Business advantage

Daimler Trucks North America LLC’s Freightliner Trucks Business Class M2 offers the M2 106 and M2 112, which feature best-in-class visibility with a 2,500-square-inch windshield, it says. The M2 106 and M2 112 classes are equipped with up to a 55-degree wheel cut for improved turning radius. The two also were designed for easier maintenance and service, keeping downtime to a minimum, the company says. Freightliner’s customer support also offers a network of more than 300 dealers across North America and a 24-hour assistance hotline to help keep customers operating at peak efficiency day in and day out, it adds.

• Daimler Trucks North America LLC, 4435 N. Channel Ave. Portland, Ore. 97217; 503/745-8000; freightlinertrucks.com.

Agile steam tunnel

PDC International Corp. introduced a new agile steam tunnel to its product line. The KST 80A-712 with steam venting package features stainless dual-wall construction and is compatible with a wide range of containers, including those that experience challenges with consistent shrink, and many that previously required a second tunnel, the company says. The KST 80A-712 is a dual-zone system with five rows of steam distribution tubes on each side. Each row is externally adjustable for steam volume, flow and rotary position, so adjustments can be made without waiting for the tunnel to cool. A proprietary nozzle positioner directs steam during the shrinking process, optimizing steam resources and keeping utility costs low, the company says. The Electronic Regulator developed by PDC monitors tunnel temperatures in real time, and makes continuous adjustments in steam release to compensate for the thermal loads of incoming product, it says. The KST 80A-712 is a moderate speed tunnel, operating as many as 200 containers a minute, depending on container shape. Containers can be filled or unfilled in any shape including round, oval or square. PVC, PETG, OPS and PLA films, in gauges as thin as 30 microns, all shrink uniformly in the KST 80A-712, the company says. The system is designed to mount over existing conveyors, or PDC can provide conveyors specifically constructed for use in steam, it adds.

• PDC International Corp., 8 Sheehan Ave., South Norwalk, Conn. 06854; 203/853-1516; pdc-corp.com.

Case loader

Douglas Machine Inc. released the latest addition to its line of case packing products — the Ascend bottom- load case packer. The Ascend is a compact, fully automated machine designed to efficiently bottom load products into cases, the company says. The Ascend bottom-load case packer is suited for products such as gable top and tuck-lid cartons, bottles and tubs, it adds. The Ascend offers a variety of advanced in-feed solutions to collate and stack products prior to gentle case loading, according to the company. Top and bottom case flaps are sealed prior to discharging cases. Douglas’ case packer erects, packs and seals cases at speeds as fast as 15 cases a minute. The rugged frame and intuitive human-machine interface are designed to ensure low maintenance and reliable performance, the company says.

• Douglas Machine Inc., 3404 Iowa St., Alexandria, Minn. 56308; 320/763-6587; douglas-machine.com.

Ultrafiltration system

Genesis Water Technologies Inc. introduced its GWT Series point-of-entry light commercial ultra-filtration (UF) system solution, which is engineered for use in a wide range of applications in the food and beverage industries. The GWT series light commercial UF system can be used for a variety of applications including the filtration of process water used in beverage formulations to process water made in reuse and recycling applications, the company says. The system is capable of maximum service flow rates of up to 12 gallons per minute (gpm); however, multiple systems can be piped together to provide service flow rates of up to 48 to 60 gpm if required. The backwashable UF system is flexible, user friendly and is available with two different control valve options to meet specific food and beverage client needs, it says. The system uses a combination of advanced UF technology with pre-filtration and nanocarbon post-filtration technology to provide clean, safe water. The system also provides cost savings through reduced water discharge during backwash/cleaning cycles, low-pressure drops, higher service flow rates, and low maintenance and operating cost, the company says.

• Genesis Water Technologies Inc., 555 Winderely Place, Suite 300, Maitland, Fla. 32751; 877/267-3699; genesiswatertech.com.

Point-of-sale materials

To help beverage brands stand out, Natures Flash Lite offers point of sale (POS) materials to help grab consumers’ attention. Natures Flash Lite allows logos, signage, posters, artwork and displays to light up, flash and even give the appearance of animation. A new application is a bottle overlay that will adhere directly over the bottle label that can be used for any beverage, beer or liquor bottle, the company says. Natures Flash Lite uses naturally occurring crystals that are known for their illuminative qualities to produce special effects. According to Progressive Edge, the company behind Natures Flash Lite, the production costs are about 80 percent less than other illuminated alternatives. The panels are paper thin and durable, it adds.

• Natures Flash Lite, 801 S. Yonge St., Suite 6, Ormond Beach, Fla. 32174; 386/677-2221; naturesflashlite.com.

Efficient app

Quincy Compressor released its Efficiency Quotient (EQ) Energy Efficiency Analyzer app for iPads. The app allows users to easily calculate the efficiency of their compressed air systems and identify energy-saving opportunities as well as cost reduction potential, the company says. Quincy’s EQ app is a free tool for manufacturing plant and facility managers to help them take the first step in assessing electrical consumption of compressed air systems. The assessment allows users to set a baseline of efficiency for operations. A comprehensive guide is built in, making the computation easy, it says. To view an assessment, users must enter the compressor configuration and local electrical energy cost for accurate computations. Companies can download the app by searching “EQ Analyzer” on the categories page in the iTunes App store.

