Feeders Spotlight - May 09

Heavy-Duty Weigh Belt Feeders
High-capacity, heavy-duty MH and MDH weigh belt feeders accurately measure and control feed rates of up to 3000 tn/hr. Originally designed for the cement and steel industries, these models feed materials such as limestone, mill scale, dolomite, iron ore pellets, fluorspar, and coke. The feeders were also designed to withstand harsh environmental factors, such as abrasive dusts, corrosive fumes, wide temperature fluctuations, and vibrations, without any detrimental effects on performance or accuracy.
Thayer Scale-Hyer Industries Inc., Pembroke, MA 781-826-8101 www.thayerscale.com

Regrind and Powder Feeders
This company has now incorporated regrind and powder feeders for use on all sizes of its line of Guardian gravimetric batch blending systems. The feeders are both auger type for use with difficult-to-flow sheet regrind and ground up scrap from sprews of off-spec parts, or a wide range of difficult to feed, powder materials. In most sheet, in-line thermoforming, and molding applications, customers need the capability of feeding up to 50% or more of ground scrap back into the process. By refeeding this material back through a gravimetric blending system, the amount of scrap can be controlled and recorded.
Process Control Corp., Atlanta, GA 770-449-8810 www.process-control.com

Heavy-Duty Vibratory Feeders
These vibratory feeders are designed to smoothly convey products. Flow of material is adjustable and the flow rate can be variable or fixed. Available in electric- or air-operated models, the feeders can be designed with above-, below-, or side-mounted drives and can be arranged for base mounting or overhead suspension. The units come in custom vibrating trough lengths with special trough designs available. Feeders are available in several basic models including air-operated light duty, air-operated heavy duty, twin-motor vibrating pan and grizzly feeders, electromagnetic, twin motor, and special-application feeders.
Metso Minerals Industries Inc., Brunswick, OH 800-827-9237 www.metso.com

Magnetic Belt Feeder
The MBF series magnetic belt feeder is designed to trap ferrous materials that would otherwise contaminate final products. Engineered to provide maximum elimination of metal contaminants, it consists of a belted conveyor with an integrated magnetic head pulley. As product reaches the end of the feeder’s conveyor, it passes through a magnetic field. Any ferrous tramp metals adhere to the belt and are carried around the pulley toward the return side of the conveyor. Gravity causes clean, nonferrous materials to exit and fall away from the system. Ferrous metals are carried around the head pulley and are transported away from the magnetic field where they fall from the conveyor belt, typically into a metal collections area.
Magnetic Products Inc., Highland, MI 800-544-5930 www.mpimagnet.com

Rotary Airlock Feeder
The Dust Collector Series (DCS) rotary airlock feeder is an economical valve suited for general use under dust collectors, cyclones, and hoppers. This feeder features eight-blade rotors, precision machining, and rugged cast iron housing for efficient operation. In a case where pressure differential exists, such as when feeding pneumatic conveying lines, this unit is best suited for feeding the material accordingly. These particular airlocks maintain the highest level of performance for an extended period of time. The Quick-Take-Apart (QTA) series rotary airlock feeder is made for applications where frequent removal of the valve internals is required. This valve permits tool-less removal of the rotor and end plate as one piece, thereby eliminating the time-consuming step of gapping the rotor during reassembly. When encountering alumina, coke, fly ash, glass frit, and other highly abrasive products, the Ceramic Series rotary airlock feeder sustains its durability and achieves at least 3–5 times longer life compared with chrome and Ni-hard valves.
Prater-Sterling, Bolingbrook, IL 630-759-9595 www.prater-sterling.com

Continuous Volumetric and Gravimetric Feeders
The Mechatron Coni-Steel Vibro feeder is ideal for metering a wide variety of powders, granules, chips, flakes, and fibers. With a maintenance-free feed chute, dry solid materials are gently metered for applications in the plastics, food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. A conical hopper ensures consistent material flow to the feed unit. Volumetric and gravimetric configurations of the feeder are available with complete disassembly from the nonprocess side for easy cleaning and maintenance. The stainless-steel vibratory feeder is capable of accuracies greater than ±0.5% and feed rates from 0.01 to 353 cu ft/hr.
Schenck AccuRate, Whitewater, WI 800-606-9248 www.accuratefeeders.com

