Conveying equipment operates between process steps, linking storage, mixing, packaging, and loadout. A worn bearing in a drag conveyor feeding a packaging line, or a misaligned screw conveyor discharging into a mixer, can idle both upstream and downstream operations within minutes. When functioning properly, it is almost invisible. When it falters, production instability follows quickly.

Across industries represented in bulk solids handling — food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, minerals, biomass, and pet food — conveying systems frequently accumulate the highest runtime hours in a facility. Drag conveyors may run continuously under load. Screw conveyors often operate in abrasive service. Belt systems may span long distances with minimal interruption. Tubular drag conveyors can cycle continuously in enclosed sanitary environments. Despite this, they are sometimes viewed as secondary assets rather than core infrastructure.

Maintenance strategy ultimately determines whether these systems remain reliable contributors to plant performance or become recurring sources of disruption.

The Economics Behind Reliability

The financial impact of unplanned downtime has been widely documented across manufacturing sectors. Industry research over the past several years has estimated average unplanned downtime costs ranging from approximately $25,000 per hour in moderate-scale operations to well over $100,000 per hour in large or highly integrated facilities, depending on product value and operational complexity.

While exact figures vary by industry, the broader takeaway is consistent: unplanned equipment failure is expensive. The direct loss of production is only part of the equation. Secondary impacts often include:

• Overtime labor
• Expedited parts procurement
• Schedule reshuffling
• Contractual penalties or missed shipments
• Increased scrap or rework

In facilities where conveying equipment links multiple process steps, a single failure can halt upstream and downstream operations simultaneously. For example, failure of a single screw conveyor feeding a batch process may invalidate in-process material, compounding losses beyond lost run time. Conveying systems often create a multiplier effect in downtime scenarios.

The economic question is not whether mechanical wear will occur. It is whether the organization manages that wear proactively or absorbs its consequences reactively.

Reactive vs. Structured Maintenance

Historically, many facilities relied on reactive maintenance — repairing or replacing components after failure. This approach may appear economical in the short term, particularly for mechanically straightforward systems.

However, industry-wide data increasingly supports structured preventive and predictive maintenance approaches. Research indicates that well-implemented maintenance programs can reduce breakdown frequency significantly — in some studies by as much as 50–70% — while also reducing overall maintenance expenditures through improved planning and fewer emergency interventions.

More important than percentage reductions is operational predictability. Planned service windows allow maintenance and production teams to coordinate activities. Parts can be staged. Labor can be scheduled. Safety procedures can be executed methodically.

In contrast, unplanned failures compress decision-making into urgent timeframes, increasing cost and operational risk.

In bulk solids handling, predictability is often undervalued until it is lost.

Why Conveying Equipment Is Especially Vulnerable

Conveying systems share several characteristics that make maintenance particularly consequential:

High utilization rates.
Drag and tubular conveyors may operate continuously under load, even when upstream equipment cycles.

Exposure to abrasive or challenging materials.
Minerals, biomass, and certain chemical powders accelerate wear through friction and erosion. Screw flights, drag chain pins, and belt idlers are particularly susceptible.

Environmental variability.
Temperature changes, humidity, dust, and washdown conditions all influence component longevity. In sanitary food applications, repeated washdowns may shorten seal life and increase lubrication demands.

Mechanical simplicity masking cumulative wear.

Because conveyors are mechanically straightforward, degradation may go unnoticed until performance is affected. Chain elongation, belt tracking drift, or increasing screw conveyor torque may develop gradually without obvious visual cues.

Wear mechanisms such as abrasion, misalignment, fatigue, and seal degradation progress gradually. Rarely does a component fail without prior indicators. The challenge lies in recognizing and acting on those indicators early enough to prevent escalation.

From an engineering standpoint, conveying equipment is designed to operate within defined tolerances. As those tolerances drift due to wear or misalignment, friction increases, energy demand rises, and stress propagates through connected components.

Deferred maintenance allows small deviations to compound.

The Compounding Effect of Neglect

Consider a bearing operating slightly above its intended temperature range. In isolation, the deviation may seem minor. Over time, elevated temperature accelerates lubricant breakdown and surface wear. Vibration increases. Adjacent components experience additional load.

