ThermOmegaTech

ThermOmegaTech Launches New Safety and Maintenance Content at Safety Show ’23 in San Antonio

/ 0 Comments / in ThermOmegaTech / by Christine Tarlecki

ThermOmegaTech’s highest priority is safety. We have developed tepid water solutions for emergency showers and eyewash stations to meet OSHA and ANSI requirements. We also prevent water lines from freezing or overheating to protect personnel and ensure a safe working environment.

ThermOmegaTech recently attended the ASSP Safety Show in San Antonio, Texas, and launched new safety and maintenance content. Andy Reichlin, Industrial Sales Manager, and Tim McCollum, OEM, showcased their thermostatic solutions for maintenance and safety with the STVM® Washdown Station, Therm-O-Mix® Tepid Water Delivery Station, ESS Tepid Water Heater, and Thermal Relief Valves for pumps.

ThermOmegaTech Products

Federal regulations require that any facility where workers may be exposed to hazardous or corrosive materials must have immediate access to a tepid water emergency drench system to protect the eyes and body in the event of accidental exposure.

The Therm-O-Mix® station consistently supplies tepid water on demand to these fixtures to meet OSHA and ANSI Z358.1 safety requirements.

Tepid Water Delivery System, Therm-O-Mix® station

Therm-O-Mix®

Read more about ThermOmegaTech’s Therm-O-Mix® station here.

Factory-packaged with ThermOmegaTech’s Therm-O-Mix®, the ESS combines cold and tank-heated hot water to deliver a constant 85°F tepid water outlet temperature at the point of use. The unit is completely mechanical and requires no outside electricity, making it ideal for explosion-proof industrial environments.

See how the Therm-O-Mix® station works here.

ThermOmegaTech recently launched a new STVM video in their video series, Talking with TOTs, that speaks to the effectiveness of the STVM® Washdown Station. In the video, Senior Product Specialist Glenn Quinty takes the viewer through the ease of maintenance and the safety of the washdown station. “It’s so important to maintain a clean environment in food processing, chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical facilities,” Quinty says.

STVM Steam and Water Washdown Station for Talking With TOTS for Industrial Sanitation

STVM® Steam & Water Washdown Station

See the STVM® Washdown Station Talking With TOTs video here.

ThermOmegaTech supplies an innovative solution to the challenge of difficult-to-maintain steam and water mixing stations used to provide a high-temperature washdown for sanitization procedures at processing plants.

See how the STVM Washdown station works here.

Food Industry Executive tells us more here!

 

 

Questions? We can help! Find more info here – contact us.

ThermOmegaTech Launches New Talking with TOTs Video Featuring STVM® Washdown Station

/ 0 Comments / in News, Product, ThermOmegaTech / by Christine Tarlecki

Video Focuses on High-Temperature Washdown Equipment For Industrial Sanitation

ThermOmegaTech is excited to introduce their newest Talking With TOTs video, featuring Senior Product Specialist Glenn Quinty on ThermOmegaTech’s STVM® Washdown Station.

“We know how critical it is to maintain a clean environment in food processing, dairy, beverage, chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical facilities,” Quinty says. “High-temperature washdown equipment is used to quickly and efficiently clean and sanitize equipment in place to keep production running on time.”

Washdown stations are recommended in food production facilities where transient soil, food production residue, and microorganisms can be present. Depending on the specific product a facility produces, not every facility encounters these hazards, but removing debris, cleaning, and sanitizing is essential to preserving sanitation and product quality.

Steam Water Mixing Valve for Sanitization

Simply put: sanitizing kills bacteria.

Industrial Sanitation comprises several sequences created to protect workers’ health and safety in industrial environments and designed to protect the environment from pollution and industrial waste.

With high temperature washdown equipment, industrial sanitation is achievable. In the Talking with TOTS video, Quinty takes viewers through the washdown process, demonstrating how ThermOmegaTech’s proprietary Silent Venturi Mixing Valve (STVM®) combines steam and water to a user-defined temperature.

STVM Steam and Water Washdown Station for Talking With TOTS for Industrial Sanitation

STVM® Steam & Water Washdown Station

“The steam and water mixing valve’s design is self-scouring, which prevents mineral buildup in tight spaces and reduces maintenance frequency. Maintaining competitor steam and water mixing stations can be time-consuming due to complex disassembly, special tooling requirements, and non-reusable components,” Quinty says.

The compact, reliable, and entirely mechanically operated STVM® Washdown Station is beneficial to any industrial processing plant’s sanitation procedures.

As recent testing found, it is more durable and at least 8-15 decibels quieter than competitor units.

How to Choose the Right High-Temperature Washdown Equipment for Your Facility

Choosing the right washdown equipment can be a challenge, taking into account your facility’s needs and government regulations.

To minimize maintenance downtime and get production lines moving again, the STVM® station is in-line serviceable. The operator simply switches out the STVM® mixing valve cartridge with a spare using a standard wrench, and the unit is operational again in minutes. In contrast, competitor stations must be removed from the wall and completely disassembled to repair, which takes hours and results in more extended downtime.

