Unitherm Insulation Systems

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What’s New at UniTherm International?

2011 has been an exciting year at UniTherm International! Over the last year, we’ve taken major strides in improving our facility and R&D capabilities, strengthening marketing efforts, and broadening our representative base. We’re pleased share a sneak peak inside UniTherm HQ to show you changes we’re making to improve our products and services.

Research and Development Updates

Using state-of-the art technology and equipment, UniTherm engineers are more focused on research and development than ever before. This year we’ve rigorously tested our products’ performance which has led to the release of new and improved models of FirePro, discovered new applications for UniVest and FlexWatt and even launched a new product, SolarShell.

SolarShell is a glass-reinforced, plastic laminate that cures and hardens when exposed to UV rays. Be sure to stay tuned for future SolarShell updates, as we’ll release a series of test videos for this multipurpose product later this summer. [Read more…]

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UniTherm International Announces Innovative New Product for the Water Treatment Industry

Supported by National Manufacturer’s Rep, 5Marketing, Inc., SolarShell offers significant benefits to the waste water and water treatment industry.

SolarShell Applied to Concrete

SolarShell UV laminate applied to a concrete secondary containment.

UniTherm International, a designer, manufacturer and provider of innovative industrial products and solutions, proudly introduces the waste water industry to SolarShell, an easily-applied, glass-reinforced plastic laminate that starts as a flexible sheet and cures to a hard, impermeable material when exposed to UV light.

Available in roll or patch form, SolarShell is easy to cut to any shape can reinforce, repair and/or protect a variety of water treatment materials, including PVC pipe, cement and concrete.

SolarShell is durable and can withstand the effects of chemicals, high-impact pressure, and weather, creating a system that standard protection and reinforcement products cannot offer. Proven to drastically reduce the effects of corrosion from chemicals and acids, SolarShell provides a long-lasting alternative to traditional paint and coatings.

[Read more…]

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NASA’s Contributions to Fire Protection

The completion of NASA’s final space shuttle mission last month left some Americans feeling mixed emotions. For those of us in the petroleum or fire protection industry, the impact of the space program reachers much further than our nostalgic memories of shuttle launches.

Armed with some of the nation’s top scientists, engineers and researchers, NASA possessed capabilities to complete highly detailed material science experiments to aid in shuttle design. This invaluable knowledge revolutionized industrial fire protection worldwide.

NASA’s Glenn Research Center, which is still in operation today, often worked in unison with college and university scientists to test and analyze the effects of high temperature fires. Between 1995 and 2003, NASA partnered with universities to complete intensive flame spread research. The findings influenced recent standards and recommendations for building and construction materials published by the American Society for Testing Materials®, Underwriter’s Laboratories® and the National Fire Protection Association®.

Throughout the era of the shuttle program, NASA designed, engineered and tested several variations of their Thermal Protection System, which protected shuttles from severe temperatures during reentry to earth. A key component in the construction of these fire resistant systems, the shuttle tiles, have represented leading fire resistant technology for decades.

These “tile[s] performed wonderfully,” said former NASA shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore in a discussion about shuttle fire resistance. Over their many years of use, shuttle tiles evolved from low-temperature ceramic based tiles to high-temperature insulation tiles made from a fibrous, silica material.

[Read more…]

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UL1709 Standards in Refineries and Chemical Plants

When planning updates for gas refineries, chemical plants or any other facility with hazardous materials, engineers often require that equipment meet specific fire codes and standards. In today’s post we’ll discuss the most common standard for equipment fire protection, UL1709.

About the UL 1709 Standard

The most common fire standard for equipment fire protection in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry is UL 1709. This Underwriter’s Laboratories® standard applies to the “Rapid Rise Fire Tests of Protection Materials for Structural Steel.” In layman’s terms, UL 1709 is a high temperature fire test to prove that fire protection materials can withstand exposure to high rise temperature fires.

A UL1709 test evaluates the performance of protective material through a test in a furnace capable of reaching 2,000°F (1103°C) within 5 minutes of operation. The materials must provide sufficient fire protection so that equipment maintains structural integrity for 30 minutes in a 2,000°F fire.

Sample test results from a UL1709 test of fire protection equipment.

[Read more…]

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Energy Efficiency in Plastics Manufacturing


The US Department of Labor reports that the energy management sector has more than doubled in the last two years, with 75% of all jobs in an industrial setting. While energy managers prove a valuable asset to large corporations, many plastics manufacturers with a slimmer budget are tasking current employees with energy related projects.

So how does a non-energy-expert implement energy saving projects? As with any project, the first task lies in evaluating the current situation, researching potential options for improvements, and calculating the potential results of each option.

What are your true energy costs?

With home energy costs, lighting and temperature control usually come to mind as the biggest portion of energy costs. This isn’t the case in plastics manufacturing, according to a recent study focusing on the balance of energy usage in an average plastic plant. Energy consumption for lighting, temperature control and ventilation equate to just over a third of the energy that machines use in most plastics facilities.

While specific energy consumption of machinery varies slightly from plant to plant, there is virtually no difference between the amount of energy consumed in injection and extrusion molding.

A critical first step in any successful energy management plan for a plastics facility is ensuring that machines, which account for 60% of all energy consumption, operate as efficiently as possible.