If intervention occurs early, replacement is routine. If allowed to progress, the failure may damage shafts, housings, or drive components, multiplying the repair scope.

Similarly, material buildup within conveying systems can increase torque requirements and energy consumption. Subtle increases in motor amperage often precede mechanical failure. Monitoring these indicators enables corrective action before performance deteriorates significantly.

From a lifecycle perspective, maintenance is not merely about preventing downtime. It is about preserving original design performance and slowing the rate of asset depreciation.

Maintenance and Total Cost of Ownership

In capital-intensive environments, total cost of ownership (TCO) increasingly guides equipment decisions. TCO extends beyond initial purchase price to include installation, energy use, maintenance, downtime risk, and eventual replacement.

Conveying equipment frequently operates for decades when properly maintained. Conversely, poorly maintained systems may require premature overhaul or replacement.

The relationship between maintenance discipline and asset longevity is well established across mechanical industries. Wear is inevitable; accelerated wear is not.

Routine inspection, alignment verification, lubrication management, and timely replacement of wear components help maintain design tolerances and extend functional life. In doing so, they delay capital expenditure and improve return on invested capital.

From a financial stewardship standpoint, maintenance is an asset protection strategy.

Measuring Maintenance Effectiveness

Quantifying the value of maintenance strengthens its role within operational strategy. Several performance indicators are particularly relevant to conveying systems:

Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
Tracking MTBF over time reveals whether reliability initiatives are improving stability.

Planned vs. Unplanned Maintenance Ratio
A higher proportion of planned work generally reflects greater process control.

Downtime Attribution
Categorizing downtime by equipment type highlights recurring vulnerabilities.

Energy Consumption Trends
Unexpected increases in energy use under stable production conditions may indicate mechanical inefficiencies.

Component Replacement Intervals
Consistency in wear component life suggests stable operating conditions and effective maintenance practices.

When reviewed collectively, these metrics provide a data-driven foundation for continuous improvement.

Workforce Implications

Maintenance strategy also influences workforce productivity and safety.

Reactive environments tend to generate unpredictable workloads. Technicians respond to urgent failures, often outside normal working hours. Planned tasks are deferred. Documentation suffers. Root-cause analysis becomes secondary to restoring operation quickly.

Structured maintenance environments operate differently. Service activities are scheduled. Tools and parts are prepared. Work is completed under controlled conditions with appropriate safety measures.

The resulting predictability improves labor efficiency and reduces overtime dependence. It also fosters a culture of professionalism rather than crisis response.

In an era of skilled labor shortages, efficient maintenance practices contribute to retention and job satisfaction.

Compliance, Cleanability, and Risk Management

For sectors operating under regulatory oversight — including food, pharmaceuticals, and certain chemical applications — equipment condition intersects directly with compliance requirements.

Mechanical wear can influence:

• Cleanability and hygienic integrity
• Seal performance and lubricant containment
• Dust control and environmental emissions
• Product segregation and contamination prevention

Poorly maintained equipment may create harborage points, increase housekeeping demands, or introduce risk during audits.

Maintenance, therefore, serves not only operational goals but also risk mitigation objectives.

Practical Pathways Forward

Enhancing maintenance performance does not require immediate large-scale investment. Meaningful improvement often begins with disciplined fundamentals:

Define objective wear thresholds.
Establish measurable criteria for component replacement rather than relying solely on visual judgment.

Incorporate condition monitoring.
Motor current analysis, vibration monitoring, infrared thermography, and oil sampling provide accessible early-warning tools.

Prioritize critical assets.
Focus resources on equipment whose failure would most disrupt operations.

Align maintenance with production planning.
Coordinate scheduled service with operational cycles to minimize impact.

Document and analyze failures.
Structured root-cause analysis prevents recurrence and informs design improvements.

These practices support incremental reliability gains that compound over time.

Stability as Strategic Advantage

Bulk solids handling operations operate in competitive markets where throughput, cost control, and regulatory compliance shape performance expectations.

