SMC, the world’s leading provider of pneumatics recently launched a new edition to the SY series of Valve Manifolds targeted at the food and packing market. With its diverse customer base, SMC covers all automation industries and provides customers in their respective competitive markets with the best possible solutions.
A rare find in the food industry – the IP69K rated manifold
According to Robert Taylor, Product Group Specialist at SMC Pneumatics ANZ, the new IP69K manifold is available as part of the SY 5000 range and it was developed with USA food industry customers in mind. The USA had various customer requests for such a manifold and it was developed using local market research.
The design means that the SY5000 series now offers a dedicated manifold with an IP69K rating. According to Taylor, “this is another leading edge product that SMC has produced for the market. The focus on quality and performance of this product is second to none. SMC again demonstrates that its focus is on customer driven product development.”
The unit is now suitable for wet areas and can withstand wash down and cleaning. Customers have the ability to install valves outside of a protective box and close to the actuators for better control. The new device is lightweight and comes in a small package, is corrosion resistant, easy to clean and maintain.
The manifold is available from two to 16 stations with a variety of valve styles offered.
The manifold valves are available with options of rubber or metal seal valves. Pressures from – 100 to 700kPA is achievable in the rubber seal, with the metal seal operating at up to 1000kPA.
The compact unit also comes with an optional power saving coil which draws as little as 0.1 Watt.
SMC Pneumatics, a company with traditional values of building relationships and servicing customers, pride itself on customer centric design. “This is just another example,” comments Taylor. SMC has over 5000 sales people worldwide, which means we have ample opportunity to come into contact with customers and experience firsthand their need for new innovation. SMC offers customers the service of a ‘design to order’ option. This means we will design what the customer needs for a specific application. This was the case in the US and now this innovative unit is available to the rest of the market as well,” he concludes.
The units come fully assembled from Japan where the complete manufacturing cycle is managed in house. This gives SMC the assurance of quality in that they are hands on with the product from raw material to finished goods. The unit is thoroughly tested before it is shipped out.
