AEC Inc. (Booth S1802) is experiencing double-digit growth and taking advantage of its new manufacturing facilities in New Berlin, Wis., Kevin Chudyk, vice president of sales and marketing, said in a June 19 news conference.
Previously, principal AEC manufacturing had occurred at plants in Wood Dale, Ill., and Milwaukee. The new facility occupies 180,000 square feet and currently has more than 240 employees.
By mid-summer, as part of the transition, AEC parent ACS Group plans to move its headquarters to nearby Schaumburg, Ill., from Wood Dale. The move involves those AEC business operations currently in Wood Dale.
AEC is introducing a variety of new products at NPE. Reflecting AEC's push into the extrusion market, the RG Series single-shaft shredders can process plastic waste, extruder purgings, reject parts, trim scraps and baled or loose film. Units in the line can reduce large purgings to a more workable size. A NRG 52 model is being displayed.
AEC encourages energy efficiency in bringing in the concept of so-called soft motor starts. A gradual ramp-up of a motor's power avoids energy spikes. The concerns about energy are spreading to regions of the country and are no longer limited to West Coast producers.
AEC is showing new conveying control technology with the 10/80 Distributed I/O for its VacTrac Series. The 10/80 can control up to 10 vacuum conveying pumps, 80 loading stations and 80 purge valves. An Allen-Bradley CompactLogix controller has a 10-inch color touch-screen and, as a standard, enhanced graphics. Last year, AEC began offering a 24/80 model with 24 pumps and 80 hoppers primarily for blending operations.
In addition, AEC is beta testing an 8/60 model with local I/O control and may market the device by the end of September.
AEC has offered Allen-Bradley controls since 2001. Some customers in Europe want Siemens AG controls so AEC is beta testing a panel from Siemens for possible market introduction in September.
The five models of the BD Series gravimetric blenders have per-hour rates ranging from 150-6,000 pounds. The smallest unit, the BD 150, can process material at hourly rates of 10-150 pounds and has an integrated stainless steel mixer bowl as a standard feature.
AEC is underscoring its new distribution agreement for the Japan-made Harmo Co. Ltd. HRX Series full servo extraction robot line with working demonstrations of the HRX-150Si and the HRX-80S models. The three-axis robots are user programmable.
Rather than dual circuits, the single-circuit RS1 Series central chiller design has a single compressor, evaporator and remote condenser and, using the environmentally friendly R-134a refrigerant, may offer energy savings of up to 35 percent. Five models with chiller capacities ranging from 30-100 tons are available. A 60-ton model was displayed.
AEC is showing a frictionless chiller for use with the firm's RTCW Series chillers. The design eliminates the need for oil heaters, coolers, pumps or piping. The system is more than 30 percent more efficient that screw compressors at the part load. The unit on display had TT300 centrifugal compressor from the builder Turbocor. Under an agreement, AEC and McQuay International aim the frictionless chiller technology at the market for heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment. McQuay, which has its North American headquarters in Minneapolis, is an affiliate of the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-based Hong Leong Group.