 

Energy-saving Measures for Extrusion and Injection Molding 

To reduce energy use in extrusion processes, consult with production managers and plant engineers to optimize equipment performance. In many cases optimization of the extruder speed can significantly lower energy usage without impacting end results.

[Read more…]

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Bob and Tom Nicol Establish 5Marketing, Inc.

Today a new manufacturer’s representative firm, 5Marketing, Inc announced has opened its doors to the water treatment and waste water management industry. Founded by industry veteran, Bob Nicol of Infrastructure Products, Inc. and accomplished sales and distribution professional Tom Nicol, 5Marketing will serve national industry representatives from its Plymouth, Minnesota headquarters.

Leveraging previous wastewater management experience 5Marketing will provide a variety of new strategies and solutions for a variety of waste water, sewage and water treatment applications. “We founded 5Marketing with the desire to locate and market solutions for industry problems that standard epoxy and paint products haven’t solved,” said Bob Nicol.

Offering representatives the organizational advantages of a national manufacturer’s network and customized field sales assistance, 5Marketing aims to provide superior service to partners. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to offer high-level support to our representatives and distributors” stated Tom Nicol. “We have an exciting product line in the works and look forward to sharing it with water or waste water operators nationwide.”

[Read more…]

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New FirePro Fastening System Makes Installation a Cinch

Every day researchers, plant managers, refinery workers and regulatory committees  search for ways to improve safety in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries. With human life at stake, there is an ever-present need for continual research and development of fire safety products.

As a designer and manufacturer of passive fire protection systems for more than twenty years, UniTherm has rigorously tested products and materials to ensure that they not only offer significant amounts of fire protection, but also provide an easy to use solution in the field. Dissatisfied with the functionality of fastening systems on standard fire protection blankets, our engineers sought to develop a UL1709 fire-resistant, uncomplicated strapping system.

The result of our research is a fire-resistant, engineered metal-mesh,  belting system that uses Velcro® and a fireproof buckle to secure FirePro Blankets. Unlike the standard fastening bands, which often prove a cumbersome to employees, the new FirePro buckle system allows for easy access to equipment and simplifies the removal and installation process.

Interested in learning more about passive fire protection systems? Sign up today to receive notifications of product updates, test results and more!

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FDA Passes Faulty Medical Devices

When we visit the doctor, most of us don’t think twice about the quality of the devices our doctors and caregivers offer us. After all, critical medical devices that keep people alive go through a rigorous testing process, right? That’s not always the case according to an alarming study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

For manufacturers to gain FDA approval for critical medical devices, including implants and life-sustaining devices, they must submit the product to one of two approval processes.

One is a stringent premarket approval (PMA) process that involves clinical trials and thorough manufacturing inspections. Alternatively, they can submit devices to the 501(k) process, a simpler process without human studies or manufacturing scrutiny.

The startling study focused on high-risk devices, a third of them cardiovascular devices, recalled between 2005 and 2009. Of the 113 devices studied, 80 were approved through the 501(k) process and 8 completely skipped the approval process because the FDA determined them too low-risk to test.

[Read more…]

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5 Keys to Survival After the Recession: Modernized Marketing

LightbulbSince America’s emergence from the Great Recession, companies have begun examining products more closely to ensure profitability. As manufacturers strive to implement innovative, lean production processes, they must also look to modernize marketing efforts by developing appropriate and relevant products and finding ways to efficiently connect with a larger market of potential customers.

Understanding and Nurturing Company Resources

Critics of the US economy doubt the feasibility of American industrial growth due to stiff international competition, rising costs or taxes and government restrictions. However, one European country has overcome the same obstacles facing American manufacturers.

Germany, a country with few natural resources beyond its workers, stands as a powerful example of industrial success during the Great Recession. Rather than engaging in a price war with Chinese manufacturers, who boast the advantage of lower labor costs and fewer government restrictions, German companies focus on developing quality products in high demand.

Germans manufacturers maintain their distinctive level of craftsmanship by investing heavily in their highly-skilled workforce. By offering the superior luxury cars the Chinese want and the unsurpassed production equipment that the growing international market needs, the Germans are succeeding despite the challenges they face.

[Read more…]

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Passive Fire Protection Systems Save Lives

Early in June an explosion claimed the lives of four at an oil refinery in south-west Wales. The refinery, which is one of the largest in western Europe, has a good safety record according to the UK Guardian.

This tragic event serves as an unfortunate, but sobering reminder of the danger that fire poses to the oil, gas and petrochemical industry.  Even in plants and refineries with histories of good safety records, maintaining fire protection systems is of the utmost importance.

In the event of a severe hydrocarbon fire, it is vital for critical process control equipment to be accessible and operational. With FirePro, UniTherm, offers a simple and flexible fire protection system to protect such equipment.

FirePro systems consist of two layers of fireproof insulation blankets secured with fire resistant Velcro™ and buckle strapping system. Unlike other methods of fire protection, the lightweight insulation blankets are flexible and easy to install and remove for routine maintenance.

[Read more…]

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UniTherm Insulation Systems

711 Jones St.
Lewisville, TX 75057
Toll Free: 800.657.9542
Phone: 972.436.1401
Fax: 972.436.0112
info@unitherm.com