Graco’s QUANTM electric diaphragm pump is redefining fluid transfer efficiency, delivering higher torque, lower energy use and proven reliability in the field.
As Stuart Jackway attests, Graco is ubiquitous.
“We’re involved in basically anything that man manufactures,” Jackway, Graco Australia’s senior account manager, told Pump Industry.
“If you’ve ever sat in a BMW car, for example, you’ve sat on leather sprayed by Graco equipment. Our electrostatic equipment has sprayed the paint on Qantas aeroplanes, while we also pump peanut butter and Vegemite, just to name a few applications.”
The global fluid solutions company, which operates in over 100 countries and boasts net sales exceeding $2.1 billion, has carved out a reputation driven by its omnipresence, with its products serving as important solutions in both common and niche applications.
A legacy of innovation
Graco’s constant pursuit of innovation, bred from when brothers Russell and Leil Gray launched Gray Company in 1926 to market an air-powered, portable lubricator, has seen its pump technology enter uncharted territory.
The QUANTM range of electric diaphragm pumps is disrupting the market with a new compact, energy efficient and durable solution that promises to slash total cost of ownership for end users.
With energy efficiency of nearly 85 per cent, compared to 10–15 per cent for air-operated diaphragm pumps (AODDs) and approximately 60 per cent for other electric pumps, QUANTM delivers reduced power consumption, especially at low speeds; noise reduction of 23 per cent dBa; a broader continuous operating range thanks to high torque at low RPM; and improved reliability with only one moving part – the motor rotor.
QUANTM is redefining fluid transfer technology, stripping gearboxes and variable speed drives (VSDs) from the machine to deliver a next-generation electric-powered solution.
“Traditional AODDs are powered by compressed air, which is expensive to generate, whereas an electric pump only consumes about one-fifth of the energy than that of its pneumatic peer,” Jackway said.
efficient and durable solution. Image: Graco
QUANTM features a gearless FluxCore electric motor that delivers up to eight times more continuous torque at low speeds.
“QUANTM holds a 60-pole motor, which can generate an incredible amount of torque,” Jackway said. “The technology increases the torque and power density while minimising the size and resistance to losses.
“The higher the torque, the lower the heat generation as well, which prevents the machine from overheating, making it suitable to a wider range of applications, particularly in harsh environments.”
And because the machine’s high-torque density design displaces the need for gears, belts and a VSD, it’s a fraction of the weight – a 1” aluminium QUANTM unit weighs 29kg compared with Graco’s previous 1” aluminium model, which weighs about 65kg.
The QUANTM machine boasts a simple, low-resistance circular coil and steel stator to drive efficiencies and reduce maintenance complexity.
As Jackway explained, there’s additional benefits to a more compact design.
“Gearboxes and VSDs are expensive, with the latter costing up to $2000 as an additional expense,” he said.
“While competitor models require VSDs to speed up or slow down their motor, ours is built into a control box, which controls the machine either by using pressure or flow rate. It has two options.”
QUANTM’s turndown ratio easily exceeds 50:1 without the need for additional cooling fans for the motor.
“Because of QUANTM’s torque capacity, the pump generates less heat, and its thermatic fan is only required on-demand in extreme high load conditions.”
QUANTM pumps feature leak detectors as standard, which are driven by optical sensors.
“Leak detectors normally have two probes and are conductive, just like electricity,” he said.
“QUANTM, on the other hand, has an optical sensor, so when fluid moves into the area, rather than relying on contact, it sees it and safely shuts the pump down, preventing material ingress into electrical components.”
An automatic stall feature eliminates the need for pressure sensors and additional controllers, limiting downtime caused by clogged lines or closed valves, while QUANTM’s plug-and-play design fits any 240V or 380V/480V outlet, enabling seamless replacement of existing pumps without infrastructure rework.
“You can simply take this out of the box and plug it into a three-phase or single-phase outlet,” Jackway said. “You don’t need electricians to fit this up.”
New application areas
QUANTM opens the door to applications previously out of reach for AODD and electric-powered pumps.
For facilities adding automation and control, QUANTM offers remote input capabilities and superior controllability. In plants with limited access to compressed air or where clean, dry air is a challenge, QUANTM provides a reliable, air-free alternative.
Its lightweight, compact design makes it ideal for mobile applications, where it can be easily mounted on carts and transported to CIP/COP (clean-in-place/clean-out-of-place) rooms or remote areas with electrical access.
This mobility also reduces contamination risks by eliminating dirty exhaust air. QUANTM can even operate on 12/24VDC with an inverter, making it perfect for off-grid or solar-powered environments.
Its small footprint allows installation in tight or hard-to-reach spaces, giving engineers more flexibility in facility design and retrofits.
Proven in the field
QUANTM has been proven in the world’s “harshest extremities”, including in the Pilbara region of Western Australia where temperatures nudge 50°C.
“A distributor challenged me on QUANTM’s capability,” Jackway said. “But once he went away and tested the machine, he faced no issues and was suitably impressed by its performance.
“And this is just one example of a number of others, where customers are naturally challenging the QUANTM concept. Each time they have come back with praise for the machine’s performance.”
Redefining the way diaphragm pumps are designed, QUANTM challenges traditional pump engineering methodologies.
But with the advantages indisputable, and testimonials rapidly growing, QUANTM is revolutionising pump capability, where extreme torque capacity underpins higher energy efficiency and a sturdier machine over the long run.
For more information, visit graco.com.
This feature appeared in the Summer 2025/26 edition of Pump Industry.
