Cyclones/Dust Collectors: A dust collector consists of a blower, dust filter, filter-cleaning system, and a dust receptacle, or dust removal system. The most commonly used type is the inertial separator, which separates dust from gas streams using a combination of forces, such as centrifugal, gravitational, and inertial. The separated dust is moved by gravity into a hopper, where it is temporarily stored. Centrifugal collectors use cyclonic action to separate dust particles from the gas stream. Centrifugal force created by circular air flow throws the dust particles toward the wall of the cyclone. After striking the wall, these particles fall into a hopper located underneath.
Things to Consider: Efficiency, Filter media, Air flow capacity, Materials of construction, Motor sizes and power requirements, Installation method, Type of finish, Water-resistance, Electrical control options, Inlet gravity damper option, Outlet weather cap option, Internal liner and special coatings options, Hopper slide gate option, Hopper discharge or product reclamation attachments, Dimensions, Weight, Warranty.
Material Handling, Feeders/Crushers/Grinders. Feeders convey product by using vibration to create linear straight line motion without the use of conveyor belts. Two popular systems are defined by their motive power: twin motor vibrating feeders, and electromagnetic vibrating feeders. Crushers use impact, shear, compression, or abrasion to reduce a variety of solid products to a desired particle size range. Grinders use shear and abrasion to reduce the particle size of bulk materials to powder.
Things to Consider: Materials to be handled, Materials & construction, Capacity, Interior dimensions, Power source, Power requirements, Control panel features, Agency approvals, Safety features, Warranty.
Material Handling, Fillers. Fillers load dry bulk products into bags, boxes, or drums. Some systems load product by weight, others by volume. Various designs use gravity, pneumatic, auger, impeller, vibratory, or belt feeds, balance scale beam and/or electronic load-cell technology to meter dry products such as fine powders, granular materials, chunks, and pieces.
Things to Consider: Material to be handled, Capacity, Clearance below loading point, Control panel, Metering method, Dimensions, Installation requirements.
Fork Lift Trucks. These trucks are powered industrial trucks used to lift, transport, and stack materials. The modern fork lift truck is an indispensable piece of equipment in manufacturing and warehousing operations.
Things to Consider: Materials to be handled, Motive power, Fuel or electrical requirements, Load capacity, Load center, Lift height, Overall width, Aisle width along forks, Travel speed loaded, Lifting speed loaded, Indoor or outdoor use, Safety features, Maintenance requirements, Warranty.
General Material Handling. Material handling involves receiving, inspecting, transporting, weighing, storing, and shipping bulk goods and packaged products. A partial list of equipment used includes, depalletizers, palletizers, forklift trucks, platform trucks, hand carts, pallets, conveyors, stackers, bucket elevators, scales, barcode readers, drums, pails, bins, organizers, shelving, racks, boxes, crates, hoppers, storage cabinets, etc.
Things to Consider: Range of materials to be handled and stored, Range of dimensions and volumes and weights, Nature of material (gas or liquid or solid), Hazardous goods, Measuring methods for quantities and volumes, Site location, Exposure to weather, Temperature/Humidity ranges, Loading dock height requirements, Electrical requirements, Fuel requirements, Safety station requirements, Building codes, Local zoning allowing material handling activities, Human resources requirements, Equipment requirements.
Hoists. An apparatus for lifting heavy or cumbersome objects. Industrial hoists are usually comprised of a hook, a motor, a set of hand controls, and a series of gears or pulleys to provide significant mechanical advantage for lifting extremely heavy loads with minimum power input. Hand operated types are available.
Things to Consider: Materials to be handled, Motive power, Fuel or electrical requirements, Load capacity, Lifting distance, Type of brake (fail-safe), Gearing/Pulleys, Indoor or outdoor use, Safety features, Maintenance requirements, Warranty.
General Material Handling: Hoppers/ Bins/ Totes/ Bags. These equipment are generally used to handle bulk materials, such as grains, ores, or parts. Hoppers are used for in-process storage where material is loaded into the top and removed from the bottom for processing. Bins are used for temporary storage or transport. They fill from the top and are emptied by tipping or inverting. Totes are flexible bag-like equipment that load and empty in a manner similar to bins. Bags, or sacks, are flexible containers that are usually closed after filling.
Things to Consider: Hoppers: Capacity, Dimensions, Materials of construction, Metal gauge, Polyethylene strength, Type of finish, Weight, Caster option, Forklift compatibility, Self dumping option, Labeling; Bins/totes: Material & construction, Dimensions, Weight, Stacking capability, Racking compatibility, Type of finish, Labeling; Bags/Sacks: Material, Dimensions, Burst strength rating, Closing method, Clear or opaque, Labeling, Recyclability.
Mechanical Conveying Systems: The are several types of mechanical conveying systems. Belt Conveyors, consisting of two or more pulleys with a continuous belt that rotates about them, are used for general material handling such as moving boxes or transporting bulk materials. Elevator belts, having regularly spaced partitions, are used for transporting loose materials up steep inclines. Snake Sandwich Belt Conveyors use two face-to-face belts to gently but firmly contain the product being transported. Vibrating Conveyors, with trough shaped solid conveying surfaces, move product by vibration and slope. Roller Conveyors move product along a bed of small wheels that are either motor or gravity driven.
Things to Consider: Materials to be handled, Capacity, Face length, Overall width, Materials and construction, Power source, Power requirements, Control panel, Safety features, Type of finish, Vertical and horizontal travel paths.
Material Handling, Ovens: These ovens, used in industrial applications requiring less heat than kilns, are usually located astride or adjacent to material handling conveyors, and are use in applications such as warming refrigerated or thawing frozen materials for subsequent processing.They may employ either conventional or microwave heat sources.
Things to Consider: Materials to be handled, Type of oven, Capacity, Interior length/width/height, Power or fuel source, Power requirements, Control panel features, Agency approvals, Safety features, Warranty.
Material Handling, Pneumatic Conveying: These conveyors move products through various tubes via air pressure, allowing for extra vertical versatility. They are either carrier systems or dillute-phase systems; carrier systems push items from one entry point to one exit point, such as the money exchanging tubes used at a bank drive-thru window. Dillute-phase systems use push/pull pressure to guide materials through various entry and exit points.
Things to Consider: Material to be handled, Tube diameter, Density of material, Air pressure operating range, Compressor requirements, Power requirements, Maximum horizontal and vertical extents, Number of entry and exit points.
Racks. A framework or stand in or on which to hold, hang, or store parts, equipment, and supplies.
Things to Consider: Materials to be handled, Type of storage, Indoor or outdoor, Capacity per shelf, Materials & construction, Ease of assembly and disassembly, Ease of adding-on additional racks, Foundation requirements, Fastening requirements, Adjustability, Unobstructed access requirements, Types of finishes, Dimensions, Weight.
