Technology Review 243

Rotating Drum Magnet
Rotating drum magnets are designed for continuous self-cleaning of ferrous materials from product flow streams. As product enters the housing inlet, an adjustable feed gate meters the flow of product to the drum face. The drum has a stationary internal magnet with an outer drum that rotates. When product passes over the powerful magnetic field, ferrous materials are attracted to the drum surface where they are safely held onto until the ferrous material passes through the magnetic field, where it is discharged to the rear of the drum housing. Cleaned filtered product is discharged to the front of the drum housing.
Puritan Magnetics Inc., Oxford, MI 248-628-3808 www.puritanmagnetics.com

Automatic Gates
Industrial-grade AutoAire automatic gates can supply dust-collection air where and when it is needed, thereby “stretching” available air or eliminating wasted capacity. Solenoids (available in most voltages) control the air cylinders, opening and closing the gates as the machine or operation is turned on. The gates operate without individual controllers but can be tied to controllers, programmable logic controllers, or variable frequency drives to provide extensive system control. They are available in 3-in. and larger sizes.
K&B Duct, Greensboro, NC 866-562-3828 www.kbduct.com

Belt Conveyor
The 5200-series QWIK conveyor system comes with a completely contained belt. This design feature improves worker safety by eliminating catenary sag and reducing pinch points of the belt as it moves around the pulley and along the frame. The specially designed UHMW plastic hold-down strips contain the belt by wrapping around the ends of the conveyor, reducing the chances of getting a finger caught during operation. It allows end-users to modify the length, or even add or remove a curve, to adjust to changing applications.
Dorner Manufacturing, Hartland, WI 800-397-8664 www.dorner.com

Automated Bulk Bag Discharger
This automated bulk bag discharger was designed to discharge contents from a bulk bag to the customer’s tote and from one bin to another. The simple and totally dust-free system includes a custom-designed hopper with a removable offset knife assembly that is designed to pierce and cut the bottom of the bulk bag around the spout. A dust-collection system is integrated to eliminate dust from the work area.
NBE Inc., Holland, MI 616-399-2220 www.nbe-inc.com

Sanitary Pneumatic Conveyors
P-series conveyors (P10, P30, P100) provide a sanitary, custom solution for difficult conveying applications. Sanitary design features include steep cone angles to ensure excellent discharge and band clamps for quick disassembly. Typical materials include tablets, capsules, flakes, and free-flowing to poorly flowing powders, specifically materials that need gentle conveying. The systems perform pneumatic, vacuum, dilute-phase, and dense-phase conveying. Conveying rates vary depending on the model, product characteristics, and conveying distances.
Premier Pneumatics Inc., Salina, KS 785-825-1611 www.premierpneumatics.com

Export Pallet
Manufactured of recycled material, the 48 × 40–in. export pallet is durable, environmentally friendly, and lightweight. It meets all international shipping standards, saving time and money from import restrictions on wood pallets. Designed for cost-efficient, one-way shipping, the pallet provides the features of reusable plastic pallets for better product protection and shipping economy compared with wood pallets. The pallet features an open deck (closed deck optional) and four-way fork entry for easy handling by pallet jacks and forklifts. One-piece, injection-molded construction provides superior strength, with a dynamic load capacity up to 2000 lb. Pallets nest when empty to reduce storage and handling costs.
Buckhorn, Milford, OH 800-543-4454 www.buckhorninc.com

Drum Separators
These drum separators remove both large and small pieces of iron contaminants from material processing lines. Powerful Erium permanent magnets separate ferromagnetic particles automatically, achieving high levels of purity in food, grain, chemicals, plastics, metals, rock products, ores, and more. Type CC/crisscross circuit drum separators ensure maximum tramp-iron removal in heavy-duty applications. The Type A/agitator-type drum automatically removes difficult-to-separate magnetic materials from nonmagnetic materials. The Type RE/rare-earth drum is used in applications in which a high degree of product purity is required. The Model HFP/drum-in housing with feed protection performs controlled feed and discharge functions.
Eriez, Erie, PA 888-300-3743 www.eriez.com

Vacuum Dryer
Equipped for multiple functionality, the Ploughshare vacuum dryer homogeneously mixes dry ingredients, injects liquids, and efficiently vacuum dries the material to a final product. The Ploughshare technology creates a mechanically fluidized-bed mix action that rapidly mixes the dry solids and facilitates the quick and even dispersion of the added liquids. Optimizing the drying process, the dryer’s high-speed choppers deagglomerate and control particle size. The unit can be configured with a heating jacket, a pulseback filter, and a vacuum system.
Littleford Day Inc., Florence, KY 800-365-8555 www.littleford.com

Pharmaceutical Wraparound Labeling System
This heavy-duty labeling system was designed to apply wraparound labels to 3-ml and 10-ml cylindrical glass vials. To ensure accurate and consistent product handling, a custom wrap station and vertical roller assembly were designed specifically for this machine. The vertical roller assembly stabilizes and controls the glass vials and references the container sidewall as the label is being applied, minimizing the challenges of dimensionally inconsistent glass. The dual remote-powered unwind provides minimal label changeover time.
Quadrel Labeling Systems, Mentor, OH 800-321-8509 www.quadrel.com