Within that context, conveying equipment may not be the most technologically complex machinery in the plant, but it is often among the most consequential. Reliable material flow underpins every subsequent processing step.

Maintenance should therefore be viewed not as a routine expense but as a stabilizing force within the production system. Facilities that invest in structured maintenance programs typically experience:

• Greater operational consistency
• Reduced emergency expenditure
• Improved schedule adherence
• Extended equipment life
• Lower total cost of ownership

Facilities that defer maintenance often experience the opposite: recurring instability, escalating lifecycle costs, and increased organizational strain.

In bulk material handling, stability is performance. Stability is engineered not only in equipment design, but also in the discipline with which that equipment is maintained.

When viewed through that lens, maintenance is not a background activity. It is a strategic lever — one that protects assets, supports productivity, and reinforces long-term operational resilience.

The post Strategic Maintenance of Mechanical Conveying Equipment: Protecting Uptime in Bulk Solids Processing appeared first on Hapman.

Selecting a conveying method for food powder handling is rarely a simple decision. Dry ingredients vary widely in physical behavior, sensitivity to handling, and processing requirements, while production environments introduce additional constraints related to plant layout, sanitation practices, and operational efficiency. As a result, conveying systems that perform well in one application may introduce unintended challenges in another.

This paper examines common conveying technologies used in food powder and bulk food ingredient applications through the lens of equipment design and process engineering considerations. Rather than promoting a specific solution, the discussion focuses on how conveying mechanics, system configuration, and operational tradeoffs influence performance. The intent is to provide food process engineers with a practical framework for evaluating conveying options based on application-specific needs and real-world plant conditions.

Understanding Material and Application Reality

Food powders and bulk food ingredients encompass a broad range of physical characteristics, even among materials that appear similar at first glance. Applications requiring gentle handling often include products such as pasta, rice, grains, and coffee beans, where excessive velocity, impact, or friction can result in breakage, fines generation, or product degradation.

Several material properties consistently influence conveying performance. Moisture content can significantly affect flow behavior and adhesion, while fat content may contribute to buildup within the conveying path. Bulk density and particle size distribution play critical roles in determining achievable conveying rates, system stability, and downstream consistency.

In some applications, conveying method selection has led to unexpected downstream issues. Excessive air entrainment or material fluidization during transfer, for example, can negatively impact filling accuracy and weighing performance. These outcomes highlight the importance of evaluating conveying systems as part of the overall process rather than as isolated pieces of equipment.

Overview of Common Conveying Technologies

Food manufacturers typically rely on either pneumatic or mechanical conveying systems for dry ingredient handling. Each approach offers distinct advantages and limitations depending on material behavior, layout requirements, and operational goals.

• Pneumatic Conveying

Pneumatic conveying systems transport material using air flow, typically under pressure or vacuum. Common pneumatic conveying approaches used in food powder handling include dilute-phase pressure systems, dilute-phase vacuum systems, and, in some applications, dense-phase conveying. These systems are often selected for their ability to convey materials over long distances, accommodate complex routing, and centralize material transfer.

However, the reliance on air velocity introduces tradeoffs. Higher conveying speeds can increase particle interaction, which may contribute to product degradation, fines generation, or material fluidization. Energy consumption, system wear, and the influence of air entrainment on downstream filling or weighing processes are also important considerations when evaluating pneumatic conveying options.

• Mechanical Conveying

Mechanical conveying systems move material through direct physical contact using a conveying element within an enclosed or semi-enclosed path. Common mechanical conveying technologies used in food powder and bulk ingredient applications include screw conveyors, cable-and-disc conveyors, belt conveyors, and bucket elevators.

These systems are often applied where controlled product movement, lower conveying velocities, and predictable material flow are priorities. Mechanical conveyors are frequently used for shorter conveying distances, higher conveying rates, or applications where product integrity is a key concern. Design considerations such as system layout, access for inspection and cleaning, and residual material behavior vary by conveyor type and must be evaluated on an application-specific basis.

Key Engineering Tradeoffs in Conveying Selection

• Product Integrity

Conveying method selection directly influences product integrity. Factors such as conveying velocity, impact points, and frictional contact all contribute to the potential for particle degradation or segregation. In applications where maintaining product structure is critical, these considerations often outweigh other design priorities.

