Piston air motor – Ideal for the food environment

Unlike its vane counterpart the Huco Dynatork air motor is also easier to seal. It is therefore far more cost efficient as most of the energy stored up in the compressed air is converted into motion. In fact it consumes up to 80% less air than a vane motor providing significant cost saving even at maximum torque.

This is an exceptionally clean motor available with non-lube air supply and in a corrosion resistant or acetyl housing. It’s little wonder then that this economical and efficient product has attracted designers of food preparation and packaging systems. However, it has to be said that until now its commercial potential has been somewhat impeded.

When Huco acquired Dynatork, the company inherited a product that was highly effective but remained a first generation design. It had some design issues that hindered its take-up in the hygiene conscious sectors. The recently launched generation two of the design corrects these. The new Huco Dynatork air motor not only looks the technical product that it has always been but it is now ideal for a wider range of applications.

On the original design pneumatic tubing was external to the housing. This made it vulnerable, sensitive to temperature extremes and difficult to clean. The pneumatic porting on the latest models is now an internal feature making them far more robust. Fasteners are also recessed to reduce potential bug traps.

Aluminium foil tray manufacturer Coppice Alupack has systematically replaced all its electric drives on rewind systems that handle the surplus foil after the aluminium coil has been stamped. Inclusion of Huco Dynatork air motors has not only simplified the design but also made it more controllable and safer. Their clean, non-lube running has also ensured hygienic production. The Huco Dynatork motors run from 0 – 220 rpm for 24 hours a day in a cycle that goes from stall to start in the order of sixty times per minute.

“The piston air motor has allowed us to adjust most of the tension out of the system to eliminate lacing breakage,” explained Engineering Manager, James Lamin. “It has also made the process inherently safer by reducing torque and negating the need for any electrical cables.” A further benefit is that maintenance of the motors can now be carried out by a shop-floor technician instead of a skilled electrician, saving cost and minimising downtime.

The suitability of the Huco Dynatork motor for stop/start applications under load has also been proven by Greydon Inc., the manufacturer of printing equipment for form, fill and seal packaging machinery. Its Bagaire taped bag loader ensure bags are presented quickly and in exactly the same position to the operator, time after time. This accuracy makes the system ideal for the inclusion of inkjet coding.

The operating principle is simple but effective. A leader tape is wound around two drive pulleys. When powered up, the system advances the bags by winding up the tape and pulling them up from underneath the load table. The Huco Dynatork air motor is responsible for this operation and again provides a clean solution that is also suitable for wash down.