• Quincy Compressors, 701 North Dobson Ave., Bay Minette, Ala. 36507; 217/222-7700; quincycompressor.com.

Pressure transducers

Palmer Instruments Inc. introduced pressure transducers to its line of industrial pressure and temperature instrumentation. Pressure transducers generate an electric signal based on the pressure that is being exerted to calculate the flow, speed or level of gases and liquids. The line is available in electrical signal output options of 4 to 20 mach, zero to 5 volt and 1 to 10 volt with Packard, DINN or cable-type electrical connections. Available in six different series, Palmer Pressure Transducers feature ceramic, silicone, or piezo-resistive sensing elements for linearity and reliability, the company says. Accuracies are as precise as 0.2 percent of full scale with maximum ranges of 8,700 pounds per square inch available on some models. 

• Palmer Wahl Instrumentation Group, 234 Old Weaverville Road, Asheville, N.C. 28804; 800/421-2853; palmerwahl.com.

New range strainer

Spirax Sarco announced the release of the TP range of conical temporary strainers. This range has been designed to fit between flanges and is mainly used during commissioning and start-up to remove any coarse debris. This range is pressure-rated to American Society of Mechanical Engineers Class 600 standards making it suitable for a wide range of fluids for applications in process lines, hot water systems, and steam and condensate systems, the company says. It features a large screening area and is available in a wide range of strainer screen options including stainless steel, Monel metal alloys, perforations and mesh for optimum selection for specific applications and types of fluid, it says. Standard filters are available in sizes 1.5 inches and 28 inches and are manufactured in 304L stainless steel.

• Spirax Sarco USA, 1150 Northpoint Blvd., Blythewood, S.C. 29016; 800/575-0394; spiraxsarco.com.

Added features

Colson Caster Corp. added new features and expanded the attributes of its popular 2-Series selection of stainless steel casters. The casters have been designed to meet customer demands for use in harrowing and tough environments, the company says. Responding to requests for a rugged and flexible design, the caster line also endured a complete battery of in-house testing to simulate on-site conditions. The entire caster and its component parts are made from polished 304 grade stainless steel. The 2-Series fork assemblies have a double-ball bearing raceway for greater durability, the company says. In addition to its durable construction, the expanded caster line is available in swivel, rigid and brake models. The series now includes Top Lock and Total Lock brake choices. Total Lock brake and swivel models are newly available with a half-inch hollow rivet to accommodate custom mounting options. The casters all contain “Colson 45,” the company’s multi-temp grease for top performance in extreme hot and cold temperatures, it adds. With maximum load capacities up to 325 pounds, the 2-Series selection from Colson is available in 3-, 3.5-, 4- and 5-inch models and all are available for immediate shipment.

• Colson Caster Corp., 3700 Airport Road, Jonesboro, Ark. 72401; 870/932-4501; colsoncaster.com.

Tire expansion

Goodyear Tire & Rubber expanded its portfolio of Dunlop brand truck tires with the new Dunlop SP348, an all-position steer tire for regional fleet and pickup-and-delivery applications. Features include the following: deep tread; a rugged casing design; enhanced shoulder rib for improved scrub resistance and protection against curbing abrasions; and stone ejectors in grooves, which help provide cut- and puncture-resistance for longer casing life, the company says. The Dunlop SP348 currently is available in seven sizes: 11R22.5, 225/70R19.5, 245/70R19.5, 10R22.5, 12R22.5, 11R24.5 and 295/75R22.5. Two sizes — 285/75R24.5 and 255/70R22.5 — will be added during the second quarter of 2012, according to the company.

• The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 1144 E. Market St., Akron, Ohio 44316; 330/796-2121; goodyear.com.

Vehicle routing software

Vehicle routing and scheduling company Roadnet Technologies Inc. announced the introduction of the Roadnet Transportation Suite version 3.50 (RTS v3.50), the latest edition of its vehicle routing, tracking and fleet management software designed to improve the overall efficiencies for transportation fleet owners. The latest application incorporates technological upgrades that more accurately track service time maintenance intervals, improve the quality of location delivery cost reports and include new functionality features to address a range of product and delivery variables, the company says. The software was successfully tested and implemented by existing Roadnet Technologies customers operating in a diverse set of industries, and is offered as an upgrade for the company’s suite of vehicle routing, scheduling and GPS tracking software programs. The upgrades focused primarily on service time maintenance, location delivery costs and mid-route sourcing product features, as well as adding increased functionality to the software package. Roadnet Transportation Suite v3.50’s flexibility is especially relevant in recycling operations, heavy equipment allocation and maritime container movement, the company says.

• Roadnet Technologies Inc., 849 Fairmont Ave., Suite 400, Baltimore, Md. 21286; 410/847-1900; roadnet.com.