Report on the cooperation between our customer Piper GmbH and PTM mechatronics:

Stirring is a fundamental process in various industrial processes: Not only paints, varnishes and other coating materials, but also food and medicines are stirred during production. For tricky special applications, conventional agitators from series production reach their limits. This is when a special solution is required, such as the one developed by Piper GmbH. The Berlin-based company supplies paint supply systems and also relies on air motors from PTM mechatronics.

Piper develops special solutions with PTM motors

Custom-made color supply

„Klaus Linke calls stirring “a science in itself". The surface technology engineer cites frequency, torque, cycle, temperature and the shape of the agitator as examples of the various parameters that need to be taken into account if several substances are to be ideally stirred together. At the Berlin-based company Piper GmbH, Linke designs special solutions for paint supply. In the simplest case, this includes the paint pressure container, an agitator and a spray gun. Where such off-the-shelf systems are no longer sufficient, the work of Linke and his colleagues begins.

Protective coating for wind turbines

An example of such a special application can be found in many places in the landscape. Linke has developed a system that is used in the construction of wind turbines. The towers and rotors are painted with a special protective coating. „Because the protective coating has unusual properties that require special treatment, we have designed an individual paint supply,“ says Linke.
Depending on the application, Linke draws on a wide range of components and puts them together to create a unique product. He describes his work as follows: „We supply the tailor-made suit for the customer, so to speak.“ This not only requires a great deal of experience in working with different materials, but also in-depth knowledge of the products used.

Radial piston motor outperforms the vane motor

In addition to electric and axial piston motors, the radial piston motor from PTM mechatronics has been used more and more frequently for some years now. One of the things that engineer Linke appreciates about the economical compressed air drive is the high torque that it exerts as soon as it starts up: „The motor really comes into its own when it comes to powerful stirring in highly viscous liquids.“
Piper used to install vane motors in many systems. „However, we often had to use a reduction gearbox,“ explains Linke, „and the consumption of compressed air and therefore energy was significantly higher.“ In these categories, the radial piston principle clearly outperforms the vane design, says Linke.

Special requirements in the food industry

And he lists another point that is particularly important in the food and pharmaceutical industries. High standards of hygiene and cleanliness are required there, which is why the agitators are cleaned regularly. „Contact with the often aggressive cleaning agents damages the drive,“ explains Linke. To ensure that the agitator element and shaft can be cleaned separately from the motor, the drive must be easily removable - as is the case with PTM's radial piston motors.
Since more and more manufacturers are doing away with environmentally harmful solvents and producing water-based paints and varnishes, correct stirring has become even more important. „Improper stirring changes the properties,“ explains paint supply expert Linke. To achieve the best possible result, all components must work together perfectly. „We need to know the individual product properties and adjust the entire system accordingly.“

Flexible pneumatic actuators from PTM

The Berlin tinkerer values the exchange with manufacturers, for example with PTM Managing Director Carsten Angermeyer. „We advise each customer individually and manufacture to their order,“ says Angermeyer. „We build our radial piston motors in various designs and sizes.“
Even in the Use under water or in the Contact with aggressive media PTM motors fulfill their task safely and reliably. There is a suitable radial piston motor for almost every pneumatic application.