• System Enclosure and Environmental Isolation

Enclosed conveying paths are frequently preferred in food powder applications to support consistent material transfer and housekeeping practices. System enclosure can influence dust containment, product exposure, and overall process stability, but must be balanced with access requirements and maintenance considerations.

• Cleanability and Access (Design Perspective)

From a design standpoint, system access and cleanability are influenced by conveying distance, routing complexity, and overall system geometry. In some cases, the amount of time required for cleaning or inspection plays a significant role in determining which conveying technology is appropriate.

Certain design choices can increase the likelihood of material retention or buildup. For example, mechanical conveying systems that rely on screws may retain more residual product within the casing compared to pneumatic systems, which can more fully evacuate material under specific operating conditions. These characteristics should be evaluated within the context of the application rather than viewed as universal advantages or disadvantages.

• Energy Use, Maintenance, and Operational Considerations

Energy consumption varies significantly between conveying technologies and is influenced by factors such as conveying distance, system configuration, and material characteristics. Maintenance requirements, including wear points and component accessibility, also affect long-term system reliability.

Total cost of ownership extends beyond initial equipment cost. Downtime, maintenance frequency, and operational consistency should all be considered when evaluating conveying options for food powder applications.

• System Layout and Plant Constraints

Plant layout plays a critical role in conveying system selection. Space limitations, routing complexity, elevation changes, and existing infrastructure can all influence which conveying technologies are viable. These factors, combined with material flow characteristics and bulk density, help define realistic design boundaries.

In retrofit applications, a common mistake is prioritizing installation convenience over proper conveying circuit design. Selecting the most appropriate route for the chosen technology—rather than adapting the technology to a suboptimal route—can significantly improve long-term performance and reliability.

Conveying flexibility is particularly important in facilities handling multiple products or anticipating future process changes. Systems designed with operational adaptability in mind can reduce the need for costly modifications over time.

Mechanical Cable Conveying as a Design Example

Cable-based mechanical conveying systems represent one approach within the broader category of mechanical conveying. These systems utilize a moving cable and discs within an enclosed tube to transport material at relatively low velocities.

In food powder applications, cable conveying systems may be considered where gentle handling, enclosed transfer, and flexible routing are desired. Their modular design can support routing around existing equipment and accommodate changes in elevation within certain constraints.

As with all conveying technologies, cable systems have practical limitations related to distance, material behavior, and system configuration. Evaluating their suitability requires careful consideration of application requirements rather than assuming universal applicability.

Common Misconceptions in Conveying System Selection

One of the most persistent misconceptions in conveying system selection is the assumption that a single technology can address all process challenges. In reality, conveying performance depends on the interaction between material behavior, equipment design, and operational practices.

Another common misunderstanding involves product evacuation in mechanical systems. In helix-style conveyors, for example, a residual “heel” of material typically remains in the casing once the hopper is empty. Recognizing and accounting for this behavior during system design helps establish realistic expectations and avoid operational surprises.

Expectations, Boundaries, and Engineering Responsibility

Certain claims should be avoided because they depend on variables outside of equipment design alone. Estimated conveying rates, assumed bulk densities, and generalized layout assumptions can quickly lead to misunderstandings if product characteristics or operating conditions differ from expectations. Accurate information regarding how material is received and how it is discharged is essential to defining conveying requirements.

Equipment capability is also sometimes conflated with overall process control. Automated start-and-stop operation based on upstream or downstream signals, as well as interlocking multiple pieces of process equipment, involves control strategy and system integration considerations beyond the conveying equipment itself.

Clear communication of system boundaries and responsibilities supports more successful project outcomes.

Conclusion

Comparing conveying technologies for food powder handling requires a balanced understanding of material behavior, equipment design, and plant realities. No single conveying method is universally suitable for all applications, and effective system selection depends on evaluating tradeoffs rather than seeking one-size-fits-all solutions.

