Plates pasted on the Wirtz Fixed Orifice Paster (FOP) have extremely uniform thickness and weight. Plates are held to tolerances of less than +/- 0.002″ (0.054mm) of thickness and +/- 2 grams of paste weight. The uniformity minimizes problems in the battery assembly process and ensures proper fit when putting the stacks of plates into the battery cells. When pressurizing cells for enhance flooded or AGM applications the uniform thickness that the FOP provides is essential for battery life.
Consistent exact plates can only be produced on a precision piece of equipment. The Wirtz FOP starts with a frame of heavy gauge tubing, which is machined after welding to maintain accuracy. The remaining components are then precision machined and coordinate measuring machine inspected. Prior to assembly parts are treated to resist corrosion and allow easy disassembly. Heavy-duty components greatly reduce pasting operation downtime and ensure machine reliability.
Highest Quality Plates
Not only are the specifications of the plates the best in the industry, but do to having an active mud box roller in the pasting zone you can completely cover the bottom wires with paste. Exposed wires and voids results in poor grid to paste adhesion, may result in past shedding and causes corrosion.
No Pasting Belts
The Wirtz Orifice pasting machine does not use any belt. There is no cost for the cloth belt and there is no down time due to belt damage or needing to be changed. There is also no accumulation of paste between plates and as a result there is no scrap paste stream or shovel back into the hopper. All paste goes directly into the plate into the properly masked paste area.
Flexible Configurations
The best scenario for any machine is to be set up to produce the same product every day. The reality is that many battery manufacturers have several battery types, plate types and grid types. The fixed orifice paster can be set up to run panels, can be changed over to use a grid strip guide to run continuous strip, and can be set up into paperless configurations. Flexible production lines are available and can be designed depending on your needs.
- Paste thickness adjustment without stopping machine +/- 0.060” (1.5mm)
- PLC control with operator interface
- Paste weight tolerance of plus or minus 2 grams • Plate thickness of plus or minus 0.002” (0.54mm)
- Increased plate and battery performance
- Increased productivity and machine speeds up to 150 double panels per minute.
- Cleans up environmental problems
- Plates completely over pasted on both sides.
- No cloth pasting belts.
- No shovel back of paste into the hopper.
- Plates completely pasted on both sides.
Recommended Parameters
The Wirtz fixed orifice paster sends grids and paste between two pieces of custom designed steel. As a result the grid quality and the paste quality needs to be very good otherwise jamming can occur.
Grids
- Planished (coin pressed) grids consistent thickness throughout.
- Minimum thickness 0.040” (1.016mm) +/- 0.0003” (0.07mm)
- Rigid square grids, free of flash with no missing wires, no holes in lug.
Paste
- Density 4.0 – 4.1 grams per cubic centimeter.
- Moisture content 11-13.5%
- Globe #1 penetrometer reading of 28 – 35
- Fiber less than 0.06” (1.52mm) max in length, non bailing type.
- Temperature after mixing should be about 45 deg C (115 deg F)
- Mixer and paster must be thoroughly cleaned daily.
- Sieved lead oxide assures no oversize particle through the system.
- * These parameters represent typical starting points. With experience with your paste formulas we may find larger ranges.
- Vacuum grid feeder.
- Strip Guide Mechanism (if continuous).
- Flexible configuration for both panel and continuous.
- Paperless continuous configuration.
*These are very general specification and will change based on the exact configuration of the system that is ordered.
Electrical: (Supply 480VAC, 3 phase , 60 Hz standard) 200V to 575V, 50 Hz or 60 Hz, Control Voltage: 24VDC Main Electrical Panel
Compressed Air: Minimum air requirement of 5.5 bar (80psi)
Daily machine wash-down is recommended using high- pressure water. (900-1200 PSI or 62 to 82 bars at about 2 gallons or 7.57 liters/minute rate).