Careers Document Access
News | Blog

Apache Stainless Blog


Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation


5 Things to Consider Before Ordering a Tank

Apache is a custom manufacturer of tanks and vessels. Due to our customized offering, we want to provide the exact vessel you need; and that might lead to many questions and back and forth responses.  If you don't have a specification list, here are 5 recommendations for you to determine when ordering a tank.

1. Determine pressures and temperatures.  The design criteria, pressures and temperature requirements will impact material grades, thicknesses, compatibility of fittings and components, and elastomer selection.  The following items may help to determine pressures and temperatures.

  • Minimum temperature
  • Maximum allowable temperature
  • Maximum allowable pressure
  • Hydrostatic test pressure
  • Design Vacuum
  • Corrosion Allowance
     

2. Determine type of certification required.  It is advantageous to  identify the types of certification and documentation (turn-over packets) that will be required for planning purposes.  The following are common requested certificates.

 

  • As-built drawings
  • ASME data report
  • Weld traveler (Tracks material identification numbers and welders)
  • Material certificates or material test reports (MTR's, Material Test Reports to certify the chemistry of the materials)
  • Weld procedure (WPS)
  • Weld procedure qualification (PQR)
  • Weld map
  • Electropolish certificate (ASTM B912)
  • Pickle passivation cert (ASTM A380)
  • Surface finish certificates
  • Hydrostatic test certificates
  • Drainability certification
  • Sprayball test certificate
  • Tank checklist
  • Radiography certificates
  • Copy of name plate
     
3. Provide Dimensions:  In addition to the diameter and size requirements of the vessel, we also want to discover portable height and production floor restrictions.
 
4. List Finishes:  Determine the compliance requirement for finishing both inside and outside of the vessel.
 
5. Indicate use of vessel:  Even a general knowledge of the use of the vessel will help to determine design and compliance criteria.
 
Questions? Contact a Small Vessel Sales Tech at 920-356-9900

 


Blue Zones: The Year in Review

Apache is celebrating one year as a Blue Zones approved worksite. Blue Zones Project is a community-by-community well-being improvement initiative designed to support longer, better lives through permanent changes to environment, policy and social networks. Blue Zones Project is brought to Dodge County in part through sponsorship by  the Marshfield Medical Center in Beaver Dam. Dodge County is the first Blue Zones Project demonstration site in Wisconsin.

As a Blue Zones Worksite, Apache has met the official qualifications, including offering benefits and programs that provide employees with a safe and ergonomic work environment, purposeful volunteering and community engagement, support of family, social events, healthy choices, financial well-being and overall mental and health balance.

Some of the past year's activities were a monthly walk-bike-ride share promotion and drawing, quarterly volunteer incentives, organized social activities, sports related and healthy choice prizes at employee events, numerous health and wellness incentives and presentations.

During this unprecedented COVID-19 Pandemic, we are focusing on the overall health and safety of our employee-owners with specific guidelines and schedule adjustments for social distancing, continuous information, resources and flexibility to stay safe.


Small Vessel Scale-Up Solution Quadruples Production

Emerging market start-ups can have production challenges when their business takes off at a faster rate than planned. Here's a problem that Apache helped to solve.

Problem: A fast-growing botanical extraction processor was unable to produce the quantity of product needed to fulfill demand. Their process involved an imported vessel that was placed in a rudimentary ice bath for temperature control. This process resulted in waste of non-consistent product and constant staffing and manual intervention to monitor and adjust.

Solution: Apache's small vessel team provided an ASME processing vessel that completely replaced their batch process. The new vessel was designed with a thermal heat jacket that heated and cooled the product to the exact temperature required for the extraction process. The ASME vessel was jacketed with tri-clamp ferrules and included a site glass and high-pressure sanitary fittings. The vessel has a pickle passivated finish that provides ease of sanitation between batches. 

Apache's vessel runs continuously day and night; it quadrupled production, eliminated product waste and removed employee monitoring and intervention.

Learn more about Small Vessels


A Comprehensive Read on Heat Transfer Surfaces

To help inform our tank and vessel customers about jacketed vessels and heat exchange surfaces, Apache shares this e-book that in-house specialists produced, "Abstract and Attributes of ASME Vessel Heat Transfer Surfaces".

Jacketed vessels are used in many industries and can remove the elevated heat of reaction (heat reactor vessel) or reduce the viscosity of high viscous fluids. There are basically three types of external jacketed heat transfer surfaces: conventional jacket, half pipe jacket and dimple jacket, which are welded to the outside of the vessel. Internal coils can also be used as a stand alone option or in combination with other types of external jackets.

Complimentary Download


Lean Initiatives Promote Customer Loyalty

 

Every year, Apache turns approximately two million pounds of stainless and high alloy steel into large tanks, small vessels, cookers, mixers, conveyors, augers, grinders and more – and everything is custom built to precise customer specifications or provided as a proprietary solution.  Due to the nature of our custom business, Apache has a well-established continuous improvement initiative to reduce waste and control costs to drive three main goals: Eliminate Workplace Risk, Create an All-In Continuous Improvement Culture and Total Customer Satisfaction.