By applying a structured engineering framework and acknowledging application-specific variables, food process engineers can make more informed conveying decisions that support reliable operation, product integrity, and long-term performance.

The post Comparing Conveying Technologies for Food Powder Handling appeared first on Hapman.

TubePro Tubular Drag Conveyor: Safe Material Transport for Wastewater Applications

Hapman featured the TubePro Tubular Drag Conveyor, purpose-built to manage the unique challenges of wastewater treatment. This enclosed system is engineered to prevent hazardous material emissions, helping facilities meet workplace safety and regulatory standards while transporting a broad range of materials with minimal dust and contamination risk.

Solidquid Liquid/Solid System: Streamlined Flocculant Addition

The Solidquid system was highlighted for its ability to automate liquid/solid ingredient mixing and flocculant dosing in wastewater treatment operations. By ensuring consistent blending with reduced manual oversight, the Solidquid system allows treatment plants to maintain dependable water quality while optimizing energy usage and process efficiency.

PosiPro® Feeder: Robust Performance for Demanding Environments

At WEFTEC, Hapman’s PosiPro® Feeder demonstrated its ability to handle challenging materials commonly found in wastewater applications. With a heavy-duty construction and customizable design, the PosiPro® ensures accurate product delivery and smooth operation, even in the most demanding processing conditions.

Customized Material Handling Solutions for Wastewater Facilities

Throughout the show, Hapman’s team discussed how these products combine to address the specific needs of modern treatment plants. Attendees visiting Booth 7232 left with practical insights into equipment that minimizes downtime, increases process reliability, and helps maintain compliance, all supported by over 80 years of Hapman’s industry expertise.

The post Hapman’s WEFTEC 2025 Booth Draws Attention for Practical Wastewater Equipment appeared first on Hapman.

Automation has become an essential part of bulk material handling and helps facilities run efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively. Reliable control systems keep materials moving and help teams meet production goals. When these systems are designed with real-world needs in mind, they can boost throughput and reduce downtime while supporting smarter operations.

Many manufacturers face daily operational challenges such as outdated controls, integration headaches, safety compliance, and budget constraints. Hapman addresses these by carefully evaluating each facility’s needs and providing custom automation solutions that go beyond just their proprietary conveying equipment. Whether the requirement is to update legacy controls so they can communicate with Hapman’s latest panels or to deliver a tailored package that incorporates all equipment into a single process, Hapman’s approach ensures no system operates in isolation.

Full-Service Solutions That Work Together

One of the most noticeable trends in the market is the growing demand for automation systems that can control a mix of equipment from different manufacturers, such as mixers or packaging machines. Hapman responds to this by providing full turnkey solutions that keep everything connected and simple for operators. This seamless integration reduces complications and keeps the process moving smoothly.

Hapman’s solutions are especially valuable when existing plant equipment is a complex mix of old and new. For example, Hapman engineers recently unified three separate process steps for a client by bringing disparate systems together in one easy-to-manage control package. This level of integration allows the machinery before and after the Hapman system to operate together without operator intervention, creating a fully integrated and streamlined workflow.

Why In-House Control Packages Matter

Hapman builds control packages in-house rather than relying entirely on third-party vendors. This decision allows for greater quality control, each panel is tested before shipping to ensure dependability for the end user. The hands-on approach guarantees that systems meet Hapman’s standards for consistent performance through every step of the process.

By manufacturing controls internally, Hapman maintains complete oversight throughout the process, from initial design to final testing. Every panel is function-tested in-house before delivery, ensuring full reliability and integration, and giving customers peace of mind that their automation will work as promised right from day one.

Real Advantages for Clients

Choosing Hapman’s full-service, engineered automation systems gives customers several key benefits. Instead of stitching together piecemeal components, clients receive a full turnkey solution where everything works together from the start. This reduces risk, lowers maintenance costs, and helps operators quickly address any issues on the floor, since the system lets them know exactly where a fault has occurred and signals when materials are running low.

Operators also benefit from intuitive panel displays that tell them where any issue has occurred and provide alerts for upcoming process events, such as when additional material needs to be loaded. This advanced notification enables staff to respond quickly, minimizing downtime while supporting safer and more predictable production.