Portable Vehicle Truck Scale
The DiamondBack 8560 portable vehicle truck scale features a pair of dual main beams and bottom plates that run longitudinally along the scale. Steel stringers run along the entire length of the truck scale, providing added strength where it is most needed—under the path of the truck tires. The heavy-duty welded-steel deck plate resists deflection and has been designed to withstand the daily abuses of heavy loads driving across it.
Thurman Scale, Columbus, OH 800-688-9741 www.thurmanscale.com

Tilt Switch Probes
Series LTS tilt switch probes can sense either the presence or absence of material when other sensors do not work because of bin vibration or because actual walls are not available for mounting other types of measuring units. The probes are designed for use where the bulk material to be sensed is exposed or open. Typical applications include high- or low-level detection in large hoppers, silos, crushers or trippers, high-level control under stackers, and detection of plugged conditions at conveyor transfer points. The probes can also be used to detect the presence or absence of bulk material on belt conveyors, on chutes to indicate product flow, and to aid in loading rail cars or trucks.
Dwyer Instruments Inc., Michigan City, IN 800-872-9141 www.dwyer-inst.com

Printer Applicator
This high-performance RFID-ready printer applicator labels various products, shipping cases, and pallets up to 100 lb/min. Features include all-quick-disconnect electronics and pneumatics; an apply-only module that can be configured to apply preprinted labels using a standard tamp or wipe-on; and pneumatic options for side, top, leading panel, adjacent side, or corner wrap applications.
Quadrel Labeling Systems, Mentor, OH 800-321-8509 www.quadrel.com

Shock Recorder
The OM-CP-Ultrashock101-50-EB is a battery-powered, three-axis shock recorder that measures and records temperature, pressure, and humidity at the selected reading rates, while shock is recorded at the peak acceleration levels. This all-in-one compact, portable, easy-to-use device measures and records up to 170,000 measurements per channel, or over 1 million measurements total. This device is well suited for documenting dynamic environments such as moving vehicles, trucks, containers, ships, etc.
Omega Engineering Inc., Stamford, CT 203-359-1660 www.omega.com

High-Speed Mixer
The Jumbo Quik Mix combines a material-dispersing paddle with a direct-drive vertical auger to create a high-speed blending action that ensures complete uniform mixing of pellets, regrinds, color concentrates, and other free-flowing materials in 30 minutes or less for batches up to 25,000 lb. After the batch-mixing cycle is completed, the material is discharged into Gaylords or to a pneumatic conveying pickup point. The batch timer and motor controls are simple and easy to use, and the mixer’s rugged construction enables years of trouble-free operation in the harshest plant environments. 
NBE Inc., Holland, MI 616-399-2220 www.nbe-inc.com

Tilted Mixers
This company has introduced a new design option for its line of change-can mixers, including the PowerMix, double-planetary, VersaMix, and dual-shaft designs. The new tilting design allows automated discharge from a tilted mix can to a receptacle placed under the can on a bench. This feature simplifies the transfer of materials to secondary processes and eliminates the need for an operator to move the can from the mixing position. It also provides a completely accessible mix can for cleaning between batches. Shown is the PowerMix, which combines a powerful planetary mixing blade revolving in combination with a separate high-speed dispersion blade. Each revolves on its own axis as well as on a common axis, and each can have its speed varied independently of the other.
Charles Ross and Son Co., Hauppauge, NY 631-234-0500 www.mixers.com

Bulk Bag Discharger
The Universal Type 2 bulk bag discharger provides controllable discharge by volume of poor-flowing materials without wastage or spillage, increasing productivity and promoting a cleaner work environment. The unit controls flow by means of a highly accurate, highly repeatable integral flexible screw conveyor. Directly coupled to the base of the discharger, the conveyor meters the flow of big bag contents to the customer’s process vessel. The discharger is well suited for all big bag types, accommodating sizes up to 6 ft high and up to 2 tn in weight. A dust control connection facilitates linkage to the factory dust extraction system or to a local dust collector integrated with the discharger.
Spiroflow Systems Inc., Monroe, NC 704-291-9595 www.spiroflowsystems.com

Heavy-Duty Gravity-Flow Metal Detector
Designed for high-volume dry-processing applications, the GravityFlowHD metal detector is compact and easy to operate. It has a high-speed reject system that minimizes product loss. Providing high sensitivity, the unit detects ferrous, nonferrous, and stainless-steel contaminants in bulk powdered products. Constructed of stainless steel with a user-friendly washdown-rated control panel, the detector enables simplified operation and maintains a stringent inspection standard. It also offers simple in-line testing and performance validation.
Mettler-Toledo Safeline Inc., Tampa, FL 800-447-4439 www.mt.com/safelineus

