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ZoomLock MAX press-to-connect refrigerant fittings are changing the way HVACR professionals connect refrigerant lines. By using ZoomLock MAX, you, the HVACR technician can connect refrigerant lines in seconds, boosting efficiency while providing the safety and reliability you expect from Parker.
This post is the second in our series providing answers to the top FAQs on ZoomLock MAX fittings. The answers cover crimping, jaws, tools, and compliance.
Applications
ZoomLock MAX fittings are designed for the following applications:
Refrigeration
Air Conditioning
Heat Pump (Refrigeration Side)
Download the full list of FAQs in this handy guide and learn more about ZoomLock MAX.
Q: Where do I crimp ZoomLock MAX fittings?
A: Crimp with the jaw straddling directly over the O-ring section of the fitting, as in the image below.
Q: How many crimps can you complete on a complete battery charge?
A: That is tool dependent; consult the tool manufacturers owner’s manual.
Q: How do you know when to service the tool?A: That is tool dependent; consult the tool manufactures owner’s manual.
Q: What is the expected life of the jaws?A: ZoomLock MAX jaws are laser hardened and have a finite life expectancy. We encourage each customer to have the jaws and tools serviced and checked annually or every 10,000 crimps depending on which comes first.
Q: What tool manufacturers and models are ZoomLock MAX jaws compatible?A: Please refer to the Press Tool Compatibility table below.
A: Check jaws at the latest one year after the purchase or after 10,000 pressings (according to whichever occurs first) by an authorized Rothenberger testing center. Repeat these checks at the latest one year or another 10,000 pressings after the previous inspection. During jaw inspection, check the jaws for operating and functional safety and wear parts (e.g., springs). Functionally and operationally safe jaws are returned.
Q: Where can replacement batteries and chargers be purchased?A: That is tool dependent; check the tool manufacturer owner’s manual.
Q: Can you use ZoomLock MAX to crimp to aluminum, steel, or stainless steel?A: ZoomLock MAX is designed explicitly for copper to copper connections.
Q: What standards and codes is ZoomLock MAX compliant with, and what approvals does it hold?UL Listed: Refrigerant fitting SA7511.
UL Listed: Approved use for field and factory installations.
UL 109 - 7 Pull test is compliant.
UL 109 - 8 Vibration test is compliant.
UL 1963 - 79 Tests of Gaskets and Seals used in Refrigerant Systems compliant.
ISO 5149-2:2014, Refrigerating systems, and heat pumps - Safety and environmental requirements - Part 2: Design, construction, testing, marking and documentation, compliant.
ISO 5149-2 - 5.3.2.2.3 Strength pressure test is compliant.
ISO 14903 - 7.4 Tightness test is compliant.
ISO 14903 - 7.6 Pressure temperature vibration tests (PTV) compliant.
ISO 14903 - 7.8 Freezing test is compliant.
ASTM G85 -11 Standard Practice for Modified Salt Spray (Fog) Testing compliant.
ASHRAE 15 - 2016 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems compliant.
ASME B31.5 - 2016 Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer Components compliant.
2018, 2015 - 2012, 2009, and 2006 International Mechanical Code (IMC), certified ICC-ES, PMG-1440.
2018, 2015, 2012, 2009 and 2006 International Residential Code (IRC), certified ICC-ES, PMG-1440.
2018, 2015, 2012, 2009, and 2006 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), certified, ICC-ES, PMG-1440.
A: Yes, ZoomLock MAX is a press fitting system for use with hard, half-hard, or annealed copper tube conforming to EN12735-1 or ASTM-B280.
Q: What is the guarantee on ZoomLock MAX fittings?A: The product has a 10-year guarantee from the first date of purchase.
Q: What is the material used to make the O-ring?A: Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (HNBR).
Q: What is the expected life of the O-ring in the system?A: The expected life of the O-ring, if used within the product specifications for temperature and pressure, is at least 25 years. The product has a 10-year guarantee from the first date of purchase.
Q: Are there any storage issues, including where the fittings are stored in vehicles and exposed to extremes of high or low temperature?A: No, the product is not subject to degradation under normal storage conditions, provided it is kept in original packaging and not exposed to direct sunlight for long periods.
