BSc Industrial

silicone
 Features

Between a shock and a hard place: silicone for electrical applications

While silicone-based life may be the subject of what many consider to be science fiction, the role that silicone has played in life on our planet is of significant interest to the scientific community. Scottish chemist and molecular biologist Alexander Graham Cairns-Smith advocated in his 1987 book Clay Minerals and the Origin of Life that early life on earth could have evolved from a type of silicate.  The material sciences company Dow was among the first in industrial business to invest in silicone chemistry for the manufacturing sector in the late 1940s, and presently accounts for about 50% of the world’s production of silicone products.  As they continue to invest in silicone technologies, Duncan Rankin, Customer Manager at Dow,  believes that silicone chemistries are relatively unchallenged when it comes to potential solutions for electrical product developments. “Silicone rubber compounds have characteristics of both organic and inorganic materials and offer a number of advantages not found in organic rubbers,” says Duncan. “Silicone rubbers have fine electrical properties, good chemical stability, flame retardancy and superior resistance to heat and cold.” The Dow SILASTIC™ 9161 RTV Silicone is one example of a product that is highly geared toward specialised electrical applications. With a rubber-based curing agent, it seals and protects heavy duty cords and cables for up to 25 years without requiring further maintenance.  “The 9161 is for niche applications,” says Duncan. “It is often used in large, high-voltage junction boxes for sealing cable connections. These junction boxes can hold around a gallon of liquid and the silicone is poured inside of the box around the cables. Then a rubber-based catalyst is poured in to cure the liquid.” BSC National Product Manager for Adhesives and Sealants Michael Rowe, explains that the volume of silicone for these kinds of applications is large, but it also requires very little maintenance once implemented.  Read More
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 Features

Making industrial ventilation a breeze

Proper ventilation in an industrial manufacturing environment is a critical factor to the health and safety of the workers and the quality of the final product, according to BSC Product Manager David Malthouse.  “Industrial facilities have a lot of airborne particles such as dust, dirt, and vapours from the chemicals being used in the manufacturing process,” says David. “These can pose a significant health risk and should be considered as a hazard in the workplace.”  Being a major supplier to industrial manufacturing segment, BSC is well positioned for demonstrating and facilitating the implementation of proper ventilation on site to plant managers. “The technical team at BSC regularly make site visits, in order to assess and make recommendations on how to improve the overall quality of the air in manufacturing plants,” says David.  “Automotive and mobile equipment parts manufacturing facilities, smelters and  refineries, and even food processing plants each need to mitigate the risks of toxic air contamination,” he elaborates, “The best way to do this is by installing a good quality extraction fan system that will draw out contaminants and cycle in cleaner air.” David frequently sources extraction systems from Fanmaster and considers them to be his preferred choice. “Fanmaster extraction systems are specially designed to fit the purpose of ventilating industrial scale operations and their engineered systems have delivered excellent results for customers,” David enthuses.  Australian family-owned and operated business, Fanmaster has been operating for over 21 years and has extensive knowledge of ventilation and extraction as an importer and manufacturer of heating, cooling, ventilation, and extraction equipment.  Troy Lopez, General Manager at Fanmaster, explains how BSC has been helpful as a distributor in engaging more customers. “The BSC network and market reach is amazing,” says Troy. “The strength of their communication channels and adept ability to really listen to suppliers has shown us that they really view our working relationship as a partnership.”  Fanmaster offers a range of extraction system to suit industrial applications, available with different types of airflow and extraction methods such as axial flow fans, wall exhaust units and roof exhaust fans.  According to Troy, Fanmaster offers several types of industrial extraction fans ranging from Filtering Systems, Portable Ventilators to Fixed Ventilation Systems.  Read More
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spill kits
 Features

Customisable spill kits provide safe solutions for sticky situations

Enpac LLC is an American manufacturer that was founded on one simple principle: “protecting the environment from hazardous chemicals by providing customers with high quality, affordable containment solutions.” From the moment a spill occurs, there is a race against the clock. Every moment lost, increases the risk of a lasting adverse effects on the health of the workers and the environment, which is why it is important for site managers to be prepared with an inventory of spill bunding kits on site. For mine site managers, one of the greatest threats is an oil or chemical spill occurring when there is nobody around to see it, or worse, no way to contain it. “It’s imperative to have a storage and containment system in place on site,” says Steve Keown, National Product Manager for Liquids, Oils, Solvents, and Adhesives at BSC. “If there is a spill when nobody is present, it can leak into the soil, a storm water drain, or run off into a creek or surrounding environment. The aim is to prevent the spill from getting away. A leak can cause significant damage and the clean-up costs are huge. The losses are tremendous all around.” BSC’s relationship with Enpac has evolved over the last four years from proving spill bunding to fully customisable spill kits for customers. “We sell lubricants and solvents to customers and Enpac works nicely with that because they supply spill bunding and equipment and containment units where lubricants and solvents can be kept,” says Steve. “Whether it be decanting or a pump or hose, we can provide risk management and contingency solutions. It’s a nice added value for our customers.” Enpac offers a range of more than 50 different pre-assembled spill bunding kits, “customisable for the particular type of chemical, oil, or coolant being contained,” explains Steve. To simplify the options, he separates spill bunding kits into three main solution offerings.
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safety
 Features

Maxisafe: Making site safety great

When Adrian and Paul Phillips, two brothers from Melbourne, started Techware in 2003, they knew one thing for certain: safety never goes out of style. Coming from an industrial background, the Phillips brothers decided to go into the personal protective equipment (PPE) business, and they have never looked back since. Techware’s leading brand is Maxisafe, which is how they are recognised across Australia, specialising in the design and manufacture of hand, eye, respiratory, head and hearing protection. Their premium height safety products include confined-space harnesses, shock-absorbing lanyards, steel-alloy locking karabiners, and light-weight suspension straps. Since day one, they have seen exponential growth of their business, as the demand for high-grade reliable PPE has increased over the past two decades.
As demand has risen, the Maxisafe brand has expanded in its range. Their broad portfolio of products has given them an edge over their competitors in the market. Presently, Maxisafe has warehouses in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. Whilst their factories are located everywhere from Germany to the United States, to South Africa, Taiwan and India. BSC is one of Maxisafe’s Australian distribution partners. Michael Rowe, a Product Manager at BSC, brings with him extensive knowledge and history in the field of mechanical maintenance. According to Michael, industrial safety has been a thriving area of BSC distribution over the past few years. Read More
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 Features

Tools for life

When Tim Hellmers, Key Account Manager at Tridon Australia, attends tradeshows to showcase Tridon’s range of professional tools and hardware, he is often approached by people sharing with him stories about their favourite plier – the KNIPEX pliers. “People come to me and say how their KNIPEX plier, which they bought 20 years ago as an apprentice, is still performing exactly the same way as day one. I enjoy hearing those stories. They just show what high-quality tools KNIPEX pliers are. They are like tools for life,” says Tim. The longevity of KNIPEX pliers comes down to how they are manufactured in the factory, Tim explains.
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