Operator’s safety is another crucial element that positions the STVM® Station above the competition. Employees should wear the correct PPE (personal protective equipment — including gloves, masks, smocks, etc.) when operating any washdown equipment and have the proper training on the unit. In addition to these safety guidelines, our station has two safety features to help keep your employees safe.

“The mixing valve is designed to reduce flow if the output temperature exceeds the factory set-point and will completely stop flow 15°F above that,” Quinty notes in the video. “The station also has interlocking steam and water shut-off ball valves, so both inlets shut off at the same time to prevent accidental steam-only operation.”

Using food processing cleaning equipment can help to reduce costs, too. Regular maintenance and repair of equipment can help to minimize downtime, saving your facility time and money. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of surface areas can also help to reduce labor costs while following a daily process.

Watch the full Talking With TOTs video here.

If you have questions about the STVM® Washdown Station or want information on pricing and lead times, please don’t hesitate to contact us or one of our authorized distributors.

How an East Coast Rail Company Prevents Their Locomotives From Freezing

/ 0 Comments / in News, Product, ThermOmegaTech / by Christine Tarlecki

The GURU® Plug – The #1 Freeze Protection Valve

Freeze protection is essential for locomotives during winter months to prevent catastrophic damage to equipment. A diesel locomotive’s cooling system is at risk of freezing when the locomotive is turned off. If the cooling water freezes, it can cause the piping and tanks to crack, resulting in extensive damage, lengthy repairs, and interrupted schedules.

GURU PLUGOperators could keep their locomotives running at all hours to prevent a freeze-up, but that can contribute to air pollution and fuel waste. Another more cost-effective and efficient way is to install ThermOmegaTech’s GURU® Plug.

The Opportunity

The GURU® DL2.1  thermostatic drain valve is installed at the lowest point within the cooling system and automatically responds to engine coolant temperature.

The Plug will snap open and drain the system if the water temperature reaches the Plug’s set point, typically 35°F. This provides almost a full one-inch bore to rapidly drain a typical locomotive’s coolant system before freeze damage can occur. The Plug can be reset when the operator is ready to refill the locomotive and return it to service.

SMS Locomotive using GURU Plug

SMS Rail Lines, a one-stop provider of rail distribution services to businesses along the Washington, D.C. to Boston corridor, is based in Bridgeport, New Jersey. It has been using ThermOmegaTech’s GURU® Plugs for over a decade on its locomotive cooling systems and compressors.

SMS Rail Lines operates over 6 miles of track throughout Pureland Industrial Park in Bridgeport, New Jersey, providing service daily, including on-demand rail switching and daily interchange with Class I railways CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corporation.

SMS Rail Lines also offers rail-to-truck and truck-to-rail transloading, warehousing, distribution services, and rail car storage at this location. Twelve locomotives are in service at any given time. Additionally, the company restores, maintains, and operates historic Baldwin diesel locomotives.

Utilizing the GURU® Plug

“We normally have 12 to 14 locomotives in service at any given time,” General Manager Brian Murray explains. “Some of our locomotives have only a single GURU if they are plumbed in a way where everything can drain to a central location. We have a couple with a second GURU to handle additional low points in the cooling system. Our GE locomotives have 4 GURUs. They have 2 GURUs to handle low-point general draining and 2 on the low-pressure heads of the water-cooled air compressor.”

SMS operators have previously used other freeze protection devices on their locomotives. “We initially used ‘that other name brand.’ It would occasionally open while the engine was hot and running,” said GM Murray. Because of this, he looked for another solution and was introduced to ThermOmegaTech’s GURU® Plugs over ten years ago by then-product manager Dana Logue.

The GURU® Plug Rebuild Program

The GURU® Plug satisfied their needs and came with an additional perk—the GURU® Rebuild Program. ThermOmegaTech® offers a rebuild program for the self-actuating GURU® Plug, which protects thousands of locomotives from freeze damage annually. The program allows customers to return their old GURU® Plugs to be cleaned, refurbished, retested, and returned, so customers get back an almost brand-new valve.

“We are very happy with ThermOmegaTech® and think the GURU® Plug is terrific. We have never had a GURU fail to open when necessary. As the end user, we should probably do a better job at keeping track of which GURU plug is in which locomotive and how old they are,” stated GM Murray.

Brian with Guru Plug

Luckily for SMS Rail Lines, there’s an easy way to track that!

Each GURU® Plug has a yearly-rotated color cap which is also laser marked with its month and year of manufacture. ThermOmegaTech® recommends changing the GURU® Plugs every 18-24 months, as the GURU® Plug’s actuator loses a small amount of stroke as it ages beyond one year. This stroke loss causes the release temperature and the manual reset temperature to creep upward. While this is a “safe” tendency for freeze protection, the upward creep can eventually cause nuisance dumping.