Seamless Plant Integration

Flexibility and compatibility are central to Hapman’s systems. Control platforms are designed to communicate with many types of distributed control systems, as well as programmable logic controllers and multiple communication protocols. Teams can take advantage of Hapman’s automation without abandoning existing infrastructure, creating a more unified and reliable facility.

No matter the industry, whether it is food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, or agriculture, Hapman collaborates closely with each customer to ensure compliance with all standards. This includes designing panels for hazardous locations and providing solutions to meet or exceed industry regulations. For instance, when a client in the agriculture sector needed to modernize controls, Hapman developed a system that brought all plant operations up to spec, connecting multiple processes together into one platform and greatly enhancing operational oversight.

Built for Smarter Material Handling

Hapman’s commitment to in-house engineering and complete automation ensures every plant can run efficiently and confidently. From testing every panel before it leaves the facility to providing controls that keep workflows smooth, Hapman helps customers optimize their process, minimize downtime, and simplify daily operations.

Whether upgrading a single line or overseeing a plant-wide controls modernization, Hapman’s collaborative, solutions-driven approach provides the backbone for safer, more efficient bulk material handling, today and into the future.

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Kalamazoo, MI – Hapman, a global leader in custom bulk material handling equipment, is proud to highlight the TubePro Tubular Drag Conveyor, a comprehensive solution designed to transport a wide range of materials with precision and efficiency. The TubePro is engineered to convey blended, friable, large particle, or smearing materials without compromising product integrity, making it suitable for a variety of demanding applications.  Featuring a fully enclosed, dust-tight design that contains dusty, odorous, toxic, or hazardous materials, the TubePro supports zero-emission operation and creates a safer work environment. This construction makes the TubePro a dependable choice for facilities with strict containment requirements.

Operational flexibility is a key advantage of the TubePro. The conveyor can move product vertically, horizontally, at any angle, and around corners, with effortless configuration of inlets and outlets to fit specific facility layouts. Customizable leg lengths and bend angles allow the TubePro to meet the unique needs of every installation, and Hapman’s application engineers work directly with customers to develop the most efficient layout for each project.

Product is transported en masse between flights, exposing it to minimal turbulence and reducing the risk of abrasive degradation. This gentle movement preserves material quality during transfer. The TubePro operates at high torque and low speed, resulting in energy-efficient performance and lower operating costs. The conveyor can also stop and restart while fully loaded, minimizing waste and reducing downtime during operation.

Durability is built into every TubePro system, with heavy Schedule 40 pipe construction, slotted round flanges, and continuously welded, offset connections that create an interlocking pipe structure for long service life. The TubePro offers several options to further enhance performance and adaptability. Multiple chain and flight options, including round link, drop forged rivetless, and engineered seal-pin chains, are available to reduce fatigue, wear, and stretching, supporting a wide range of applications. Available enhancements include the Airknife, Chain Hammer, Brush Box, and Self-Cleaning Discharge Gate.

The Airknife uses a focused stream of air to remove residual material from the chain and flights, ensuring a clean and efficient operation. The Chain Hammer provides mechanical agitation to dislodge stubborn material, further reducing buildup and carryover. The Brush Box, typically used for waste material, utilizes dual spinning brushes to remove stuck debris from flights and chain, helping prevent carryover and ensuring thorough cleaning. The Self-Cleaning Discharge Gate is an intermediate discharge point that can be installed at any location along the conveyor side of the tube conveyor, allowing for full discharge of material and preventing product from getting trapped. The Vibrating Hammer can be placed at discharge points to free material that might otherwise cling to the chain flights.

With its combination of gentle handling, energy efficiency, robust construction, and a range of adaptable features, the TubePro Tubular Drag Conveyor provides a dependable and effective solution for bulk material handling. Facilities can rely on the TubePro to maintain product quality, streamline operations, and support safe, dust-free material transport across a variety of industries.

About Hapman:

Hapman is a global leading designer and manufacturer of custom bulk material handling equipment for a variety of industries. With 80 years of experience, Hapman provides innovative solutions that improve efficiency and productivity in material handling processes.

