Spiral Conveyors
The term "spiral conveyor" refers to one of two types of material handling conveyor equipment, each which falls under a separate material handling category and caters to different industrial markets. The first type of spiral conveyor is a bulk material handling screw conveyor and the second is a belt or slat conveyor. Bulk material handling screw conveyors use an enclosed spiral screw in order to move loose bulk particles and powders vertically, while belt conveyors, in this case, use belts or slats to vertically transport items such as boxes, parcels, packages and food products. So, what bulk material handling screw conveyors and belt or slat spiral conveyors have in common is the fact that they move products up and down, rather than on a horizontal plane, and that they are both overhead monorail conveyors.
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Benefits of Spiral Conveyors
Spiral conveyors offer their users many advantages, including efficiency, increased ease of material transportation, flexibility in design, longer belt life (should the conveyor use a belt), generally improved material transfer, customizability and increased stability of packages and decreased spillage of materials as they move. They also require little maintenance. Concerning customizability, most spiral conveyors are available in a variety of standard and custom configurations, including configurations that feature: clockwise operation, counterclockwise operation, reversible operation, dual track spirals, narrow track spirals, high capacity spirals, multiple entry and exits, mass flow spiral and vertical accumulation buffers. Furthermore, they are available in a wide variety of sizes, which makes them accessible to more applications. Another important advantage of spiral conveyors is that the motorized screw/spiral feed portion of spiral conveyors can be joined with any standard conveyor, thus cutting out the need for synchronized or intermediate handling systems above or below, as well as their complex control systems. This, in turn, saves manufacturers great time and money. Also, spiral conveyors can work on a continuous basis.
Design of Spiral Conveyors
Spiral conveyors offer manufacturers the ability to convey almost any item that a belt or roller conveyor can, but without the need for pre-lift staging, operator supervision, loading trays or special product orientation. All spiral conveyors that deal in packaged material handling are designed in such a way that they maintain proper product orientation. In other words, they are designed so that a product doesn’t topple over or sit on its side. In addition, the helical design of spiral belt conveyors makes it possible for products to be moved up and down while using only a small fraction of the floor space required by conventional belt conveyors that seek similar elevation differentials. Those spiral conveyors that transport liquid, semi-liquid, powderized and small materials may be rigid or flexible. In addition, they may or may not feature a shaft. If they do feature a shaft, the spiral blade coils around it and is held at one end while driven at the other. The blade of shaftless spiral screw conveyors, on the other hand, is typically free at one end and driven at the other. However, regardless, all spiral screw conveyors use a motorized screw that rotates inside an enclosed tube.
Applications of Spiral Conveyors
Some of the industries that spiral screw conveyors serve include: agriculture, chemical processing, consumer product, food processing and wood fiber processing. Belt spiral conveyor systems, on the other hand, serve industries such as distribution, food processing, packaging and assembly, parcel handling and general manufacturing. In addition, parcel handling spiral conveyors can transport packages in settings such as airports, food and beverage manufacturing plants, parts assembly warehouses, shipping warehouses and other industrial processing plants that require vertical transportation of delicate or large parcels. Spiral screw conveyors process many different materials, such as aggregates, clinker, coal, fertilizers, gypsum, limestone, petroleum coke, potash, pills, plastic pellets, powdered chemicals, sand, sugar, sulphur and tea. This fact also allows for manufacturers, should they wish, to not only transport but mix materials with precision and ease.
Things to Consider When Purchasing Spiral Conveyors
To find out if and what type of spiral conveyors are right for you, contact an experienced conveyor manufacturer with your specifications. Whether you seek a spiral conveyor to be integrated into an existing system or you wish for a brand-new spiral conveyor system built from scratch, the right solution for you is out there. The most durable and well-made spiral conveyors are made by conveyor manufacturers that are skilled and seasoned, and you will find such manufacturers by browsing the websites of those listed on this page. Any manufacturer listed here will be glad to assist you in your endeavors and cater to your needs. Explore their websites and reach out today!