The colored caps rotate through 5 colors over 5 years and visually indicate the year it was built. Maintenance personnel can compare the cap’s color against our chart to determine when it needs to be sent back for rebuild. SMS has taken advantage of this perk and utilizes the rebuild program yearly.

“We send in about 4 or 5 valves per year for rebuilding to have them on hand. Our cost savings are significant as we have a lot of older GURUs around, so it makes sense to rebuild them,” says GM Murray.

When they come back, rebuilt and refurbished, GM Murray says they are as good as new and have never had any issues.

The Result of the GURU® Plug

GURU Plug on locomotive

“In my experience, all the folks at ThermOmegaTech® are genuinely interested in providing to the railroad industry effective, reliable solutions. The staff is always accessible and willing to work cooperatively with the customer to examine the need and suggest the appropriate product,” says James Pfeiffer – Superintendent of Operating Practices.

“Customer feedback is welcomed, technical questions are quickly answered, and the engineering department is seemingly always working on something new and improved. And they do all this while maintaining first-class customer service.”

If you are interested in hearing more about Locomotive Freeze Protection and how the GURU® Plugs can help save you time, energy, and money, we’d love to help. Contact us today.

Read the full GURU® Plug case study here.

Watch how it works with our Talking With TOTS video!

2022: ThermOmegaTech’s Year in Review

/ 0 Comments / in CircuitSolver, News, ThermOmegaTech / by Christine Tarlecki

2022 was a fantastic year, thanks to our customers! ThermOmegaTech® has been able to meet its goals despite facing industry-wide supply chain issues. Let’s celebrate ThermOmegaTech’s Year in Review!

2022 HIGHLIGHTS

Here are some of the significant accomplishments we are celebrating from our Industrial Market:

  • Andy Reichlin joined our team in March as our Industrial National Sales Manager. Andy has held roles in communications, marketing, and sales, managing national distribution networks for various industrial products, including bearings and pumps, over the last 20 years. His expertise has helped us to grow our distribution network and support our authorized distributors.
  • We hosted our first inaugural Distributor Advisory Council, which included representation from six authorized distributors. This was incredibly beneficial as they were able to tour our facility, and we could share ideas and resources for the upcoming year.
  • We also added two new U.S. distributors, Industrial and Construction Enterprises and Schimberg Co., and two new International distributors, Glotex and Tubes International.

NEW LITERATURE & VIDEOS

  • We launched an eBook with Food Processing Magazine in November ’22 on how sanitizing food processing facilities with steam-heated water provides a simple and efficient way to maintain a sterile work environment. Download it here.
  • We created a whitepaper on the Steps to Developing an Effective Sanitization Procedure in plants and facilities, which you can download here.
  • We also released this application sheet on Thermostatic Control Valves for Cooling Balancing Applications.
  • We were excited to release this video on HCX and HCS Washdown Stations for Breweries, Wineries & Other Facilities Without Steam. To ensure a high-powered wash that guarantees cleanliness in production facilities, ThermOmegaTech® offers the most economical, safe, and efficient washdown systems and equipment.

TRADESHOWS WE ATTENDED

ASSP Expo 2022: Industrial Safety Trade Show

We had a great time networking and meeting associates at the 2022 ASSP Expo.

Here are some of the great accomplishments that we’d like to share with you from our Rail Division:

  • Increased sales steadily as we moved out of the pandemic and remained the leader in locomotive freeze protection for all the Class I’s in North America.
  • Significant growth in the passenger car freeze protection market thanks to a big focus on the GURU PC® with its electric heater assembly to ensure prospects are aware of the need for freeze protection and options available for passenger cars.
  • Dana Logue, Engineering Project Manager, and Glenn Quinty, Senior Engineering Product Specialist, participated in RT&S Railway Age Virtual Conference: Winter Preparedness. Watch it on demand here!

Here are some of the outstanding accomplishments that we’d like to share with you from our Commercial Plumbing Division, CircuitSolver®:

  • We launched the new CircuitSolver Union Cold Water balancing valve (CSU-CW). This valve automatically and continuously balances a cold water recirculation system to discourage Legionella bacteria colonization and reduce stagnation.
  • Project Manager Eric McTee of ME Engineers details his experience specifying CircuitSolver® over the last few years in this testimonial.
  • We released two new videos, a How it Works video on CircuitSolver® and one on the new Cold Water CircuitSolver® valve.
  • Read more about CircuitSolver’s Year in Review on the CircuitSolver® website.

Here are some of the great accomplishments that we’d like to share with you from our Aerospace and Defense Division:

  • We hired Josh White as our A&D Business Development Manager and are excited about his work in the Aerospace and Defense Division. Josh is a former Air Force One pilot with over 20 years of operational military aviation experience. His expertise and skills in the aerospace industry will help us to develop new processes and streamline our strategies to serve our customers better.
  • We have brought on a new A&D rep J.D. Technologies Global, who works with high-quality, complementary manufacturers of products and services that serve the aerospace, military & defense, medical, and industrial markets. We are very excited about this partnership and proud of the work we’ve done with them in 2022, and looking forward to 2023.
  • Read more about our A&D Division’s Year in Review on the Aerospace & Defense website.

