Watson-Marlow Bredel saves Thales £8,000 in processing and waste disposal

Thales Optics Ltd, a member of the Thales Group, has saved over £8,000 through the reduction of waste and maintenance since it started using Watson-Marlow Bredel's STA-PURE tubing in the mid range peristaltic pump supplied by the leading pump manufacturer just over a year ago.

Thales Optics, based in St Asaph, North Wales, has been using Watson-Marlow Bredel peristaltic pumps for a number of years in the holography department for the manufacture of holographic optical elements and combiners for military and civil aircraft head-up displays (HUD's).

Prior to using STA-PURE tubing, Thales Optics was using standard silicone tubing which had to be replaced within as little as 14 days. Tony Porter, process development manager at Thales, says: "At the time I thought STA-PURE tubing was just too expensive, but it has paid for itself many times over. In fact we are still using the same piece of tubing over a year later. I was so impressed I ordered another pumping system complete with tubing."

The Watson-Marlow Bredel pumps meter large quantities of both 100% Alcohol (IPA) and IPA diluted with water for washing components which form part of the aircraft HUD's. "We've saved over £8,000 on waste disposal and IPA. The extra system enables us to pump the waste 100% IPA through a filter to separate any impurities and then mix it with water for re-use in dilute form for the second wash. This provides us with a saving of 40% of the total IPA, as well as saving on the cost of the barrels and waste collection," says Dr Porter.

The STA-PURE tube offers up to 18 times the tube life expected from silicone tubing, and twice the life of most thermoplastic elastomer tubing.