for treating cooling liquid waste. New laws requiring lower tolerance for bacterial contamination can easily create problems for beer bottling plants using liquid ring pumps, often seen in this sector. This means that environmental and bacterial problems must be properly managed. Pneumofore tackles such problems with a special design based on the advantages of its existing vacuum pump technology. With vacuum, the bottling of beer allows increased productivity but exposes the vacuum pumps to suction of bioactive liquids, such as beer. In the beer bottling process UV pumps are operating to avoid the contamination of the cooling water used for liquid ring vacuum pumps. Pneumofore was a hot candidate for the ‘Danish engineers Products Price 2005’ because of the results of halving the installed power and elimination of troubles with cooling water at a Danish brewery.

Case Studies: Tuborg

Surface coating applications are mostly related to different pumping stages required to reach very high vacuum levels. The vacuum chain does not admit weak rings and the trouble-free primary evacuation step is crucial to guarantee constant and high ultimate pressures. Pneumofore Rotary Vane technology avoids efficiency loss and minimizes maintenance operation for enduring stable performances. Vacuum coating processes ranging from paper, polymeric and glass substrate metallization to surface and heat treatment of metal tools require very reliable vacuum pumps. Our aim is to combine current features of UV series vacuum pumps with on-going product developments in order to meet all customer needs. Glass coating systems count many vacuum chambers that can be connected to the same rough vacuum system by reducing operational costs and time of evacuation. Additional vacuum pumps of smaller size for higher vacuum levels are near the single chambers.

Besides thermoforming, another synthetic material application is the moulding of EPS or polystyrene. These materials also allow thermal insulation, e.g. for fresh fish boxes: another use of vacuum is for industrial production of food containers, which must respect all civil food regulations and perform as environmentally friendly as possible. The relevant presence of vapour during the EPS moulding process represents a difficult task for every vacuum pump manufacturer. In this production vacuum is needed in order to mould the EPS into the desired shape. The vacuum pump system has to be designed to satisfy all manufacturing needs like high material density, low relative humidity and fast moulding speed.

Case Studies: Baukork Swisspor
Special report in German “Vakumm – Anlage zur Produktion von Stiropor (EPS) Formteilen”: Text, Bilder, Zeichnung

Pneumofore does not clean up the dirt, it works right at the source, where pollution is born. With 35% of the energy used by the world’s industry spent for Air Compressors and Vacuum Pumps, we contribute heavily by producing such machines with higher performance capabilities, less kW / HP but also with exemplary durability and reliability. We hold a bright light in a foggy market and declare true technical data, invest in R&D to improve efficiency, succeed with the lowest specific power consumption of Air Compressors and Vacuum Pumps, we offer air cooling where competitors use water. These and more features of our machines, which are designed to create the minimal impact on our planet, stay in clear contradiction with today’s standard business philosophy of fast money. During almost 100 years of experience, it has not been rare to loose customers due to our high selling price, but switching to screw or liquid ring technology caused them considerably higher Operating Costs by consuming more power, which corresponds also to the heavier environmental pollution. And they returned to us, since the Pneumofore machine was still running after decades, while other technologies or copies of our’s, simply failed in terms of Life Cycle Cost and Peace of Mind. Being the production process of our machines also an energy-intensive activity, we qualified for the environmental ISO14000 certification in 2002 and we overhaul our machines again and again, up to 50 years old machines continue to return to our factory for simple check or repair. Like this we work against the consume-oriented, fast growing industrial evolution, frequently motivated by shareholders full of profit expectations. As a multi-generational family owned company, our satisfaction surely depends on the success in financial terms, but is strongly influenced by sane engineering ethnics. Pneumofore sales are frequently driven by Return of Investment Calculation when replacing other, obsolete technologies. The rising costs of electrical power and water works to our advantage, customers easily get the green light to invest in Pneumofore machines with ROI values of 18 months or less. “Prima di essere ingegneri voi siete uomini” by De Sactis in 1858 on the famous white marble sculpture at the Polytechnikum of Zurich, Switzerland, where the 3 generations of Swiss engineers, owners of Pneumofore, have been educated in the last 100 years.

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