Looking Forward

Our Electronics Affiliate, TJM Electronics, has merged with ThermOmegaTech® and will now operate under the ThermOmegaTech® brand as our Electronics Division! Read about this breaking news here!

Thank you for being a part of our journey, and have a happy New Year! We look forward to working with you in 2023!

TJM Electronics to Merge with ThermOmegaTech

/ 0 Comments / in News, ThermOmegaTech, TJM Electronics / by Christine Tarlecki

TJM Electronics Merger Announcement

Electronics manufacturer to merge with affiliate company.

(Warminster, Pennsylvania) TJM Electronics is pleased to announce that it will merge with its affiliate company, ThermOmegaTech. Effective January 1, 2023, TJM will operate under the ThermOmegaTech brand as their electronics division.

TJM Electronics has been leading the way in electronics contract manufacturing since 1989. TJM became one of the first automated SMT companies certified to MIL-STD-2000 on the East coast. Since then, TJM has provided high-quality PCB assemblies utilizing cutting-edge technology to the aerospace, defense, medical, industrial, LED lighting, and non-commodity consumer electronics markets.

In 2019, TJM was purchased by Logue Family Holdings, the parent company of ThermOmegaTech, a leading thermostatic valve, and actuator design and manufacturing corporation. For almost 40 years, ThermOmegaTech has been creating temperature control solutions for a wide range of applications and currently services the railroad, commercial plumbing, aerospace, defense, and an array of industrial markets.

Last summer, TJM moved from its Bristol location to its current facility in Warminster, PA, located in the same building as ThermOmegaTech’s manufacturing plant and office space.

“This merger is a huge strategic advantage for TJM as it will help streamline processes and improve communication channels throughout the organization,” said Jim Logue, Jr., President, CEO of ThermOmegaTech and TJM Electronics. “Combining ThermOmegaTech’s mechanical design and manufacturing capabilities with TJM’s electrical manufacturing abilities will open the door to new opportunities and help to continue growth in our current markets.”

This partnership is also expected to result in greater efficiencies and eliminate redundancies in their systems, such as combining the AS9100D certification for both companies into one.

As with all important business decisions, ThermOmegaTech will work closely with its customers and employees to make the integration process as smooth as possible. Beyond the name change, customers should not see any major changes in the products and services they receive from both companies.

 

About ThermOmegaTech, Inc:

For almost 40 years, ThermOmegaTech has been a leader in designing and manufacturing self-actuated thermostatic technology valves and actuators. Founded in 1983, ThermOmegaTech is a privately held small business with 40,000 square feet of manufacturing and office facility located near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The company provides innovative solutions for various applications, including freeze & scald protection, mixing & diverting, steam tracing control, thermal bypass, tepid water delivery, washdown, balancing, drain tempering, and many others applications where temperature control is critical. Key industries it serves include railroad, commercial plumbing, aerospace & defense, and industrial.

ThermOmegaTech specializes in manufacturing prototype/small volume and highly engineered custom products utilizing phase-change thermostatic actuator technology to satisfy individual project needs.

ThermOmegaTech’s R&D, manufacturing, assembly, testing, inspection, sales, and customer service departments are all located in one facility for maximum efficiency and effective communication. Its QMS is certified to AS9100D standards demonstrating the focus on quality, and its products are distributed and used worldwide.

ThermOmegaTech and Grundfos Announce Partnership

/ 0 Comments / in CircuitSolver, News, Product, ThermOmegaTech / by ThermOmegaTech

This month, ThermOmegaTech and Grundfos announced a partnership, bringing together two industry leaders to simplify and enhance domestic plumbing systems and installations for contractors throughout the United States.

Beginning in late Q1, the partnership will offer a new packaged solution featuring ThermOmegaTech’s CircuitSolver® product line with the appropriate pump from the Grundfos MAGNA Series.

“We are excited about growing our relationship with a well-respected worldwide company like Grundfos,” said Tom Ruggierio, national business development manager at ThermOmegaTech. “Having two companies with innovative, synergistic products working together will bring optimized solutions for domestic hot water systems that will serve the plumbing community well.”

The partnership supports the companies’ shared goals of enhancing the accessibility and conservation of water, our most precious resource, by providing solutions that exceed energy and efficiency standards. “Working together allows us to save time for contractors who no longer need to source the appropriate pump style and size,” said Ruggierio. “The CircuitSolver® solution will now come with an expert-recommended pump, allowing contractors to focus their efforts on what they do best — the installation.”

“We continue to be impressed by the innovation of our ThermOmegaTech partner. Joining forces is a win-win opportunity for both companies as well as our manufacturer representatives, contractors, and the homeowners,” said Barry Nauss, Grundfos vice president of HVAC OEM. “When used together, our products greatly minimize water consumption and increase energy efficiency by optimizing the recirculating flow rate. This ensures the precise amount of water and power are utilized as water rotates through the system versus flowing down the drain. We’re proud to offer our new, sustainability-focused packaged solutions to the market.”

