Sonceboz releases new quiet and power efficient clamp technology

Photo by Sonceboz SA

The new clamp technology means that the pinch valves run much more quietly and power consumption is reduced to a minimum when “open”.

Tube systems are used in many areas of medical technology and the pharmaceuticals industry – from therapeutic devices in direct contact with patients such as dialysis machines and in vitro laboratory instruments to pharmaceuticals manufacturing plants. Clamps or pinch valves squeeze the tube to specifically control the flow in the tube system. The new clamp platform always knows its status (open, closed without tube, closed with tube) and takes up less space whilst offering the same performance. Compared to conventional solenoid solutions the new clamp generates much less noise and the power consumption when “open” is reduced to a minimum.

The new clamp platform (pinch valve) is based on a drive technology which has been tried and tested for many years in the automotive industry and which offers the utmost reliability. A sensor can report back at any time whether the clamp is open, closed without a tube or closed with a tube inserted.

Some applications have different requirements and it is, therefore, possible to choose between two configurations. If the reliability of a closure is of the utmost importance in the event of a power failure, the monostable version is the best choice. On the basis of its mechanics alone, a monostable clamp will always close as soon as the power supply is cut. If, on the other hand, overall power consumption, battery size, heat, fans and ultimately spatial requirements are important, then a bistable clamp is better. This too is equipped with a reliable fail-safe function, which is performed by passive electronic components. The bistable configuration is, therefore, similar to the solenoids usually used.

A common feature of both configurations is that they generate much less noise than the solenoid valves usually used without requiring additional electronics or software. The clamp clamps the tube with approx. 60N and the tappet travels a distance of approx. 7mm during the clamping process. In addition to the two basic configurations described above (monostable and bistable), there are many options for a specific solution tailored to your requirements.

For more information, please visit http://www.sonceboz.com.

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