Gravimetric Inventory Management System
The Gravimetric inventory management system weighs repelletized material prior to its being reprocessed or stored as inventory and can verify delivered resins before entering them into inventory. The system can be configured to operate in a continuous mode for loading silos or other surge bins for storage or as a batching system for loading Gaylord boxes for storage. It can provide totals for a given production shift, a complete production run, or an overall running total of material. Pellet material is conveyed either from a pelletizer, storage, or delivery unit into a surge hopper via a pressure or vacuum system. The surge hopper has a high-level view window for quick visual inspection of the material level within the bin, as well as a cleanout door and a high-level proximity sensor. The sensor shuts down the conveying system and prevents the system from overfilling. The material is then discharged from the surge hopper through a slide-gate into a weighed hopper. The material is discharged through a second metering gate into a Gaylord box or is conveyed to either a storage silo or storage bin via a vacuum or pressure system.
Process Control Corp., Atlanta, GA 770-449-8810 www.process-control.com

Dividable Storage Bin
The dividable VantageBin features integrated channels for dividers that create up to 10 compartments for a customizable, efficient storage system. The bin is 24 × 5½ × 7 in. and fits standard 24-in.-deep or -wide shelving. It is well suited for countertop and worktable use. Bins nest when empty to conserve storage space. Dovetailed divider edges securely lock dividers into the integrated channels and help maintain bin shape under heavy loads. Molded from sturdy polypropylene for long-lasting strength and durability, the bin is available in gray or white.
Akro-Mils, Akron, OH 800-253-2467 www.akro-mils.com

Digital Panel Meter
The rugged Series DPMX digital panel meter with universal power supply can be used for most types of process measurement. It can be viewed easily from across a room or in dark areas. The 2.3-in. LED segments are available in red, green, or blue. These panel meters come equipped with a universal power supply and user-selectable process inputs to fit most applications. A mounting bracket is included that can be adjusted up to 180°.
Dwyer Instruments Inc., Michigan City, IN 800-872-9141 www.dwyer-inst.com

Pneumatic Screw Pump
This pneumatic screw pump is a heavy-duty dry-material injection pump that is designed to feed dry, pulverized material into a pneumatic conveying line. The pump can handle highly abrasive, friable, or very fine powders that wear out other dilute-phase feeders. It uses the materials to form the seal. An integrated gate prevents blowback, and the pump can handle temperatures up to 450°F. It features a heavy steel channel frame, oversized bearings, an integral check valve, and low inlet-hopper height. Product does not make contact with the bearings. The pump offers conveying pressures up to 15 psi.
Wm. W. Meyer & Sons Inc., Libertyville, IL 800-963-4458 www.wmwmeyer.com

Continuous Attritor
The C-60 continuous attritor aids in the grinding of ceramic material pulled from a manufacturer’s waste stream. The unit features stationary arms that are built into the sides of the grinding tank and help to interrupt massing or buildup. It also decreases the amount of wear on the tank. The stainless-steel grinding tank has a gross volume of 79 gal and is jacketed for cooling. The attritor is also equipped with a stainless-steel inlet assembly with a check valve. The media-discharge valve is located at the bottom of the tank. Continuous attritors are ideal for continuous production and for fast grinding of large quantities of material. They deliver low-cost, low-maintenance operation. Common materials ground include ceramics, paints, chocolate and other food products, paper coatings, and metal oxides.
Union Process Inc., Akron, OH 330-929-3333 www.unionprocess.com

Heavy-Duty Safety Air Gun
The heavy-duty safety air gun is a powerful air gun that safely removes chips, dust, and other contaminants from products, machinery, and work surfaces. The ergonomic composite rubber grip and wide-curved trigger make it comfortable for hours of use without operator fatigue. It has a durable cast aluminum body that is well suited for rugged, industrial environments. It uses a larger 3/8-in. NPT compressed air inlet to increase the airflow available to the Super Air Nozzle, resulting in higher force and flow than ordinary air guns.
Exair Corp., Cincinnati, OH 800-903-9247 www.exair.com

Laser Coder
Combining high-speed coding and 50 W of laser power in one mobile unit, the Videojet 3430 laser marking system provides high speeds for high-throughput lines and an IP65-rated housing for increased reliability, even in dirty and wet environments. Flexible system components, such as an articulated arm and a small marking head, provide seamless integration in tight production-line areas. Marking speeds of up to 2000 characters/sec and line speeds up to 50 ft/sec are possible. The unit is well suited for applications that demand fast and flexible data transfer and marking processes, such as beverage, brewing, food, packaging, and extrusion applications.
Videojet Technologies Inc., Wood Dale, IL 800-843-3610 www.videojet.com

Vibratory Rotary Feeders
Boot-mounted rotary feeders can be retrofitted on existing bucket conveyors from 9 to 48 in. wide and on existing bucket elevators. Powered by two vibratory motors that mount directly onto the load unit of existing bucket conveyors or elevators, the feeder ensures a controlled, consistent, and effective fill and expands the capabilities of the company’s Swinglink heavy-duty bucket elevators and the Econ-O-Lift bucket conveyors.
Gough Econ, Charlotte, NC 800-264-6844 www.goughecon.com