Summary
We are pleased to announce the worldwide launch as of today:
• Pneumatic actuators Type PPA
• Pneumatic Ball Valves Type 546 Pro P
These new products provide additional features, guaranteed safety and an optimized assignment to the ball valve 546 Pro. Now, all sizes DN10-100 (3/8 – 4″) are available as full plastic solutions. We will offer a price-neutral transition from the current types 230-235 (with PA11/21) to the new type 546 Pro P (with PPA). There will be a transition time of around 2 years but we ask you for an active push to phase-in the new products and to respect the transition time.
Product Description
Pneumatic actuators Type PPA
With the new pneumatic actuator type PPA (Plastic Pneumatic Actuator) we provide the optimized successor product to the PA11/21 with a safe and reliable full-plastic actuator as an optimal solution. It is tested over the service life for the optimally matched functional safety of the 546 Pro ball valve range and offers additional new features.
The revolver principle in the spring packages brings a torque dependency of spring number and control pressure. Additionally, besides a 5.6 bar standard range it offers also the flexibility for a 4.2 bar standard range for low-pressure applications. Special product configurations for low ambient conditions and OEM solutions are also available. The actuators are designed according to the well-known rack-and-pinion principle, ensuring a linear torque curve.
The PPA pneumatic actuators are equipped with a NAMUR accessory interface according to VDE 3845 for the integrated mounting of a wide range of accessories such as position feed-back devices or positioners. The side interface allows easy connection to a compressed air system with optional solenoid valves without an adapter plate. The main material of the actuator is the high performance plastic PP-GF (glass fiber reinforced polypropylene), which offers superior chemical properties and low maintenance.
This makes the actuator significantly lighter than an identical metal actuator. Compared to its predecessor PA11/21, the actuator is up to 27% more compact and up to 8% lighter, depending on the dimension. The actuator is therefore perfectly suited for the construction of compact systems where space is a decisive factor without compromising safety. The PPA combines a high quality standard with an attractive design. The design sets the course for a uniform aesthetic, which GF Process Automation as a solution provider implements in all new products. The PPA has already received the reddot and iF Design Award.
With the new PPA actuator concept, we focus on a high level of safety, both in the design of the actuator itself and in the assignment to the 546 Pro ball valve. The PPA has been tested as a safe system with a constant torque performance under demanding conditions. With more than 250,000 cycles, we guarantee the high level of safety with the best efficiency over the entire service life of the actuator – the pneumatic ball valve as a complete system guarantees 50,000 cycles. The high level of safety is confirmed by the SIL2 level, which means that the actuator can be used without restriction as a component in such systems.
In total, the PPA comes in 4 different sizes as a single-acting variant (PPA08-80 FC/FO) and 5 sizes as a double-acting variant (PPA04-80 DA):
Ball valve type 546 Pro pneumatic actuated
Together with the new pneumatic actuator PPA, we offer perfectly optimized solutions for the 546 Pro ball valve to increase operational efficiency. The different actuator sizes result in suitable solutions for all sizes of the 546 Pro ball valve in the entire dimensional range from DN10 – DN100 (3/8 – 4″) as an full-plastic solution. These are available pre-assembled on standard valves. Via the 546 Pro interface, the new actuators are also suitable for retrofitting
existing pneumatic valves, depending on the respective flange of the interface module.
Strategy and Positioning
With the new PPA and the ball valve 546 Pro, we are focusing on full-plastic solutions for industrial valves. The PPA represents the successor to the previous PA11/21 solution, optimized in terms of performance, efficiency and safety, and offers additional features in addition to flexible allocation depending on ambient conditions. In addition, new sizes make it possible to fit to ball valves up to DN100 (4″) and thus replace metal actuators with plastic in this product portfolio.
Production site
The production plant for the new pneumatic actuator type PPA is Seewis (Switzerland).
Logistics and availability
The following items are released for sale in SAP:
Ball valve 546 Pro P :
The pneumatic ball valves type 546 Pro P are also available, and are equipped with the new pneumatic actuator type PPA. Each new part number can be logically derived from the previous part number of pneumatic ball valves type 230-235:
Example
The essential features of the respective ball valve (e.g. material, connection, manual override, dimension, standard, etc.) remain the same, whereby the new pneumatic actuator type PPA and the corresponding interface are changed. In order to ensure a better identification the type has been changed to “Type 546 Pro P”. The name of the ball valve has a greater recognition on the market than the types 230-235.
Phase Out:
With the introduction of the pneumatic actuators Type PPA and pneumatic ball valves Type 546 Pro P, the replacement of the previous solutions also starts. The replacement period is approx. 2 years from introduction. Sales of Type 230-235 will thus be discontinued by the end of 2023. Individual parts such as the actuator PA11/21 or interfaces will probably be available for longer, but we are also aiming for a medium-term replacement here. The actuators type
PA30- 90 will continue to be available for valves, among others for the new butterfly valve type 565.
Please take into account to contact sensitive customers early (until the end of 2021), to clarify possible requirements regarding availability and to prepare the “regular customers” for a last time buy. We strive to ensure that the replacement is as smooth as possible. In a joint exchange with our dealers, we want to make sure that the new product line is introduced successfully.
Pricing
When replacing the types 230-235 with the types 546 Pro P, we want to enable our customers to have a price-neutral changeover. This means that we will apply the same list price to the corresponding successor article.
Documentation/Marketing/Tools
With the introduction of the Pneumatic Actuators type PPA and the Pneumatic Ball Valves Type 546 Pro P the following sales documentation and tools are also available :
► Bochure_00065_EN_Pneumatic_Digital
► Datasheet-546-pro-pneumatic-ball-valve-en
► Datasheet-ppa04-80-pneumatic-actuator-en
► Flyer_OP_00050_EN_Info_PPA_A4_digital
► Pneumatic Actuator PPA_Sales Presentation_EN
For more information you can contact us on info@gf-africa.com or call us on +27 21 702 0059
