Apache Stainless Blog


Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation


Apache Hosts Press Conference for Special Career Pathways Grant

Wisconsin receives $2 million grant to improve career pathways

JPMorgan Chase and CCSSO announced Wisconsin will receive grant aimed at connecting students with skills-based education opportunities at a press conference today at Apache Stainless in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

MADISON — A $2 million New Skills for Youth grant announced today at a press conference in Beaver Dam will strengthen and expand career-education opportunities for Wisconsin students. The state is one of 10 grant recipients announced by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and JPMorgan Chase. The three-year grant will allow Wisconsin to build on existing efforts in the state’s 16 technical college regions to connect student interests and workforce needs.

Wisconsin’s plan was developed in conjunction with the Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation and a host of collaborative public and private agencies and officials.

Read more about the program on-line.


Two Local Companies Work Together to Solve Need for Increased Production and Storage

Brakebush Brothers, a leading processor of chicken products, worked with Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation to design, fabricate and deliver a new 20,000 gallon fresh oil tank for their Westfield, Wisconsin plant.

 

David Meyer, Utilities Manager at Brakebush, needed a new storage tank to keep up with production demands and chose Apache Stainless for it’s reputation as a quality manufacturer of stainless tanks and expertise in heat transfer surfaces and sanitary tank finishing.   The 13’ 6” diameter tank is 33’ feet tall and replaces an 8,000 gallon tank that will be relocated to another Brakebush plant.

 

David Foulkes, Sales Manager for Apache, worked with Brakebush and Apache’s tank team to provide the new tank with specifications to include a containment shell, steam dimple jacket, insulation and protective shroud with controls to monitor and adjust the heat temperature of the oil, especially during the winter months in Wisconsin, as well as the required flow into the plant for production operations.

 

The Brakebush Westfield, Wisconsin plant has a production facility of over 500,000 sq. ft. with state of the art cooking operations. Westfield is also the corporate office for Brakebush.

 

Apache Stainless located in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin serves commercial manufacturers all across North America. Apache tanks are found in food and beverage processing facilities an in fuel refineries, ethanol plants, chemical industries, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and in health and beauty product manufacturing plants.


Customer Christmas Email Turns into Food Pantry Dollars

For the fourth consecutive year, in lieu of printed and mailed Christmas cards, Apache sent an e-card to customers with a promise to pay $1 for every click to the Dodge County Food Pantry.  This year we received 701 clicks, so our donation was for $701.00.   We heard from quite a few customers who appreciated the participation in our community effort.


In the photo, Mary Ann Firehammer, is one of several volunteers who help run the Dodge County Food Pantry. As people and boxes were coming and going, we snapped this photo and she was very happy to accept the check on behalf of the food pantry.


The Dodge County Food Pantry is co-located with the Dodge County St. Vincent De Paul in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

 


Apache is Honored by Beaver Dam School District

 

Apache was recently honored by the Beaver Dam Unified School District for the "Friends of Education" award.  We were recognized for the stainless material donations and equipment donations made to the technical educational program at the high school and for partnering with youth projects and revitalizing the youth apprenticeship program. 

In the photo, from left: Steve Vessey-District Superintendent, Chad Prieve-Apache Safety Manager, Devon Prien-Apache Apprentice, Max Smith-Apache Apprentice, Joe Kutzler-Engineering and Technology Educator at Beaver Dam High School, Jackie Wanie-Apache, Melissa Kasper-Apache and Pam Korth - Apache Human Resources Manager.

"Focusing on technical education is one of our passions and Apache was pleased to see that the BDUSD sees the importance of technical education," says Pam Korth, Apache's Human Resource Manager. "We look forward to our partnership for years to come as we work together to educate students and the community on manufacturing careers."

 

 


New White Paper: Heat Transfer Surfaces for ASME Tanks and Vessels

Apache white paper

The Apache Large Tank and Small Vessel team has developed a new white paper to serve as a general guide to ASME vessel heat transfer surfaces.

The white paper highlights three basic types of external jacketed heat transfer surfaces: conventional jacket, half pipe and dimple jacket, which are welded to the outside of the vessel. The paper also includes general information on internal coils which can be utilized for heat transfer as a stand alone option or in combination with other types of external jackets.