The time-saving solution for HVACR technicians and contractors
ZoomLock MAX technology provides a leak-proof connection, eliminating brazing, flames, fire spotters, or risks from installing traditional HVACR fittings. Now, HVACR technicians and contractors can install piping in seconds with NO torch, NO hot work permits, and NO fire safety equipment.
Ready to learn more? Visit the ZoomLock MAX website to download the full FAQs sheet, schedule a demo, watch it in action, get training support, locate a distributor, and get started today!
Article contributed by Chris Reeves, product manager, Contaminant Control Products, Sporlan Division of Parker Hannifin. For more information on Parker Sporlan products please visit our website.
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25 Sep 2020
As advanced manufacturing factories gain importance, manufacturers must prioritize what benefits and supporting programs will prepare their factories to best meet the evolving needs of their customers.
The benefits of smart manufacturing facilities are immense.
Successful factories need a shared vision of achievable goals throughout the organization. They align their technology assets to benefit strategic business functions for OEM assembly, testing, and aftermarket needs. They collect and use the right data sets to support wise decision making that maintains high product quality and productivity. They educate the entire organization on what is possible.
At Parker Aerospace’s Hydraulic Systems Division (HSD), factories of the future begin with the design of their products, and the components they purchase to manufacture products. Products strengthened by big data not only help manufacture, process, and validate new products, but also track, troubleshoot, and maximize the entire life cycles of products.
Within HSD, Parker customers range from large aircraft OEMs to small businesses making one-of-a-kind machines. Meeting many types of progressive manufacturing objectives from customers means starting with a clean sheet of paper and re-imaging pretty much everything about the HSD factory and operations in Kalamazoo, MI.
Priorities at the HSD headquarters included accelerating the velocity of products through the facility through equipment optimization. With purchases of new, universal hydraulic test stands, the Kalamazoo facility will go from 83 tests stands to less than 40. The reduction in test stand configurations is changing from more than 70 down to just 16.
The new test stands are strategically deployed for optimum operational efficiency. They require less service than previous equipment and ease operator training burdens. In multiple cases, a single test stand that performs multiple tests replaces multiple tests stands. All common stands are now capable of running all part numbers.
Test stand configurations The reduction in test stand configurations went from more than 70 down to just 16. The new test stand configurations include:
Logistically, HSD products now move on a simplified, linear path through the Kalamazoo factory, which streamlines processing instead of bouncing products from corner to corner multiple times before they leave the building. Faster throughput speeds Parker’s ability to respond to customer needs. Overall, the HSD facility will reduce required floor space by 10,000 square feet. Fewer machines taking up less floor space also gives this HSD factory the flexibility to reconfigure the overall floor plan in the future and continually improve the flow of products through the plant to further increase efficiency.
Big data
The collection and use of data at many additional points in a product’s lifecycle are also improving Parker’s ability to meet and exceed increasing customer expectations. New types of data are collected before the product goes out the door, thereby establishing a digital “fingerprint” for each product.
“We integrate product data collected during manufacturing and acceptance testing into our new test stands, so when a product leaves our factory, we have a baseline ... If a pump were to come back from the field, we don’t have to go digging through paperwork to compare test and performance metrics. The product itself tells us its history via a cloud-based data storage and access.”
— Chad Vliek, engineering director, Hydraulic Systems Division
In aerospace applications, for example, Parker monitors parameters like pump temperatures and pressures to help predict when aircraft operators are likely to see a failure on an aircraft. Working in concert with Parker’s on-board predictive analytics, we can significantly reduce the operator’s unscheduled maintenance and dispatch interruptions. “When we connect a product to a new test stand and have all the data, it’s like a doctor listening to a heartbeat,” says Vliek. “It allows us to look inside, compare the data to standards, and diagnose much more quickly.”
Parker’s new test stands allow dynamic pump data to be saved from the test stands, creating a profile for the individual pump that can be referenced over time. When a component returns from the field, the saved test data can be referenced for comparison. The component-specific data also allows for insight into the overall part family or from changes to manufacturing processes.
Understanding what fails, why, and when, reduces needed inventory and the time it takes to return a customer’s product to service. Documenting big data also supports Parker Quality systems like AS9100 for aerospace and ISO 14001 for environmental compliance, enabling real-time statistical process control and continuous improvements on future products.
Becoming increasingly data-driven is linked to cost savings, quality improvements, and improved customer satisfaction. The proper collection, use, and management of data has always been part of the culture within Parker Hannifin. Today, we are working to integrate our digitized designs, operations, and quality inspections to provide a comprehensive dataset for each product we manufacture.