Grundfos and ThermOmegaTech will also offer expert training sessions together in 2022 with the goal of increasing awareness of the benefits their product portfolios bring to a domestic hot water system.

ThermOmegaTech’s 2021 Year In Review

/ 0 Comments / in CircuitSolver, ThermOmegaTech / by ThermOmegaTech

2021 was a busy year for ThermOmegaTech! Thanks to our loyal customers, supporting partners, and highly trained and dedicated staff, we met our goals while delivering on-time, quality products throughout the year! Check out our most significant accomplishments and industry highlights in 2021 in this Year In Review blog!

INDUSTRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

In 2021, we welcomed three new industrial distributors to support ThermOmegaTech in representing our industrial products.

Centro, Inc.

Centro Inc. was brought on in Q1 as one of our industrial distributors representing ThermOmegaTech’s products in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, & Florida Panhandle.

Cooney Brothers, Inc. 

A big welcome to Cooney Brothers, one of our recent local industrial
distributors representing the Philadelphia tri-state area – Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.

In early October, Cooney Brothers visited our facility to learn about ThermOmegaTech’s products and capabilities to help them bring awareness to their territories.

Pipe Valves, Inc.

Representing the Buckeye State of Ohio, Pipe Valves, Inc. is our newest industrial distributor serving Ohio and surrounding areas. We are excited to see what’s to come as we kick off the new year!

RAILROAD HIGHLIGHTS

We released a new Guru product design – a valve tee with JIC adapters.

Launched our Talking with TOTs (TWT) web series to touch on ThrermOmegaTech’s products and processes:

Continued our partnership with Tubes International, our international representative in Poland, for our line of railroad freeze protection products for locomotives and passenger cars. Remained the leader in locomotive freeze protection across all the Class I’s in North America.

PLUMBING HIGHLIGHTS

We had a record-breaking sales performance for the CircuitSolver product line and developed a new product to be released in early Q2 of 2022.

We welcomed additional Manufacturer Representative partners to the team:

  • Mid-America covering Iowa and Nebraska
  • Big Rivers Marketing covering Kansas, Missouri, Southern Illinois, and Western Kentucky
  • BDA covering Indiana and Eastern Kentucky

Obtained 3 video testimonials for ThermOmegaTech’s products through our rep channel:

Attended ASPE Tech Symposium and presented cold water recirculation as part of a joint panel discussion with other industry stakeholders and  BOMA (Building Owners Management Association) International Conference in Boston in October:

AEROSPACE & DEFENSE HIGHLIGHTS

Worked on custom designs of thermal control actuators and valves for:

  • A space application
  • Fuel oil heater for an aircraft engine
  • Hydraulic and avionics system liquid cooling programs for various aircraft
  • Cooling for ground-based radar systems

We presented in a Tech Briefs webinar on Thermostatic Control Valves: When Precise Thermal Management Matters Most. Missed it? No worries! Click here to watch it online. We also presented in an Aviation Week webinar on why thermal bypass & thermostatic control are critical in A&D applications. Watch the webinar below:

We developed 2 technical papers about utilizing thermostatic technology in Aerospace and Defense applications.

We relocated our sister company, TJM Electronics, to ThermOmegaTech’s headquarters in Warminster, PA, to increase efficiency and effective resource sharing while allowing us to offer PCBAs, Box Builds, and other electronic contracts manufacturing services under one roof.

Logue Family Holdings also produced 2 new videos: LFH Facility Tour & Production Capabilities, to highlight how our companies can help our customers!

 

In the News: ThermOmegaTech Featured in Safety+Health on Power Outages and Safety Showers

/ 0 Comments / in ThermOmegaTech / by ThermOmegaTech

Industrial Sales Manager, Alexis Rose, was featured in Safety+Health magazine addressing how a facility can plan ahead for extreme weather events to keep safety showers and face/eyewash stations supplied with tepid water.

“Alexis Rose, Sales Manager, ThermOmegaTech – Extreme weather events can be unpredictable at times, leaving businesses with little time to prepare for high winds, record precipitation, and a host of other complications. Keeping employees safe during high-risk weather events is crucial. Still, it can quickly become difficult should a power interruption cut off tepid water supplies to emergency safety showers and face/eyewash stations in part or all of a facility.”

“To avoid the risk of safety stations being rendered useless during a weather event because of a partial or total power outage, facilities should consider implementing a tepid water supply system that isn’t reliant on electricity and instead operates mechanically.”

“These systems use mixing valves to combine a facility’s current supply of steam or hot and cold water to produce an OSHA-compliant stream of tepid water. Once the emergency safety shower or face/eyewash station is activated, the resulting pressure drop opens steam and cold-water supply control valves to establish flow and combine the steam and cold water before delivering it to the connected safety station. These tepid water supply systems work quickly and have over-temperature settings for increased employee safety.”