For blog followers, there is no registration required to download the white paper, discover:

  • Types of heat exchange surfaces
  • General application information and comparisons
  • Optional surface treatments
  • Manufacturing terms and definitions
  • Regulatory code review

Download White Paper


Apache Serves Up Large Scale Laser Cutting

large scale laser cutting

Apache’s facilities offer two 4000 watt CNC laser cutting machines. These lasers regularly handle 1/2″ thick material and pattern sizes up to 120″ x 156″. This is one of the largest cutting tables in the central Wisconsin area.

While we use the laser for Apache’s tank jobs, we also take on external contract manufacturing jobs like large mobile trailer channels and roof skins. Our turnaround time for most contract manufacturing orders is 10 business days.

If you have a large scale cutting project, give Cory Buchholz a call at 920-887-8177 or email him at cory.buchholz@apachestainless.com.


Apache Tank Heads Deliver Extreme Compliance to Pharmaceutical Processors

specialty tank heads

Apache recently completed a tank order of more than 20 specialty tanks for a pharmaceutical manufacturer. Eleven different designs were produced under strict guidelines for sanitation requirements and governing regulations.

Customized Tank Heads:

  • ASME 24” pressure manway with center mounted agitator fitting
  • Mechanically polished inside and out, with additional electropolish finish inside
  • Fully polished alcoves creating an isolated environment for technicians to access a single port on the tanks without entering the sanitary environment
  • Riboflavin tested with VAT (Vendor Acceptance Test)

Learn more about our Pharmaceutical Industry.


What is the difference between pickle passivation and electropolishing?

pickle passivation and electropolishing difference

The main difference between pickle passivation and electropolishing is the appearance and RA (roughness average) of the stainless material. In the photo, an electropolished sample is shown above a pickle passivated sample. The pickle passivated sample has a white appearance, while the electropolished sample has a mirror-like, shiny finish.

Pickle Passivation is the immersion of metal in a pickling bath such as nitric-hydroflouric acid. The process removes metal such as impurities and heat marks from welds.

Electropolishing is an electro-chemical process that removes surface material from stainless steel. The process typically starts with an immersion of the component into a controlled bath of electrolyte that is charged with a DC power supply. Apache’s RA tests show improvements up to 50% smoother, depending on the material.

Do you have more questions like this one?

Check out the Contract Manufacturing FAQs page.


Side Agitated Vertical Tank Serves as Large Stock Pot in Sauce Processing Application

This side agitator was engineered to mix food products with a high percentage of solids and viscosity in the processing of soups, sauces, marinades and gravies. The 2500 gallon tank acts as a large stock pot as part of the manufacturing process.

On the left photo, the tank (shown horizontal during manufacturing) was equipped with a half pipe jacket, which was pumped with heated fluid as required by the application. On the right, the tank head shows fittings and man way entry.

Apache’s agitation, heat transfer and finishing technologies include:

  • Vertical and horizontal agitation capabilities
  • High shear, turbine, full sweep, scraping, counter rotating and baffled technology for mixing and blending
  • Dimple jackets, half or third pipe jackets, internal coils for heating or cooling applications
  • In-house passivation, pickle-passivation and electropolishing services

For more information, visit Apache's Mix Tank page.


Apache’s Custom Capabilities Delivers All Sizes

custom sized tanks

Apache fabricates tanks from one gallon to more than 165,000 gallon capacity that are custom fabricated for processors and manufacturers all over North America.

In the photo, the large distillation tank has been loaded on the trailer is embarking to Canada. It is 9 ft. in diameter, 137 ft. long and weighs in at 160,000 lbs. with a 71,000 gallon capacity. In the upper right is a small one gallon, pickle passivated, portable research tank for a chemical processor.

Our fabrication experience is also diverse. We manufacture ASME Vessels, API-650 Vessels, Custom Mix Tanks, Storage Tanks, Evaporators, Jacketed Vessels, Columns, Heat Exchangers and Vats and Totes.

Apache’s tanks and vessels are found in the beverage, biotechnology, commercial, health and beauty, pulp and paper, biofuel, chemical, food-processing, petroleum and water treatment industries.


Subscribe To Our Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

Read More »