In recent years Parker has implemented a Likely to Recommend (LTR) process, also known as a “net promoter score,” across the organization to receive timely feedback from customers. The LTR process has been applied to manual and digital transactions, customers looking up specific support information online, requesting a general quote, and many other touchpoints across all Parker divisions. The sea of data provided gives valuable insight for analysts to understand and prioritize how to continuously improve the customer experience.
Change can be disruptive. So before change began at Parker’s HSD factory in Kalamazoo, the company held numerous Kaizen events to integrate “lean,” safety, and training considerations into the transformation process.
“We took equipment operators with us when evaluating new test stands,” explains Vliek. “We asked for their input and worked collaboratively.” Involving employees at this early stage created excitement for the new facility and helped people embrace the program.
Nearly every employee had opportunities for input. Some produced “value stream” maps. Others used PVC pipe and cardboard to simulate the new machines and create their assembly line of the future. By demonstrating the new operational flow through the factory, they improved assembly and testing processes.
Training employees on how to operate new test stands resulted in the largest benefit to HSD. Previously, Parker had to train each employee on 10 to 15 stands. Now, each employee becomes an expert in the operation of a single test stand. This one change will result in reducing employee’s test stand training time by 80 to 90 percent.
Worker safety also improved by moving to our universal test stands. Unlike old test stands, new test stands utilize full lockouts during operation and maintenance. Locked glass doors create a physical barrier to keep employees safe. Noise output is also being reduced.
With fewer, more efficient machines, HSD also expects to see reductions in energy usage and cost.
In some cases, HSD automated tasks with simple robots to improve safety (e.g., pressurization process). Other “dirty, dull, or dangerous” tasks are performed by “cobots,” to remove tedious and repetitive motion activities that lead to carpal tunnel and other medical/health issues. These and other improvements move the factory closer to our zero accidents and zero-defect goals.
Looking ahead, Parker will evaluate using vision systems for inspecting products and other automated equipment for aiding assembly. “Our quality inspections begin with materials received before we begin production,” says Vliek. “This technology and future investments will help us identify potential issues earlier.”
One such sub-tier product is steel barrels for Parker’s large 5,000 psi pumps. Parker has recently invested significant capital in advanced machinery to produce the steel barrels and another machine to apply bronze plating to the barrels. Maintaining barrel manufacturing and plating capabilities in-house as a core competency ensures our differentiated products remain competitive and of the highest quality.
HSD customers expect quality products. Investing in equipment, people, and process improvements reduces the opportunity for product variability. Using big data to prioritize improvement initiatives creates maximum quality and the agility to go beyond today’s expectations and achieve what is possible tomorrow.
This article was contributed by Matt Webster (left), business unit manager, and Chad Vliek (right), division engineering manager, at Parker Aerospace’s Hydraulic Systems Division.
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Many industries are now being required to drastically reduce carbon emissions as a consequence of rising global temperatures, and the automotive industry in particular is a focus of much regulatory pressure.
Parker helps guarantee performance for vehicle electrification
Fundamental to the need for original equipment manufacturers to meet the rigorous safety requirements of an entirely new generation of electric vehicles is the ability to implement repeatable quality testing using the most advanced technology in test rigs.
The Electric Vehicle (EV) market now needs specially-adapted high-speed motors for test benches that will offer sufficient speed, power and acceleration to meet the tough qualification process for electric engines, pumps and powertrain transmissions. Over the past few years, Parker has received numerous requests for test rig motor speeds above 22,000 rpm, with torque levels above 400 Nm and high dynamic performance. This has led Parker to develop a new high-speed MGVA motor to extend the MGV series of brushless synchronous servomotors with, which features water cooling and electromagnetic optimisation to offer increased service lifetimes, reduced maintenance and optimum performance to meet market expectations.
Test stands don't just require expertise in high-speed motors
Typically, any high-speed application will require a specialist integrator who will design the test rig system, looking for the right combination of products that will endure the rigours of the test campaign. This expert will need to decide on all the various mechanical factors of the system, such as ensuring the correct dimensions and rigidity of the test bench chassis to avoid resonance-relation vibration, choosing the best type of coupling according to the line shaft, speed, torque and acceleration, and ensuring that the temperature is controlled to avoid failure.