Rose says, “By implementing a partially or fully mechanically operated tepid water delivery system, facilities are prepared for any extreme weather event that may render the local power grid inert for hours or even days at a time. Although many facilities have backup generators on hand, the crucial time it takes to switch between the two sources could be enough for a disaster to arise if not adequately planned for ahead of time.”

Check out the full article here.

Case Study: Georgia Snack Company Improves Washdown Safety Procedures with STVM

/ 0 Comments / in ThermOmegaTech / by ThermOmegaTech

For over 20 years, a Georgia snack company has struggled with a number of problems when using steam-heated water hoses during their facility cleaning and sanitizing processes. The biggest issue with these systems was that steam would bore out of the inner working components, creating a steam backdraft to release through the spray nozzle.

These random bursts of steam and hot water became a huge safety risk for their associates. Their existing washdown stations also required 36 internal parts to be replaced which added time and a headache to their maintenance processes. To tackle these pain points, they knew it was time to upgrade and improve their washdown processes.

M. G. Newell Corporation, a distributor of ThermOmegaTech’s food and beverage channel partner, ACE Sanitary, presented the STVM® Steam and Water Washdown Station to the Safety Manager at the snack company.

The STVM® Washdown Station utilizes a proprietary silent type Venturi mixing valve that combines steam and water for a constant stream at the operator’s set temperature. Safety being their number one concern, they were pleased to learn about the STVM® safety feature that is designed to reduce steam flow should the temperature rise above the factory set point and automatically shuts off steam 15°F above that.

In addition to its automatic safety feature, the Safety Manager was very impressed with the ease of cleaning and switching out the cartridge. The STVM® system utilizes an interchangeable cartridge that can be easily replaced or cleaned out, while only using a wrench and a few minutes of time.

STVM Steam and Water Washdown Station

Highly impressed with the overall operation and features of the STVM® Washdown Station, this implementation will no doubt solve their safety problems, as well as minimize downtime due to maintenance.

Read the full case study here.

To learn more about ThermOmegaTech®’s STVM® Steam and Water Washdown Station, click here.

All 3 Logue Family Holdings Subsidiaries Consolidate Into Warminster Location

/ 0 Comments / in ThermOmegaTech, TJM Electronics / by ThermOmegaTech

Logue Family Holdings Consolidates Under One Roof

Sister companies come home to Logue Family Holdings headquarters to facilitate inter-departmental operations and communication.

In June of 2021, Logue Family Holdings, Inc. will be consolidating all three of its independently operated business subsidiaries under one roof in Warminster, Pennsylvania.

The building is the headquarters of ThermOmegaTech, Inc., a mechanical valve manufacturer founded in 1983 that specializes in custom engineered fluid thermal control solutions, as well as BBQ Guru, home of the automatic Guru line of BBQ temperature controllers for charcoal grills and smokers.

Joining the duo will be TJM Electronics, a contract electronic manufacturer specializing in PCB assembly and electro-mechanical assembly for Aerospace & Defense, Medical, Industrial, LED lighting, and non-commodity consumer electronic products, acquired by Logue Family Holdings in 2019.

Douglas Snow, VP of Production for Logue Family Holdings, cites that the consolidation of operations under a single physical roof is expected to result in increased efficiencies, effective resource sharing, and cross-selling between relevant product lines.

“There is already quite a bit of cooperation between the companies for developing and delivering products” Snow mentions. “TJM Electronics provides both the PCBAs and final assembly of electrical components within the BBQ Guru controllers and the PCBAs for ThermOmegaTech’s passenger car railroad heaters. Getting us all under one roof can only increase efficiencies and communication.”

The facility features more than 40,000 square feet of production, R&D, engineering, and office space that is to be shared between the three companies.

Both ThermOmegaTech and TJM electronics QMS’s are certified to AS9100D standards which is based on and includes ISO 9001:2015. Due to our growth in the Aerospace and Defense industry, we have decided to pursue AS9100D as our primary Quality Management System to create standard operating procedures across all business segments, which allows us to enhance the quality of our products, while increasing efficiencies and alleviating undue price increases to customers.

TJM Electronics will be bringing to the building an impressive roster of advanced electronics manufacturing machinery including pick and place, stencil printers, multizone reflow ovens, wave solder system, and more.

To accommodate the needs of electronic manufacturing, the production space allocated to TJM Electronics has been outfitted with a specialized electrostatic discharge flooring to prevent static electricity from damaging sensitive electrical components along with a state-of-the-art humidification system.

The move will consolidate all 100+ Logue Family Holding employees under one roof and is forecasted to be completed by late June.