Eliminate Workplace Risk: Apache looks to eliminate not only big, compliance-type risks, but also small risks to employees in the workplace.  Even an ergonomic improvement that is seemingly incremental, but if eliminated throughout all manufacturing staff, will greatly increase engagement and morale as well as increase efficiency and productivity.

All-in Continuous Improvement Culture:  Apache promotes an established process through strategy teams, welding step programs, mentor and supervisor training, and tactical teams.  Communications are shared through CI TV employee videos, shop monitors, operations meetings and other internal marketing.

Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: Apache’s brand is our quality, cost, timing and service.  In reducing all types of waste, controlling costs, using resources efficiently, minimizing material handling and improving operational and educational communications, Apache will be providing the best product and service possible to the market.   

"Ultimately" does not exist with this initiative, it is a thought process of continuous improvement for the purpose to achieve and sustain operational excellence to improve the customer experience, the workplace and the lives of Apache’s employee-owners.



Compare Quality and Price with Apache Standard Vessels

Apache offers a line of standard stock pressure vessels ranging from one to 37.4 gallon capacity.

Our stock tanks feature large mouth oval opening, molded rubber bases on our 9-inch (model 90) tanks and pickle passivated finishes. In addition to our stock tank offering, we also offer options such as small mouth closures, stainless steel skirts, cart kits, dip tube variations and configurable nozzle types and optional electropolish finish.

All product contact surfaces are either 304 or 316 stainless steel.

The stock vessels are built in accordance with ASME Code specifications. As an option, we can manufacture model 99 tanks which can be certified per DOT and UN (Dept. of Transportation/United Nation) designations.

Apache's standard line of stock vessels can ship within 2 business days.

More Info

Price List


COVID-19 Announcement
COVID-19 Announcement

3.20.2020

Our company and our employees have a special responsibility right now, to help our customers who are the nation’s food, beverage, pharmaceutical and energy producers through this crisis. We will support our customers in any way possible. Even as state and federal policies tighten, we continue to adapt and innovate to support our customers who have a vital supply role.

At Apache Stainless, our people and our customers’ health and safety are our number one priority. We are taking extensive measures to make sure that our employees stay safe while still meeting the needs of our customers amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

  • We have ceased all non-essential travel
  • We are maintaining service and transportation support as current preventative regulations allow

Currently, we do not have any major disruptions in our supply chain and are monitoring it closely. Most lead times should not be significantly affected, and we are maintaining business as usual. If there is anything that we can do to help your operations stay running smoothly, please do not hesitate to contact us.

For Hope, Health and Safety,

The Apache Stainless Leadership Team

 Announcement Document


How to Plan for CRN in your Next Tanks or Vessel Project

CRN is a Canadian Registration Number issued by each province or territory of Canada for the design and manufacture of boilers, pressure vessels and fittings to be shipped for use in Canada. It is important to note that each province and territories have unique application criteria for CRN.

Some fittings, piping and components are pre-approved for CRN, while others will require detailed calculations and/or testing to verify compliance. Certain design attributes may be accepted by some provinces or territories, but not by others. Further, some provinces and territories require a PE (Professional Engineer) stamp, but not all have this requirement.

One process is consistent; each province and territory requires the submission of the design to the CRN regulatory agency and the equipment must have a CRN number before it can ship and be placed in service.

How can manufacturers and processors plan for CRN for their tank and vessel projects? Start wth early planning and consider vessels as a long lead item. Determine design and shipping requirements at the onset of scope management discussions and allow several weeks, depending on project complexity, for the CRN number to be granted.

Apache provides CRN support on new projects as well as on used vessels orginally used in domestic markets that the customer desires to place into service in Canada.

Having exported to Canada for over 40 years, Apache's small vessel and large tank team have extensive experience with Canadian regulatory requirements and documentation. Apache has produced CRN vessels for many industries including oil, gas, energy, pharmaceutical, cannabis processing, health and beauty,  and food and beverage. Apache has provided design, review and registration services for a variety of tank and vessel applications including extraction, evaporation, thermal processing, mixing and batching.

 


ANNOUNCING SECURE ONLINE TOP DOCUMENTS

Small and large vessel projects requiring TOPs (Turn Over Packets) will now be provided on a secure website.

This is a password-protected, easy access document storage website for compliance information, featuring:

  • Password access by company name (on your purchase order) with a password reset every six months.
  • Ability for the customer to set up the compliance and engineering team with access
  • All documentation packages will be in one company folder
  • Receive email notification when new documents are added

 

When you have a project requiring a TOP, Apache will provide a link on the order as well as email a link to register and set up a password.

Learn more


Starting 2020 with Community Support Activities

Apache recently organized a food drive for the Dodge County Food Pantry and we delivered enough food to fill the back of an F150 Ford pick up!

Almost 10% of Dodge County residents are food insecure; 45% are children and 25% are seniors/elderly.

Dodge County Food Pantry extends a big thank you to Apache for organizing the food drive and to employees who brought in donations, and packed, loaded and delivered food. 

The Salvation Army reports a successul Red Kettle fundraiser for the 2019 season, and is appreciative of Apache employees taking turns with shifts to sponsor an entire day of continuous bell ringing.


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 »