After this is complete, the specialist integrator will need to find an appropriate drive solution for controlling the MVGA servomotor, such as the Parker A30 drive. Above nominal speeds, the permanent magnet AC motor will need to be controlled under a ‘field weakening’ mode to protect the rig from overvoltage in case the power supply goes down.
A turnkey cabinet will then need to be built to enclose the rig. The cabinet should provide overvoltage protection and a four-quadrant active front end (AFE) solution if necessary, depending on the particulars of the test cycle. To complete the project, a water chiller is then installed for precision cooling.
Parker can provide custom solutions tailored to meet even the most challenging technical specifications. The expertise of our technology-focused engineering team allows the OEM to decide how much or how little support they need. Parker’s extensive portfolio, which includes motors, drives, controllers, HMIs, actuators and gearheads ensure the right combination of application-compatible products will be selected every time.
The high-speed electric vehicle test bench plays a vital role towards ensuring the safety and performance of vehicle electrification, which in turn will allow us all to enjoy cleaner air free of fine particles in the future.
Article contributed by Jean-Philippe Olry, application engineer industrial market, Electromechanical & Drives Division Europe, Parker Hannifin Corporation.
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The advent of new and advanced technology has revolutionized the space industry, ushering in a new era of innovation and change brought by private space companies.
Parker Chomerics was recently honored by one customer for its engineering accomplishments in the development and application of its EMI shielding and thermal interface materials for challenging applications in private aerospace.
Private space flight companies have increased over the last few decades as more and more government-run agencies are now depending on these private companies to provide technology and engineering support for future space missions.
Getting more companies involved in space missions will “lower the cost and lower the risk” of doing business in outer space, said former NASA chief financial officer Jeff DeWit.
Many companies who have extensive resources and those who have been in the aerospace market for decades are now looking to these relative startups for their new, innovative approach to space technology development.
“Our technology portfolio and material science know-how gives Parker Chomerics a unique advantage,” says aerospace & defense market specialist Sierra Eiden. “We’ve been working hand-in-hand with the established aerospace and defense players for decades, and this experience allows us to bring our knowledge and expertise to the private space startups as well.”
Parker Chomerics has helped to address the emerging EMI shielding and thermal interface material needs of the private aerospace industry, while simultaneously aligning with large scale manufacturing protocols and design.
In one private aerospace application, the customer chose the one-part Parker Chomerics THERM-A-GAPTM GEL 37 dispensable thermal gel because of its unique combination of both a high thermal conductivity, at 3.7 W/m-K, and 30 g/min flow rate, coupled with its consistent and repeatable dispensing compared to leading products in the market today.
This design for repeatable dispensing helps to “minimize batch-to-batch flow rate variations which increases efficiency and reduces downtime during the manufacturing process,” says Parker Chomerics thermal product line manager Callie King. "And it's particularly suited for spaceflight due to its lower specific gravity compared to other thermal interface materials."
THERM-A-GAP GEL 37 also has passed 1,000 hours of gap stability testing and more than 1,000 hours of thermal cycling testing without any material cracking or degradation in thermal conductivity.
Parker Chomerics regularly tests outgassing of its materials to the industry standard test ASTM E595, developed by NASA to screen low outgassing materials for use in space. THERM-A-GAP GEL 37 registers 0.18% TML and 0.07% CVCM, meeting these low outgassing standards.
The team of application engineers at Parker Chomerics is ready to assist and help with design and technical questions for your space applications. Contact us now to get started.
This blog was contributed by Jarrod Cohen, marketing communications manager, Parker Chomerics.
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As well as pharmaceutical production based on complex organic molecules, manufacturing of advanced biologic drugs and vaccines must ensure that in-process contamination risks are mitigated as effectively as possible. Tailored polymer-based single-use fluid management solutions offer a range of significant safety and efficiency benefits over conventional glass- or steel-based multi-use systems specifically to biopharma manufacturers.
In addition to safety aspects, biopharma manufacturers are particularly challenged to achieve cost efficiencies in a wider variety of laboratory settings and production scenarios, i.e. from very small to medium to larger scales, depending on the type of vaccine or drug and scope of therapeutic application. Another key challenge is the prevention of costly losses of these complex and typically high-value products due to in-process leakage or contamination. Last but not least, vaccine manufacturers may have to quickly and efficiently ramp up their production volumes in response to suddenly emerging increases in demand. Conversely, processes must allow for equally easy down-scaling when demand drops.
