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A CONFIRMATION OF QUALITY

Recognition of achievement is always a source of satisfaction, and it is with pleasure that we share our successes with our partners.

ZMC recently gained ISO9001: 2015 accreditation after assessment of its management system. The inspection carried out by the prestigious Lloyds Register was successfully passed, confirming the validity of the “ZMC system”, without any observations or amendments to the existing procedures.

Quoting from the final report issued at the end of the inspection:

“The company shows a good propensity to improve its processes; the continuous search for refinement of the methods used is clear. ”

“Overall, the impression is very good and it is recommended to continue with this approach.”

In light of this accolade, ZMC looks to the future and is committed to driving success through keeping the goal of continual improvement at the center of all its endeavours.

THE BICICLE

For several years ZMC has, in addition to our core business producing chains and sprockets, also been involved in the production of…bicycles.

However, these miniature bicycles are for demonstrative purposes only, produced entirely by laser techniques using ZMC production laser machines.

ZMC boasts two Bystronic 4400W laser cutting systems, loaded automatically, and capable of cutting up to 25mm thick in carbon steel and up to 20mm in stainless steel.

The intricacy of these small pieces, which measure approximately 20mm x 12mm, demonstrates the quality of the laser cutting process carried out by ZMC. The attention to detail and the appreciation of the gesture never cease to impress the recipient.

This miniature bicycle symbolises the ZMC culture regarding experience, technical knowledge, accuracy and quality. Those who partner with ZMC meet a company that will understand and satisfy every need without forgetting the important aspect of the human relationship.

PENDULUM CHAINS

Among the most sophisticated chains produced by ZMC, are those employed in the automotive pre-treatment process.

The application of protective layers that precede the final painting of the cars, vans and trucks, takes place in pre-treatment plants, through which the chains follow the path of a sine wave. Two parallel chains slide on side guides which support steel carriers and in turn carry the car body.

The process of applying corrosion inhibiting layers is achieved by conveying the car body through chemical baths. The nature of the conveyor path, having many rises and falls, is called the Pendulum system, and the chains take the same name.

More recent systems allow the car body to also be rotated inside the chemical bath for more effective surface coating, this type of system is called Ro-Dip.

There are significant technical challenges to be considered in providing chains that operate in these applications. The chains are highly stressed from a mechanical and corrosion resistance point of view. Innovative features include the choice of materials suitable for the operating environment, (in some cases Duplex stainless steel) the design and construction of sturdy bearing wheels, and an internal lubrication facility to operate with automatic lubrication systems.

 

 

MAINTENANCE FREE CHAINS FOR PROOVERS AND BAKING OVENS

Taking advantage of the Mecasec® technology, exclusive of ZMC, a whole range of self-lubricating chains has been designed and manufactured especially for the production of bread and other bakery products.

In particular, these chains are used with excellent results, both in terms of duration and performance, in the leavening and baking lines consisting of vertical conveyors, originally designed for the production of baguettes by a well-known French OEM.

The Mecasec® bushes, consisting of a metallic weave embedded in a layer of self-lubricating material, are inserted both between the pin and the bush and between the bush and the roller, even when the latter is mounted outside the chain. Mecasec® technology allows operating at temperatures up to 250 ° cleanly and efficiently without using lubricating products inside the oven or the proover. A further appreciable advantage is the low coefficient of friction guaranteed by the Mecasec® bushes thanks to which it is possible to obtain a silent operation and an advantage in terms of energy efficiency.

By adopting the appropriate design features, Mecasec® technology can be used for many other applications in a wide range of temperatures and workloads.

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact us

SELF-LUBRICATING CHAINS FOR ICE CREAM REFRIGERATION TUNNELS

The latest generation of refrigeration tunnel chains used in the ice cream industry summarizes ZMC‘s experience in this sector. In fact, for more than thirty-five years ZMC has been working with some of the leading manufacturers and end-users of this market to design ever more advanced chains capable of meeting the extreme demands imposed by applications at very low temperatures.

The refrigeration tunnels reach -40°C, a temperature necessary to obtain ice-cream hardening. The chains for this application are characterized by extended pins to which the trays that transport the product are hooked. The chain slides on a guide and moves slightly uphill and downhill engaging on numerous sprockets along the way.

The high-quality construction materials are chosen to withstand the work environment, guaranteeing corrosion resistance and adequate mechanical strength while avoiding the risk of embrittlement, always latent when the steel works below zero degrees Celsius. The plastic elements, bushings and sliding wearpads, are also specially chosen and designed to obtain a long life, that is wear over time, in total absence of lubrication.

The most recent technical innovations concern the geometric shape of the pin, carefully designed to mitigate the effect of concentrated loads on the edges of the bushes and of the shocks suffered in each passage of the chain between the guide and the sprockets.

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact us