Westfall Manufacturing, provider of smart motionless mixers for pipeline installations, integrates 3D printing in the manufacturing of their Low Headloss Pipe Static Mixer 3050. The company 3D printed its patented mixer out of durable nylon and gluing it in PVC pipe.
This innovation is the result of a need for Low Headloss Mixer 3050 in the 1” to 5” (0.95cm to 21.7cm) range, which is too small for cost-effective fiberglass or stainless-steel custom fabrication.
The manufacturing
Westfall engineers knew that whether the materials used were metal, fiberglass or 3D printed nylon, the mixer’s high performance wouldn’t change. If the geometry stayed the same the hydrodynamics would be the same.
The durable nylon inserts withstand steady exposure to harsh chemicals from caustics to gas and oil. 3D printed inserts can be made from a variety of materials, from Kynar to stainless steel. Furthermore, because of K-Values ranging from 0.58 to 1.64, Westfall’s Model 3050 causes 2 to 4 times less headloss than other mixers.
According to Bob Glanville, the company’s CEO, “for mixing low velocity, low viscosity water and gases, durable 3D printed inserts are the wave of the future. For mixing high velocity and high viscosity fluids, durable 3D printed stainless steel inserts are the wave of the future. Either way, 3D printing makes our high performance Static Mixers more affordable to customers around the world.”
Thanks to 3D printing, customers can order Static Mixers in small sizes and receive rapid, cost-effective delivery.
This solution can be useful in municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment, oil, gas, natural gas, propane and biofuel processors.
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