May 2016 - Global Rotomoulding

Baffle Bones: A Baffle Solution for Cartage Tanks

A liquid control system in your truck or tank is essential for driver and road safety. Baffle Bones are an innovative design for cartage tanks that can help you improve driver control and lower vehicle maintenance costs.

In this case study, we take a look at what the Baffle Bone liquid surge stabilising system is and walk you through some of the benefits of using Baffle Bones in your transportable tank.

Baffle Bones: A Baffle Solution for Cartage Tanks

What is a Baffle Bone?

A Baffle Bone is a plastic product that assists in the reduction of liquid movement while a truck or tank is driving. Without Baffle Bones, any liquid contained within your tank will slosh and surge around, causing your vehicle to become unstable.

So how do Baffle Bones work?

These products are fitted crosswise and lengthwise within your tank to create a ‘honeycomb’ barrier. When many Baffle Bones are used together, their combined high surface area offers a unique solution to breaking up the energy and wave formation of moving liquids.

What are the benefits of Baffle Bones?

Improvement in acceleration, braking and cornering control.
Lower vehicle maintenance costs (e.g. wear and tear on your brakes/tyres).
No water retention in the plastic material improves hygiene and prevents liquid contamination.
Suitable for a wide range of chemicals (hot or cold).
Have a large surface area and a low volume displacement.
Easy to clean, last a long time, and are cost-effective to produce.
Will not flex into submission under the load (our Baffle Bones have been independently tested and are certified to meet the Load Restraint Guide).

What is the difference between a ‘baffle ball’ and a Baffle Bone?

One of the major differences between baffle balls and Baffle Bones is that most baffle balls are made up of various interlocking pieces. This means that they consist of discs that can be stored flat until required and ‘locked’ together when needed.

(Image via BARR)

So what’s the catch?

Well, because of their flat pack design, baffle balls take a long time to assemble. They can also unclip and become a dangerous hazard if the tank is filled too quickly.

A Baffle Bone, on the other hand, is one piece of plastic with no fasteners or clips. They offer strength and durability with no risk of weight-related collapse. They also don’t require any extra assembly time and are unique in their ‘bone’ shaped design.

How big are Baffle Bones and how many do I need?

We recommend that the Baffle Bone system be used in all tanks with a volume greater than 2,000 litres.

At Global, we offer small Baffle Bones for smaller tanks (between 1,000 and 1,500 litres). In these tanks, you will typically need around 50-75 small Baffle Bones.

We also make large Baffle Bones for tanks between 2,000 litres and 15,000 litres. In these tanks, you will need around 22 – 165 large Baffle Bones.

Both small and large baffle bones have been tested for use with water.

Are you interested in purchasing these revolutionary items for your transportable tank? Call us on 1800 666 333, or send us an online enquiry today!

CASE STUDY: BAFFLE BONES, A ROTOMOULDING INNOVATION

In this article, we take a look at the development process of the Baffle Bone, and walk you through some of the benefits of using custom-designed poly products in the transportation industry.

An innovative solution to a practical problem

As any good tank driver will know, liquid surge control is essential for road safety. However, after many years of trial and error, we have discovered that the traditional methods of liquid surge control (e.g. built-in baffles and baffle balls) have several fundamental problems:

1. Built-in Baffles are weak
We have found that tanks with built-in baffles are structurally less sound. This is because built-in baffles are typically welded in place and can cause a weak point in your tank. Over a period of time, these weak points will break down or fail and you’ll need to replace your entire tank (often at a considerable price).

2. Baffle Balls take too long to assemble
Baffle Balls are also not that effective because they have a tendency to unclip when the tank is filled too quickly. Their flat pack design also means that they take a long time to assemble and prepare.

So how do you control your liquid surges without causing a weak point in your tank? And what’s the best way to optimise your time more efficiently and stop spending hours upon hours assembling balls?

Baffle Bones to the rescue!

It took us some time and hours of prototyping, experimenting, and testing, but we believe we have come up with an innovative solution that actually works. Baffle Bones don’t require any extra assembly time, they are cost-effective to replace, and they offer strength and durability with no risk of weight-related collapse.

The development process

To ensure that our Baffle Bone design solved the fundamental problems that many tank drivers face on a day-to-day basis, we put them through rigorous testing. The custom-design and development process for the Baffle Bones looked a little something like this:

1. Concept design and world-class engineering
2. Complete product design with product specifications
3. High-quality mould manufacturing in our modern facilities
4. Comprehensive testing, verifying, prototyping, and regulation approvals
5. Tool making
6. High capacity manufacturing
7. Successful delivery

The advantages of using plastic in the transportation industry

Polyethylene is ideal for products in the transportation industry because it weighs next to nothing. This means that products, like our Baffle Bones, are substantially lighter than other liquid stabilisation products on the market today, and require significantly less energy, fuel, and manpower to move, install, and transport.

Our Baffle Bones also offer many other design advantages. For example, because the products are made from one piece of plastic, instead of welding or bolting together various pieces of metal, they are exceptionally strong. They have greater durability and will not fall apart due to weak joints or a heavy load.

Our food-grade safe, BPA-free plastic is also rust and corrosion resistant, which means that your transportation products will have a longer lifespan and you’ll spend less money and time on product repairs. Bonus!

Are you interested in creating a custom-designed poly product? Looking for a transportation product with great advantages? Call us on 1800 666 333, or send us an online enquiry today!a

Replacing Heavy Steel Parts with Lightweight Plastics

Steel or plastic? It’s one of the most common questions we get asked about water tanks, agricultural products, and rural vehicle accessories. Which one lasts longer, costs less, offers the best value for money, and is the easiest to install?

In this article, we take a look at 3 reasons why we think plastic products are far more superior in the plastic vs. steel debate:

1. Easy to transport

One of the best reasons for replacing your heavy steel products with lightweight plastic products is that they are a lot easier to install and transport.

For example, our rainwater tanks can be easily rolled, lifted, and put in place quickly and efficiently by a small team. And our rural vehicle toolboxes are so lightweight you’ll have improved fuel efficiency and no problem lifting them on or off of your ute.

But wait! It gets better. The flexibility of polyethylene also means that we can custom design your products in a variety of shapes and styles, allowing for installation in unusual places or locations which might ordinarily be too small.

2. Plastic tanks are food-grade safe

Over time, heavy steel products typically rust and corrode. Sometimes the zinc in domestic tanks and agricultural troughs may even leak into your water supply and leave an unpleasant metallic taste.

One study conducted by the Public and Environmental Health Service in Tasmania also found that some stainless steel tanks contained harmful levels of lead.

So what’s the solution?

You guessed it – Poly water tanks!

Our lightweight poly water tanks are manufactured from food-grade safe, BPA-free plastic, which means that they offer only pure, high-quality drinking water. And, unlike other water tanks that are made from metal, our plastic water tanks are also rust and corrosion resistant. So you can relax knowing that your family (and beloved animals) are always safe!

3. Made tough for rural Australian conditions

Unlike heavy steel products, which are typically made by welding or bolting together various components, our products are made from one piece of lightweight plastic. This means that they have no weak weld lines, side seams, joints, rivets, or screws.

As a result, products like our rural vehicle accessories and transportable tanks (which typically bounce around a lot during transportation) offer greater durability and are less likely to fall apart due to weak weld lines. In fact, some of our poly products can last up to 20 years or more!

Are you interested in purchasing lightweight plastic products? Looking for a custom solution for your business or agricultural pursuit? Contact Global today to find out how we can help you!