For more information about the TubePro Tubular Drag Conveyor and to explore how Hapman can enhance your bulk material handling processes, contact sales@hapman.com.

The post Hapman’s TubePro™ Tubular Drag Conveyor: Reliable, Gentle Bulk Material Transport for Demanding Applications appeared first on Hapman.

Improving efficiency in batching and blending is simple in concept. All you need to do is produce the most possible product using the least possible resources. That’s easier said than done, but by identifying challenges and applying engineering know-how you’ll find that small steps can lead to great strides in your batching and blending operations.

Efficiency improvements can start small with a single improvement in your process or a design upgrade to a single piece of equipment. A single “win” can get you in the race, be it a way to speed a machine’s changeover, block a material flow obstruction, improve metering accuracy, or remove a bottleneck. Each success leads to another. No matter the scope of your efforts or applications involved, you’ll likely confront some or all these challenges in engineering a solution for you, your process, and your customers:

1.           Inefficient batching process

2.           Poor recipe control

3.           Loss of material

4.           Labor/experience shortage

These challenges are interrelated, and we will discuss them — and solutions to overcome them — below.

1. Inefficient batch processing

Batch processes in any industry share many common efficiency challenges. Inefficient batching can be both the cause and result of production bottlenecks, delays between process steps or machine hand-offs, and overall waste in all its forms.

On the other hand, equipment and process design that addresses the right problems can unlock new levels of process performance. For example, adding a lump breaker can eliminate agglomerations in small-volume metering, or a feeder upgrade can improve dosing accuracy by improving the flow of sluggish granules or powders. (Related reading: Turn Batching Challenges Into a Competitive Advantage.)

In other cases, efficiency can be optimized by rethinking how materials can be moved from Point A to Point B within the constraints of the physical realities of your facility. For example, not all buildings can accommodate mezzanine levels for filling or conveyors to transport materials long distances. In such cases, alternative approaches can provide an efficient solution, as Lawrence Foods, a manufacturer of premium bakery ingredients, learned.

The company needed to pre-weigh bulk bags of powdered sugar from incoming 2,200-pound bags and create two 1,000-pound bags for downstream processing. However, the facility lacked sufficient ceiling height to unload the bulk bag directly into a filler in a single, vertical common frame.

The solution took the form of an integrated system using side-by-side frames incorporating a bulk bag unloader, a 15-foot screw conveyor, and a bag filler to create the 1,000-pound bags of powdered sugar. Weight and process controls ensured accuracy and filling directly onto a pallet enabled easy fork truck removal and transport to production. As a result, the company gained an engineered solution to overcome challenges due to space constraints, bypassing the need to modify its facility. Additional features aid efficiency, safety, dust control, ergonomics, and flexibility for future changes. (Learn the details of Lawrence Foods’ installation by reading  Unload, Convey, Fill, Repeat.)

2. Poor recipe control

Recipe control picks up where batch management leaves off. A lack of comprehensive controls, from accurate measurement to connected digital controls, can lead to many sources of process inefficiency. These include errors caused by manual keying-in recipe parameters, lost time, production bottlenecks, reduced productivity, and increased costs. The solution to these and other weaknesses is digitalization, which enables the additional benefit of recipe management software tools for analyzing accuracy, quality, and other efficiency-related factors.

Many companies rely on manual data entry, which leads to quality deficiencies, product scrap and rework, inefficient labor, and downtime. This can result in losses of $1,000 or more for a 2,000-pound batch. We have seen companies with more than 50 recipes whose operators manually key-in parameters based on information from disparate sources such as clipboards and spreadsheets. In some cases, a vital piece of missing information caused delays, and the lack of efficient tracking documentation during and after processing compromised proper quality control and slowed efforts to improve processing.

Today, process control technology addresses such problems with long-established machine and process control technology. An operator panel connected to the programmable logic controller (PLC) running the equipment stores all recipes. These can be loaded for processing with little more effort than pressing a touchscreen of a menu selection (or even scanning a QR code for a recipe). Improvements can enhance process consistency, product quality, productivity, waste reduction, and more.