The utilization of customized, fully scalable polymer-based single-use fluid management systems yields major safety, cost efficiency and flexibility/scalability benefits and thus is highly suitable for meeting all of the above challenges.
Identifying and maximizing potential
Drawing on many years of experience in the field of polymer materials and clean room production as well as extensive knowledge of biopharmaceutical processes and validation procedures, Parker Prädifa assists in identifying and maximizing the potential applications of single-use systems in laboratory and production environments.
The available solutions range from standardized TriClamp sanitary gaskets to highly customized solutions. They are based on a cost-effective open architecture and manufactured from approved TPE and LSR materials using state-of-the-art proprietary overmolding technology.
From product design to the final solution
The support by a specialized team of industry experts starts with product design and culminates in a final, fully scalable and ready-to-use solution ensuring that all regulatory and safety requirements are met. Every single-use solution is precisely tailored to the existing, validated production framework and provides significant overall system cost reduction potential.
Manufacturing, assembly and packaging processes in certified clean rooms are a basic prerequisite for serving pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical customers. In Europe, Parker Prädifa operates two clean room production facilities: one in Sadska (Czech Republic) certified according to ISO 14464 Class 7 and one in Pleidelsheim (Germany) certified according to ISO 14464 Class 8.
Additional information:
Posted by Dr. Heinz-Christian Rost, market unit manager life sciences, Engineered Materials Group Europe, Prädifa Technology Division
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Today, planters typically drive tractor pressure to high-pressure standby, generating excess heat and reducing fuel efficiency when tractor remotes are used to power fans, compressors and fertilizer pumps. Hydraulic downforce systems can also require high pressure at low flow driving the tractor to maximum pressure.
Multiple planter systems are typically controlled using the main tractor directional valve. The tractor pump usually operates at max pressure during planting creating:
By using a dedicated pressure-compensated pump driven by the tractor’s PTO to power the planter hydraulic downforce system, the tendency for the tractor pump to operate at high-pressure standby is reduced, thereby reducing a major contributor to excess heating and poor fuel consumption. Pump should be low displacement, sized to handle downforce flow needs. Pump also provides supply pressure to operate the Power Beyond pump.
The pump has a secondary function by providing a pressure source for a proportional pressure control valve which can be intelligently controlled via the tractor power beyond load dense port.
Intelligently controlled tractor pump through power beyond
By intelligently controlling a tractor pump by using the tractors power beyond option, the planter has complete control of the pump providing freedom to design and control the planter as desired. Pressure sensors at the fan and fertilizers functions allow for intelligent electric load sense, removing the need for additional hoses.
By separating the hydraulic downforce from the other planter functions, the tractor and planter power usage is optimized, reducing heat and therefore improving overall efficiency and component life. By controlling the tractor pump directly the planter is free to control the fan, fertilizer, and other accessory functions more intelligently.
Parker's extensive knowledge of the agriculture industry and understanding of the challenges farmers face help to shape integrated products and services that simplify installation and equipment service, reduce noise and drive performance. Doing so enables farmers to improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and comply with industry regulations, so they can focus on their critical role in our society.
The P1M-28 is a low displacement pump that is ideal for providing only the flow needed for downforce systems at the pressure required. The P1M Series delivers higher speeds and efficiency that increases machine productivity, reduces costs, and extends pump life in a robust, compact envelope.
Parker’s EPR series of valves is an ideal valve choice when Intelligently controlling load sense systems for hydraulic devices up to 285 bar (4,000 psi).
The EPR valve’s market-leading performance features the capability to handle flow rates up to 60 lpm (15 gpm) and can control pressures as high as 285 bar (4,000 psi). For systems with pressures less than 70 bar (1,000 psi), a slip-in style is available, otherwise a threaded screw-in style connection is available for systems with pressure in excess of 70 bar (1,000 psi), making the EPR a versatile addition for numerous applications.
The Parker Global Mobile Systems engineering team and Hydraulic Pump and Power Systems Division's application engineering experts are available to assist our customers in designing and implementing new systems to meet your application needs.
This article was contributed by David Schulte, P.E., senior systems engineer, Parker Hannifin Corporation.
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