Smart Phone Apps for Powder and Conveying Industries Make Problem-Solving EasierSmart Phone Apps for Powder and Conveying Industries Make Problem-Solving Easier

October 15, 2014

3 Min Read
Powder Bulk Solids logo in a gray background | Powder Bulk Solids

By Joe Florkowski

That complex equation holding up your conveying process is becoming easier to solve as more companies within the powder and bulk solids industry develop apps for smart phone-based platforms such as Android and Apple.

Engineers and facility managers no longer need to flip through a book or perform calculations on a scratch paper if they have the right app in their pocket.

There are practical applications for apps and part of their development is to get as much information into customers’ hands as possible, according to Corey Poppe, marketing manager for Minnesota-based Superior Industries. “In the past, there were technical questions that you had to call in an engineer or consult a book,” Poppe said. “It wasn’t at your fingertips.”

Superior Industries, which provides conveying equipment and related equipment for the powder and bulk industry, developed the ConveyCalc app for iPhone and Android phones. The free app figures out such calculations as stockpile volume, operating cost, belt capacity, and more. It took less than a month to develop the ConveyCalc app, which was released in 2012. Poppe estimates that, since its release, the app has about 5000 downloads.

The Superior app was developed in-house using app-making software and Superior staff. “If you are blessed with the right person, you can make it happen on the cheap,” said Poppe.

Search engine optimization metrics led Silverson Machines to develop its Silverson Conversion tools app, according to Matt Smith, sales director for the United Kingdom-based company.

Silverson Machines found that more customers were accessing the company’s website through mobile phones. Initially, Silverson thought that no one would view the company’s site through a mobile phone but SEO metrics showed a different story.

Available on Android and iPhones, the Silverson app features a variety of tools to help users convert a variety of measurements, most notably a tank volume calculator. Silverson released its Conversion Tools app in May 2013.

Silverson used Illinois-based Quiet Light Communications to develop the app. The cost was not astronomical to develop, according to Smith. Smith estimates that the app downloads have been in the thousands and have met Silverson’s expectations. “We’re reasonably satisfied,” Smith said. “It was sort of stepping into the unknown for us.”

The Gemco Valve Converter app was created in 2009 for little-used measurements in the powder and bulk industry, according to Jim Lenihan, president of New Jersey-based Gemco Valve. Since the app’s introduction Lenihan estimates the app has been downloaded more than 1000 times.

Lenihan says the app was developed as a way give something to the industry that engineers put on their phone or on their desktop. But it also serves a marketing purpose. “It lends credibility,” he said. “It repeats your brand name.”

The app did not take a lot of time to create and most of the time of its development was spent in getting the Android and Apple approval. In terms of cost, Lenihan said it might be the same as adding a new page to your company web site.

While initial downloads have fallen off since the first year it was introduced, Lenihan said the app has proven useful to customers and internal staff who have used it in meetings. “It’s just one more resource we have,” said Lenihan. “It’s a good tool to have.”

Poppe said that feedback from customers on the Superior Industries app has been positive, especially from those who have used Superior catalogues for their information.

“As soon as we tell them about the app, they forget about the catalogues,” said Poppe.

For related articles, news, and equipment reviews, visit our Instrumentation & Process Control Equipment Zone
 

 

Sign up for the Powder & Bulk Solids Weekly newsletter.

You May Also Like