Name / Department: Lou Schwartz / Pneumatic Transport Technology Department
Focus Industry Experience
Lou joined Fuller Company, the predecessor of FL Smidth, in 1989 after graduation from Lehigh University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He quickly became known in the organization as the "go to" person for anyone who needs to know how a particular material behaves in different types of pneumatic conveying systems. Lou worked in the old test lab until he was tasked with designing a new Materials Testing Facility. Then, he managed the new facility until 2001. During this time, he learned more than anyone would ever want to know about various bulk materials – from cement and ground slag, to limestone, gypsum and clays; from foundry sand to urea, trona and catalysts; from plastic pellets and PVC to brewers malt and animal feeds. For a recommendation on the design parameters for conveying nearly any material, Lou is the one to talk to.
In his present position as Manager of the Technology Group, Lou is responsible for the conveying systems design effort, sales support, product development and improvement projects, assisting with system commissioning and troubleshooting any field problems. However, the Material Testing Facility is still his "baby". Lou says he is very proud of the capabilities of the MTF and the technological advantages it brings to FLS in pneumatic conveying of bulk materials.
FBH / FLS Product Expertise
Lou describes himself as "hands-on and practical" and says he says he knows all of the FL Smidth equipment lines very well, but his focus is on breadth rather than depth when it comes to product knowledge. Lou likes working with pressure tank systems the best, such as the Modu-Dense, Modu-Flo MT, Fullveyor and EZ Flow products. He finds dense phase conveying systems more interesting and challenging than other system types.
Major Technical Contributions
Lou says his most significant contribution to FL Smidth was the design and construction of the Material Testing Facility. While this may be true, he also contributed significantly in nearly all of the present FL Smidth product lines. During the 1990's, when polymer production plants were being expanded, Lou assisted with and then directed the development of some specialized products for the polymer finishing area of polyethylene, polypropylene and specialty resin production plants. Notably, he refined the Gravi-Merge blender products, worked on improvements and expansion of the Fulload railcar filling system and Delta Zone Separator for high-efficiency cleaning of pelletized plastic resins. Due to this work, FL Smidth became one of the major worldwide suppliers for the polymer production industry.
A recent significant project is the study of Packset in Portland cement. For years, this known but previously unnamed handling characteristic plagued cement producers. Why would a commodity like cement flow easily and convey at high rates at one plant, while at another, cement with the same specifications bridges in the silos and requires excessive pressure in the pneumatic conveying system? Lou has led FL Smidth through the intricacies of learning to define and measure Packset so we can determine how to predict material behavior in a conveying system when a certain Packset number is specified or measured.
Lou may be a little bit modest about his contributions to advancing the technology of FL Smidth, but his colleagues still describe him as the FLS Pneumatic Conveying Expert.
Customer Support Philosophy
Lou thinks that the most important factor in customer support is to stand behind the company's products. Although, the vast majority of projects run smoothly and the equipment meets or exceeds the customer's expectations, a very small percentage of projects need special attention. Lou expresses a great deal of satisfaction in his efforts with a few customers over the years. He talks about the ten trips he made to a Midwest engine foundry in the early days of dense phase booster technology development. Lou had to first figure out why the system would not operate smoothly and then train both FL Smidth people and the customer's personnel on the fine tuning required to keep the 12" convey lines, full of sand, from shaking the roof trusses in the plant. At the end of the startup period, the customer was pleased and purchased 3-4 similar systems as a result.
Lou shakes his head when he recalls the effort it took to understand the effects of Packset in a 2300' large-diameter pipeline at a cement terminal. He says he and several members of his group really went the distance on that project and as a result a successful solution was worked out with the customer, while FL Smidth advanced our technology in long-distance, high-capacity conveying systems. With the new technology and an improved system sizing model, Lou has under development, we will be able to achieve higher conveying rates and more accurate sizing of the long distance systems.
Overall, it is important to build a rapport with the customer. Lou says he first tries to address the concerns and look at the world from the customer's perspective. Then it is necessary to explain the equipment in clear, simple terms and emphasize correct operating procedures and the consequences of improper operation. Clear communication of the status of any project is a must and if all of this is done, a mutual trust will develop and the end result will be total customer satisfaction.
When Not Working at FL Smidth:
Lou invests his non-working hours in spending time with his wife and two young daughters. He likes wood working, and on those occasions when he can find the time, Lou relaxes with a fishing pole at a quiet stream.