Vibratory Feeder
Feeding up to 4 tn/hr, the Model 26C vibratory feeder is a rugged ac-operated unit for linear, accurate feeding of large quantities of bulk materials. This electromagnetic feeder provides a compact, robust design and can withstand significant material loading from hoppers or chutes, while maintaining consistent feed. These ac-operated electromagnetic feeders offer excellent feed adjustment and linearity to help optimize processes. This unit is commonly applied to plastics, grain, and chemical applications.
Eriez, Erie, PA 888-300-3743 www.eriez.com

Screw Feeder
This screw feeder combines the versatility of flexible hopper technology with a 2-in-1 feed screw option that improves gravimetric batch accuracy. Historically, users have had to choose between speed and accuracy; a screw large enough to provide the desired batch speed also caused feeders to routinely overshoot the set point with varying results. Because the PosiPortion feeder actually uses two independently driven screws, situated one inside of the other, it is capable of delivering precision batches fast.
Hapman, Kalamazoo, MI 800-427-6260 www.ideasthatmove.com

Volumetric Feeder
This tool-free, quick-take-apart volumetric feeder is available in sizes ranging from 2 to 6 in. in diameter. Twin-screw feeders up to 3-in. in size provide high-speed accurate feed. The feeder is modular in construction and features a heavy-duty inlet boot section. A parallel shaft gear reducer with an industry-standard C-face motor eliminates proprietary parts and provides a wide feed range. Every part is precision fabricated and is easily taken apart without the use of tools. The boot section has a flush bottom for positive draining. The feeders are suited for both volumetric and gravimetric applications. Many hopper and agitator modules are available. Units for food-grade applications are also available.
HAF Equipment Inc., Centerville, MN 651-653-5098 www.hafequipment.com

Batch and Continuous Feeders
Better-Weigh continuous feeders are used for gravimetric feeding of dry bulk materials where it is necessary to determine actual feed rates on a loss-of-weight basis. Available in seven models with feed rates from 1 to 550 cu ft/hr (larger sizes available), these units are designed to provide feeding in either batch or continuous mode depending upon the arrangement of the feeder’s control electronics. In batch mode, the batch controller is used to control the fast (bulk) and slow (dribble) speeds of the feeder. Accuracies of ±0.5% can be easily achieved in 2-lb or less batches, and ±0.25% with 3-lb or greater batches with time spans of 30–90 seconds. In continuous mode, the feeder’s electronic controller is used to constantly monitor loss-of-weight of material per time in order to maintain a continuous loss of weight with an accuracy of ±0.25 to 0.50%. Standard features include a platform or lever balance scale, sealed tactile keyboard, seven-digit numerical keyboard, automatic manual batching, and a 2- or 5-cu-ft hopper. Sanitary construction is also available.
Metalfab Inc., Vernon, NJ 800-764-2999 www.metalfabinc.com

Abrasion-Resistant Ceramic Feeder
Lined with thick ceramic coating designed to resist the most abrasive materials, the abrasion-resistant ceramic feeder offers heavy-duty design and construction. The heavy-duty construction consists of: cast body and end plate; 0.1-in.-thick ceramic bore; tungsten carbide throat protection; heavy-duty fabricated eight-vane rotor; 0.1-in.-thick tungsten carbide rotor vane and shroud tips; air purge seal connections; air gap between seals and bearings; and outboard sealed ball bearings. The feeder can be used for abrasive applications including ores, sand, feldspar, alumina, kaolin clay, raw limestone,
and more.
FLSmidth Inc., Bethlehem, PA 800-523-9482 www.fls-pt.com