 

About ThermOmegaTech, Inc:

For over 35 years, ThermOmegaTech has been a leader in the design and manufacture of self-actuated thermostatic technology. Founded in 1983, ThermOmegaTech is a privately held certified small business with 40,000 square feet of manufacturing and office facility located near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company provides innovative solutions for a wide range of applications including freeze & scald protection, mixing & diverting, steam traps, thermal bypass, tepid water delivery, washdown, balancing, drain tempering, and many other applications where temperature control is critical. Key industries it serves include railroad, commercial plumbing, aerospace & defense and industrial.

ThermOmegaTech specializes in manufacturing prototype/small volume and highly engineered custom products utilizing phase-change thermostatic actuator technology to satisfy individual project needs. For maximum efficiency and effective communication, ThermOmegaTech’s R&D, manufacturing, assembly, testing, inspection, sales, and customer service departments are all located in one facility. Their QMS is certified to AS9100D standards demonstrating the focus on quality its products are distributed and used worldwide.

Website: www.ThermOmegaTech.com

ThermOmegaTech Company Logo

About BBQ Guru:

Founded in 2003 in Warminster, PA, BBQ Guru has been making barbecuing easier, more convenient, and enjoyable with patented electronic and battery-operated temperature-control devices for charcoal and wood-burning cookers. BBQ Guru are the leaders and inventors of BBQ temperature-control devices. They were the first in the marketplace to develop and sell an entire line of high-tech cooker accessories, including the award-winning PartyQ, DigiQ, and CyberQ.

Website: https://bbqguru.com/

BBQ Guru Logo

About TJM Electronics:

TJM Electronics has been leading the way in electronics contract manufacturing since 1989 with the emergence of Surface Mount Technology (SMT). One of the first automated SMT companies certified to MIL-STD-2000 on the east coast, TJM is recognized by major defense contractors as a “3 Star Supplier” and maintains a reputable status as a Preferred Supplier List member for electronics contract manufacturing. TJM’s capabilities include custom short or long run PCB assembly, accurate and functional prototype representations of designs, cable and mechanical assembly, product testing and evaluation to ensure Designed for Manufacturability (DFM) and final packaging. Through its brand, TemitroniK, TJM also assembles oversized LED boards of any shape and size, up to 460mm (18.11″) wide and 1200mm (47.24″) long.

TJM Electronics’ automated technology allows them to meet the most rigorous and specialized PCB requirements for industries such as aerospace and defense, medical, industrial, LED lighting, and non-commodity consumer electronic products. TJM Electronics has been ISO 9001 certified for contract electro-mechanical manufacturing for over 2 decades, and has just recently received AS9100D certification.

Website: https://www.tjmelectronics.com/

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In the News: ThermOmegaTech’s A&D Division Featured in Aviation Week Webinar

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ThermOmegaTech was featured in the AviationWeek webinar, as Sr. Design Engineer, Glenn Quinty discusses the need for thermal bypass and thermostatic control in critical aerospace & defense applications.

As technology advancements in A&D applications continue to rapidly develop, key factors such as strength, weight, and reliability are essential when evaluating components to be integrated into your designs. During the AviationWeek webinar, peers learned the benefits of using thermostatic technology in aerospace and defense applications such as thermal bypass, electronics cooling, avionics cooling, airflow control, and scald protection.

The goal of the webinar was to educate our peers on the importance of self-powered devices in various A&D applications, how thermostatic wax valve actuators operate under different conditions, best practices of thermal management, and what customizations can be made to thermostatic valve designs.

Get To Know the Speaker

ThermOmegaTech WebinarGraduating from Villanova University with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1990, Glenn Quinty is a highly trained and technical design engineer, with 30+ years of experience.

Previously employed by Hale Products Inc., as their Product Engineer/Designer and Thermo Seatronics, as a Project Engineer, Quinty has extensive knowledge of actuators, valves, pumps, sensors, hydraulics, pneumatics, and other mechanical operations used in a multitude of applications.

Quinty has been part of the ThermOmegaTech team for 18 years and is currently the Sr. Design Engineer, developing innovative thermostatic solutions for the aerospace and defense, industrial, railroad, and commercial plumbing industries. With expertise in complex design mechanisms and new product development, Glenn oversees projects from start to finish, utilizing DFM and DFA techniques to design thermostatic, self-operating valves and devices.

Click here to watch the full webinar.

In the News: PHCP Pros CircuitSolver Feature, The Future of Balancing

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CircuitSolver and thermostatic technology was featured in the PHCP Pros January issue, with three plumbing industry professionals weighing in on the future of domestic hot water recirculation system balancing technology.

Instant hot water at the turn of a tap is a luxury that many in developed countries take for granted, with little thought spared to exactly how it is available on the 50th floor.

For decades, this feat of engineering has resulted from the many hours spent manually balancing and rebalancing domestic hot water recirculation systems, often performed several times to accommodate flow as system demand evolved. While effective enough in principle, manual balancing flounders in practice, with inflated labor costs and inflexibility in the face of usage variations.

To conquer the challenges inherent to traditional manual balancing methods, ThermOmegaTech invented the CircuitSolver® thermostatic balancing valve. It automatically balances the DHWS by adjusting flow through the system to maintain a set temperature at the end of each supply branch, eliminating the need for manual balancing while ensuring instant hot water delivery to each fixture and accommodating flow to meet demand variations.

