Cluster success stories
Success story No. 1:
During the lifespan of the cluster FTD LT, the members of the cluster have developed new very well-insulated tank truck – a semi-trailer for transporting liquid food products from a new LEAN DUPLEX steel LDX2101.
The project has been completed to a fully manufactured, certified and registered prototype, which will be used for further research, testing and promotion.
The main members of the cluster that developed the project are AB Machinery plant Astra (the name has been changed to AB Astra LT since 2020.10.01) and the Lithuanian Energy Institute, but other members of the cluster have also made significant contributions to the project development:
1) JSC „Transgroup LT“ advised on technical decisions and shared good and bad construction experiences from other manufacturers;
2) JSC „Licatrans“ advised on technical and policy decisions related to the need for tanker insulation during the transport of hot products;
3) JSC „Premium Oils“ advised on decisions related to the requirements for the transportation of hot oils and the need to create a nitrogen cushion over the transported product;
4) JSC „Vaiskona“ ir ŽŪB „Žiežmairių sodai“ Advised on issues related to the transportation of high-density liquids (apple juice concentrate is a product with a density of 1.3 kg / l) and design issues from a hygienic point of view;
5) AC-Mejerimaskiner advised on chassis dynamic calculations;
6) JSC „Aumega“ assisted in thermal insulation research and measurements of insulation properties;
7) JSC „Aksonas“ advised on strength calculations;
8) Nordic Stainless Steel Tanks OY and Nordic Stainles Steel Tanks AB advised on Scandinavian technical requirements;
9) SIA „Food Project Management“ Advised on hygiene and thermal insulation issues for transportation of milk.
The prototype will be demonstrated to potential customers in Lithuania and abroad as early as of December 2021. A number of different models are planned to be developed.
It is expected that in 3 years it will be a serial product and will be produced in 50 units per year.
Success story No. 2:
AB Machinery plant Astra started cooperating with Nordic Stainless Steel Tanks OY and Nordic Stainless Steel Tanks AB in 2016, but these were only the first steps.
At that time, AB Machinery plant Astra sold up to 25% of its production in Finland, Sweden and Norway combined.
Since 2017, the cooperation has strengthened and expanded, trust and common interests have developed in the inception of the cluster FTD LT.
Nordic Stainless Steel Tanks OY and Nordic Stainless Steel Tanks AB have started providing extensive advice to Astra on technical and commercial matters and over the year, sales to Finland, Sweden and Norway together have grown to 45% of total sales.
The peak of the collaboration is the largest and heaviest Astra product ever designed, manufactured and sold to a Norwegian company by Nordic Stainless Steel Tanks OY, a stainless steel chemical process pillar with a total length of 56 m and a weight of 80 t.
See below: https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=QLERvqsrsYo
Success story No. 3:
From 2018 till 2020 AB machinery plant Astra in cooperation with Lithuanian Energy Institute, as well as with JSC Aumega and Nordic Stainless Steel Tanks OY completed an R&D project, during which it carried out:
– studies on the heat exchange in tanks for liquid products with internal and external heat exchangers; and
– developed heat exchange calculation software, which is used to perform heat exchange calculations during the modeling and design of containers for the food industry.
The new software has been tested and validated both with a specially manufactured experimental tank and with high-volume fermentation tanks.
This software allows to calculate the optimal heat exchange parameters quickly, accurately and without redundant heat exchanger parameters, and this provides great added value for both the cluster companies and their customers, as they do not require expensive services from foreign engineering companies.
All added value is created in Lithuania!
