Manufacturer – 3Sigma
Product – Tungsten Powder
Case History #108
Background
A southeast manufacturer of highly abrasive metal powders contacted Carolina Material Technologies, our parent company, to duplicate a dry material batching system. The original system was installed in 1997 and is still operated daily.
The Solution
The company contacted Carolina Material Technologies (CMT) in search of a solution that would:
-Store one tote of tungsten powder (150-250 PCF).
-Transfer from the tote to the hopper in a dust tight fashion.
-Allow for the integration of the client’s roll conveyor. This is used to manually advance the empty “tubs” to the filling station and then roll them off when filled.
-Properly batch the tungsten powder to the “tubs”.
-Minimize maintenance – no screw feeders – as they had much poor experience with screw feeders and their fine, heavy product working its way past all types of seals and literally shutting the system down.
To Meet These Requirements 3Sigma Provided
-A 24” GeoMate Dry Material Feeder to properly batch their product. This is the same size as the original 1997 unit.
-A 25 CF MassMate mass flow hopper. The slopes are steep enough to ensure mass flow and the outlet larger than the product’s arching dimension, thereby ensuring mass flow.
-A volumetric feeder with an A-B VFD and foot pedal to allow the operator to fill each “tub” by volume.
- As this unit operates with no moving parts there are no screws, seals, bearings, bushings, etc to affect and maintain.
“Cups” to set Client’s Tote
onto the Feeder Frame
25 CF MassMate Mass
Flow Hopper
Seal Skirt to Isolate
the Hopper from
the FeedTray
24” Dia. GeoTray
Feed Tray with 6” outlet
59” Clearance for Client’s
Roller Conveyor
Results
-The dry material feeder was installed in early 2012.
-The feeding system runs identically to the original 1997 unit with the exception that this feedtray is “offset” allowing for easier operator interface.
-The customer is pleased with the system.