Naylors are the name behind Novoform, a strong, flexible, time-saving, no-waste and cost-effective solution for building projects where piling has been required. Composed of welded steel mesh panels, Novoform components are made-to-measure, with each length prefabricated for each project. These are laid into the ground before concrete is poured in and cured. A shrink-wrapped outer layer adds integrity and acts as a water-porous membrane between the concrete and surrounding backfill without adding weight or bulk.
Although Naylors have owned YPS-supplied wrappers for this application for years, Novoform’s popularity has been growing rapidly. To meet demand, they identified that a second system was required. A specialised heavy-duty ‘Norket’ line was supplied, comprised of a 2.7-metre-wide inline sleeve sealer and tunnel, achieving a huge 54% upturn in output.
The equipment was upgraded to accommodate Naylor’s large mesh panels and to ensure strong seals capable of withstanding the product’s high-impact functionality. Using a bespoke ‘pressing’ system at the outfeed of the line, a pair of pneumatic horizontal rollers exert very high-pressure on each pack to bond the layers of film together tightly between the mesh wires. Although Novoform panels are wide, they measure less than 5mm thick, making them tricky to detect. To recognise these slimline panels, YPS upgraded the sealer to include a specialist product detection system. Furthermore, UKCA-compliant interlocked guarding and fencing was installed around the line to guarantee operator safety and an integral hoist system fitted to support the lower web of film, which can weigh 180kgs.
The shrink tunnel boasts a perfectly balanced airflow that is notoriously hard to achieve with
competitor equipment. Where most blow air into the chamber from both ends, the Norket employs multiple inverter-controlled fan motors at differing positions which target air as required throughout the unit, achieving optimum shrinkage.