Rotary Airlock Feeders
The standard-duty series is used for low-pressure conveying and dust collection applications. Heavy-duty HD series airlocks are designed for rugged applications and engineered for high-pressure, high-temperature service conditions requiring an outboard bearing style unit. The sanitary valve SV series features the Kwik-Klean and Klean-In-Place models. The CV custom valve series is designed to handle oversized materials, high pressures, or extreme temperatures.
Wm. W. Meyer & Sons Inc. Libertyville, IL 800-963-4458 www.wmwmeyer.com

Composite Feeder
The AccuFeed uses molded composite components and a modular design to reduce cost and delivery time. Available in capacities up to 600 cu ft/hr, the patented unit employs controlled vibration to achieve volumetric accuracies of ±1 to 2%. The machine disassembles quickly for cleaning and meets FDA and USDA sanitary requirements. Popular sizes are stocked for immediate delivery. AccuFeeds may be scale mounted for batch or continuous weigh feeding applications.
Vibra Screw Inc., Totowa, NJ 973-256-7410 www.vibrascrew.com

In-Line Weigh Feeder
The Model 270 weigh feeder offers a precise method for accurately metering dry solid ingredients at moderate to high rates in a compact, in-line vertical configuration. With its compact design, small footprint, and minimal height requirements, the unit requires less installed space than conventional flowmeters, weigh belts, or weight-loss-type weigh feeders with similar throughput capacities. This model has one moving part that continuously weighs and discharges dry solid materials in a completely dust-tight assembly. The unit is a zero reference weigh feeder that utilizes a mechanically counterbalanced nonload cell-based weighing system for accurate weight sensing and long-term operation.
Acrison Inc., Moonachie, NJ 201-440-8300 www.acrison.com

Discharge Trough Feeder Valve
The DTFV valve can be used in trough-style dust collectors, replacing short screw conveyors, discharge hoppers, or high-capacity units in which standard rotary airlock valves do not provide the required throughput. The valve has a maximum number of blades that contact the body at one time, leaving throughput unaffected. A substantial throat opening at the valve entry point allows for high pocket-filling efficiency. The robust body is adequately stiffened to prevent distortion, while heavy shaft diameters minimize rotor deflection.
ACS Valves, Caledonia, ON, Canada 800-655-3447 www.acsvalves.com

Variable-Rate Screw Feeder
The Series 495 Accu-Flo screw feeder features an over/under design that employs two screw feeders in one unit. The upper screw has a high-capacity variable-speed drive to achieve higher capacity feed rates in shorter feed times. The lower screw has a much lower feed rate capacity and is combined with a dribble feed, variable-speed drive for meeting higher accuracy weigh tolerances. Each feeder has its own separate drive motor for maximum performance. Options include mild steel, stainless steel, or aluminum construction.
Dynamic Air Inc., St. Paul, MN 651-484-2900 www.dynamicair.com

Boot-Mounted Rotary Feeders
This line of boot-mounted rotary feeders can be retrofitted on existing bucket conveyors or bucket elevators. The feeders are easy to install and retrofit on all bucket conveyors from 9 to 48 in. wide for added flexibility and productivity. This allows customers to expand their existing bulk materials handling processes and enhance their production capabilities with minimal investment. The feeders are powered by two vibratory motors mounted directly onto the load unit of existing bucket conveyors or elevators. This assures a controlled, consistent, and effective fill and expands the capabilities for the bucket conveyors.
Gough Econ, Charlotte, NC 800-264-6844 www.goughecon.com

Double Blade Mass Flow Feeder
The double blade mass flow feeder fits applications in facilities where several types of bulk materials of varying densities and properties are handled, and where the flow rate must be controlled. This feeder performs as a volumetric feed rate control device that can adjust to varying material flow properties. The unit has few moving parts, consumes minimal energy, and produces lower noise levels when compared with either reciprocating or vibratory-type feeders. It is a solution to the asymmetric flow problem discovered in many silos.
Pebco, Paducah, KY 270-442-1996 www.pebco.com