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Whitepaper

Adam Equipment’s PMB 53 Moisture Analyzer Clearly Shines In Glass Manufacturing Applications

It has become crystal-clear to most of us that glass is something we just can’t live without. Scientists use glass beakers for measuring chemicals. We wear eyeglasses to improve our vision or to make a fashion statement.

by Adam Equipment

It has become crystal-clear to most of us that glass is something we just can’t live without. Scientists use glass beakers for measuring chemicals. We wear eyeglasses to improve our vision or to make a fashion statement. Glass windows protect us from the elements. And we raise our glasses to propose toasts and pay homage to friends, family and special events.

But what exactly goes into producing this incredibly useful material? It’s a mixture of mostly silicon dioxide (sand) with some sodium silicate and calcium silicate thrown in for good measure.

It takes 10 tons of sand to make up one ton of glass. That’s a lot of sand, and the quality of the sand must be just right. Too little moisture in the sand means more sand is needed, increasing the cost. Too much moisture in the sand can lower productivity and cause quality issues, also boosting expenses.

With the huge quantity of sand involved in glass production, it’s critical to ensure that the sand contains the correct amount of moisture. That’s why glass manufacturers rely on Adam Equipment’s PMB 53 moisture analyzers to verify and maintain proper moisture levels in their sand supplies.

Adam’s PMB 53 can accurately and quickly analyze the moisture content in sand in less than five minutes. And using the PMB 53 is easy. Simply place the specimen into the heating chamber and apply heat to the sample using the PMB’s energy-efficient halogen lamp. The lamp evaporates moisture and calculates the amount of moisture weight loss to get the moisture content. After testing the moisture content of several batches of sand, it’s simple to monitor and control the amount of sand going into the production of each batch of glass.

Lixia He, quality control manager of a leading glass manufacturer in Hebei, China, says her company uses the PMB 53 for numerous reasons – primarily speed, accuracy and efficiency in the production process.

“It’s very easy to use, and we quickly can get accurate test results on our sand moisture content,” she said. “More importantly, we are assured of the moisture content going into each batch. This tells us how much sand to use in production, so we’re able to control the cost of our materials and maintain the quality of our glass at the same time.”

In fact, operating the PMB 53 is very simple. Just set the heat to 120 degrees Celsius and then add about 5-10 grams of sand sample. spreading it evenly over the aluminum tray. Close the chamber cover and the PMB 53 will start automatically, showing the results of the moisture analysis. Once you have your results, you can calculate the amount of sand needed for glass production.

A benefit of the PMB 53 is its ability to retain and store set-up information, saving the time and effort of having to re-enter the information in the next analysis. This is a handy feature, used widely in glass manufacturing. Often, glass companies run multiple PMB 53 units simultaneously, so they can quickly and expeditiously determine the moisture content of sand in large quantities, keeping production running smoothly and efficiently. That’s especially important, as the amount of sand used is enormous, and the proportional specifications vary widely, depending on the type of glass being produced.

Numerous useful features include a brightly backlit display that shows all of the data in one place. The USB port and RS-232 cable interface make connecting with computers and printers a breeze. Its internal memory stores up to 99 test results, and additional test results can be stored quickly onto a flash drive or a computer. This helps users keep records close at hand, facilitating the sought-after consistency in the glass production process.

The PMB 53 boasts a capacity of 50g and readability of 0.001g/0.01 percent. Its pan lifter makes placing and changing samples fast and effortless. The large, circular heating chamber is designed for even heating with a single 400-watt halogen lamp. Its ergonomic design has handles on both sides for easy access. Color-coded keys highlight important functions, and an intuitively designed keypad makes operation simple.

When it’s important to maintain quality and consistency in production, choose Adam Equipment’s PMB 53 to completely and affordably suit all your needs. Adam also offers the PMB 202, which features a higher capacity of 200g and readability of 0.01g/0.05 percent.

About Adam Equipment

Adam Equipment manufactures and distributes a full selection of precision balances and scales for the lab, education, industrial, food, health/ fitness, animal/veterinary and jewelry markets. The company is headquartered in England and has offices in the United States, South Africa, Australia and China. Founded in 1972, Adam is proudly celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2012. Since its inception, Adam has provided its customers with the winning combination of speed, performance and value. For more information about the company and its products, go to www.adamequipment.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.adamequipment.com