Apache Stainless Blog

Equipment customized to a specific process has its benefits to solve a particular need. With standard equipment, you may need to adjust your scope. It’s understandable that standard stock vessel solutions only solve for a few common applications. However, custom vessel solutions that solve a specific process may take significantly longer to spec out, design and manufacture than standard stock solutions. 

Here are tips to help reduce lead times on custom vessel projects:

1. Incorporate stock heads and stock fittings into the custom vessel design. Apache offers numerous styles of vessel heads that are kept in inventory. Head sizes range from 9”, 12”, 18” and 24”. Heads and fittings that need to be specially ordered require longer lead times.
2. Customers who can provide a general arrangement drawing before Apache’s approval process will expedite communications and reduce engineering time to determine those parameters.
3. Leverage industry standard components such as pipe fittings, pipe flanges (150# ANSI flanges) in the component list of your data sheet or bill of materials. The supply chain for standard components is typically more favorable for availability and delivery. These are often more cost effective as well.
4. Use pre-engineered, previously purchased designs. Customers who can refer to or have a repetitive project can shave up to 3 weeks off engineering time for faster delivery.
5. Discuss pre-ordering long-lead components before the approval of drawings. Collaborate with Apache’s sales techs and engineers to get a head start on critical components that fall under long lead status. With the customer’s approval, these parts can be ordered as soon as possible.

On occasion, an application may be very close to a standard vessel option. Apache has worked with customers to provide modifications to standard designs that also speed up the delivery of the order. Stock tanks include conventional styles and vacuum applications, ranging from 9” diameter to 18” diameter, and 1 gallon to 37 gallons, with pickle passivated or electropolished finishes. All of Apache’s stock tanks are built to and stamped per ASME code. It is worth considering as a faster delivery option; however not all custom solutions can be achieved by making modifications to the stock vessel designs.

As a manufacturer of custom vessels for essential industries, including pharmaceutical, life sciences, and health industries, Apache works with integrators who add their process technology to equipment and end-users who know their process and need a solution. Conversations around delivery to essential industries are top of mind.  

While delivery times are impacted by supply chain, labor shortages, and material availability, Apache will drive the conversation about delivery needs and will consult whenever possible on modifications that help to manage timing for your custom vessel project.

Vacuum or Pressure closures for small/portable ASME vessels

Many processors come to Apache for a vessel solution in the incubation stage of their business.  In some cases, they are looking for help to choose the right kind of vessel that will suit their needs and fit their budget.  While Apache provides custom ASME vessels for a range of industries, we also offer a line of standard vessels that often solve what these manufacturers need for their process.

The use of the vessel will determine whether it is a pressurized solution, non—pressurized or vacuum vessel solution. 

Vessels that require a minimum of 50 PSI, utilize a pressure closure.  Numerous applications, including heating or cooling process, containment, and pressurized dispensing often utilize pressures at or above 50 psi. 

It is important to note the safety and ASME requirements for pressure vessels, an ASME UM-mark is required for:

• Vessels 5 cubic feet of volume or smaller with pressures not exceeding 250 psi.
• Vessel 3 cubic feet of volume or smaller with pressures not exceeding 350 psi.
• Vessels 1.5 cubic feet of volume or smaller with pressures not exceeding 600 psi.

For vacuum requirements or non-vacuum applications, such as a storage vessel or collecting vessel, a vacuum closure may suit the application.

In the video, Nick Buchda, Apache’s Small Vessel Representative, demonstrates vacuum and pressure closures on our standard line of vessels.

Apache has produced stainless vessels with ASME certification for over 45 years, with other accreditations for pharmaceutical, life science and health industries including ASME UM, ASME U, FDA, 3-A, CRN, PED and BPE. 

Whether the vessel needs fit a standard vessel, modifications to a standard vessel or a custom solution, Apache has the experience to fulfill a range of critical, sanitary-design vessel solutions.