Since its debut in 2012, the CircuitSolver has been installed in thousands of domestic hot water recirculation systems throughout the United States and Canada.

ThermOmegaTech caught up with three plumbing engineers for their opinion on the valve: Joper Tupas, PE, CPD, from the Murray Co. Engineering Department, Rancho Dominguez, Calif.; Rick Sawyer from BMA Mechanical+, San Luis Obispo, Calif.; and Scott Fawkes and Michael Washburn from Architectural Resources Inc., New York, N.Y.”

Check out the full PHCP Pros article here.

In the News: ThermOmegaTech Featured in Railway Ages Discussion on Winter Preparedness

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Railroad Project Manager, Dana Logue, was featured in Railway Age’s Annual Winter Prep Report discussing the importance of winter preparedness for railroad operations.

“Dana Logue, Product Manager, ThermOmegaTech – Which works with all of the class I’s as well as OEM’s and class II and III carriers – agrees, and adds that any hindrance could be catastrophic when looking at the big picture.

“Railroads should start prepping before any sort of freeze weather, even it doesn’t seem like it might get that cold – the temperature can get down sooner than people anticipate,” she says. “But it really depends on where you are located. So many of our more southern clients wouldn’t really have to worry about anything until November, but in Canada and maybe even in the Northeast, they might have to worry about that in October. So I would say late summer, early fall is probably the best time to start thinking about getting ready for the upcoming year.”

Changes in Weather, Industry

“Logue says that ThermOmegaTech has been selling freeze protection products since the 1980’s. She adds that the most notable change she’s seen in winter preparedness has been the maintenance schedule.

“Some of our customers are on a one-year maintenance schedule or some customers every two years, so it kind of varies,” she says. “We’ve had some that change out our Guru Plug engine block freeze protection valve every four years. So it really kind of depends on the customer. We recommended changing out our valve annually, at the very least, every two years.”

Check out the full article here.

Upcoming Shows and Conventions 2020

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Conventions 2020

Stop by our booth and learn how ThermOmegaTech’s innovative solutions using thermal actuator technology can protect your equipment, simplify your design, and improve your process.

Commercial Plumbing

BOMA International Conference and Expo – Cancelled
June 28-29 – Philadelphia – Cancelled

ASPE Convention & Expo- Cancelled
September 14-15 – New Orleans, LA

ASA Women in Industry – Cancelled
April 21-23 – Charleston, SC

ASA Emerging Leaders – Cancelled
May 3-6 – Nashville, TN

ASA Network – Cancelled
October 7-9 – Chicago, IL

Industrial

ASSP Safety 2020 – Cancelled
June 23-25 Orlando, FL

Railroad

Rail Insights – Cancelled
June 17-18 – Chicago, IL

In the News: STVM Washdown Station Combines Steam, Water, and Safety in an Easy to Maintain Package

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In food processing, dairy, beverage, chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical facilities maintaining a clean environment is critical. High-temperature washdown equipment is used to quickly and efficiently clean and sanitize equipment in place to keep production running on time. These washdown stations mix steam and cold water to provide hot water for facility clean-up.

Maintaining competitor washdown units can be time-consuming due to complex disassembly, special tooling requirements, and non-reusable components. ThermOmegaTech, a leader in self-actuating thermostatic valve technology, supplies an innovative solution to the challenge of difficult to maintain washdown units.

ThermOmegaTech’s STVM Washdown Station delivers a high-temperature wash at a user-defined temperature using our proprietary Silent Venturi Mixing Valve (STVM) to combine steam and water. Our mixing valve’s design is self-scouring, which prevents mineral buildup in tight spaces and reduces maintenance frequency.

STVM Steam & Water Washdown Station

To minimize downtime during routine maintenance, the STVM Washdown Station has a simple cartridge design, which is removed with a wrench and cleaned in a descaling solution before reassembly. The station is in-line serviceable, so the operator simply switches out the STVM Cartridge with a spare and the unit is operating in minutes.

Worker safety is every facility’s priority, so we built it into our washdown’s operation.

“The STVM Washdown Station has two safety features to keep your employees safe. One, the mixing valve is designed to reduce flow if the output temperature exceeds the factory set-point and will completely stop flow 15°F above that,” Nick Tallos, ThermOmegaTech’s VP of Engineering said. “Two, the unit has interlocking steam and water shut-off ball valves, so both inlets shut-off at the same time to prevent accidental steam-only, ‘hose full of steam’ operation.”

Due to the unique design of the STVM Cartridge’s water and steam mixing spool, the unit operates at around 20 decibels less than competitor washdown units. This reduces overall operator stress and improves workplace conditions.

The unit functions completely mechanically and requires no outside source of electricity to operate. Compact and reliable, the STVM Washdown Station is a beneficial addition to any facility.

Originally published in The National Provisioner.