Operator interface software also provides alerts and tracks process data for additional uses. These include tracking and trending data for one or more pieces of equipment locally; or using a central workstation to track key performance indicators (KPIs) across a fuller set of operations. Process data can also be presented to multiple users in different roles for different reasons: plant initiatives, vendor remote maintenance services, corporate data analytics, compliance reporting, or any number of good, approved uses. (Click to read an overview of related Controls & Automation solutions.)

3. Loss of material

Material losses can occur anywhere in conveying, handling, and processing — from spills in manual or mechanical handling operations to dust from improperly sealed conveyors. In terms of equipment, bag filling is perhaps the most common source of costly material losses due to excessive overfilling, or product giveaway, to ensure compliance with weight requirements.

In one case, a company was experiencing losses with small, 320-ounce batches of a valuable material costing $1,200 per ounce. To ensure it met weight requirements, the company was overfilling and giving away profits, sometimes by more than two ounces per batch. Once the company identified the problem, the company upgraded to new, more accurate loss-in-weight feeders, precisely controlled overfilling to within 25 grams, and saved approximately $2,000 on each batch.

Loss-in-weight, or gravimetric, feeders are generally preferred for such quality-critical applications, however, volumetric feeders can be used for accurate filling at higher speeds. However, this choice is unlikely if your material’s bulk density varies such as when a hygroscopic material reacts to humidity and/or forms agglomerations. (Related reading: Volumetric vs. Gravimetric Feeder Operation).

Competitive realities typically lead plants to integrate multiple equipment assets with custom engineering and, increasingly, digital automation. One company used both techniques to more efficiently meter controlled amounts of four powdered ingredients. The project included several components including bulk bag unloaders, a dust collector to prevent a separate waste stream and lost product; pneumatic bag agitators to fluidize the material; and a lump breaker to tackle any agglomerations. From there, the powders were ready for loss-in-weight screw feeding

to a slurry tank for processing. The result was that the conditioned materials contributed to the optimal downstream mixing process performance. Process controls and user-friendly monitoring tools further eased the job and reduced labor requirements. (Click for related reading on Bulk Bag Unloading, Pneumatic Conveying, and Material Metering.)

4.Labor/experience shortages

Properly engineered mechanical and automation solutions provide additional benefits for productivity to reduce labor costs and overcome the difficulty of finding and training skilled labor.

Automation brings positive impacts in many ways to overcome labor and productivity challenges. It’s most visible to operators in the form of user-friendly interfaces that ease

tasks and save time. The benefits are also critical for operational continuity as experienced workers exit the workforce, taking their experience and knowledge with them. It also reduces companies’ requirements for up-front training and everyday labor requirements.

When discussing the company that used automation to improve recipe control (Challenge No.2 above), that operation used to require two operators: one to load the batch, and another to manage the recipe. After the automation upgrade, only one operator is needed for that processing station.

Digital automation together with mechanical design features both contribute to labor savings. Material handling equipment that is easy to operate alleviates environmental concerns and promotes health and safety in a processing facility in addition to solving labor challenges. Likewise, today’s equipment designs feature time-saving features that offer easy access for maintenance operations, quick clean-in-place with easy disassembly for cleaning, quick-release features, and more. In turn, digital automation makes it easier for one person to manage more parts of a process, which is essential for companies relying on fewer workers.

In the chemical industry, processors face the ongoing challenge of effectively mixing solids and liquids to blend slurries while minimizing labor (among other factors such as floor space, dusting, and energy usage). This traditionally entailed multiple workers and labor-intensive operations. Examples include workers climbing ladders and opening equipment doors with ingredients/materials in hand; controlling mixer agitators; and incurring risk in potentially caustic or hazardous environments. Today, solutions are available such as sealed conveyors

(e.g., pneumatic, tubular, helix) and automated bag-handling and processing equipment; valves on bag-handling equipment, and self-contained batching/blending equipment offer enhanced worker safety, labor savings, and high throughput. (Learn more by reading Pre-Mix Solutions and Slurries – Effectively, Economically, and Safely.)

Additional technologies offer greater cost-effectiveness and labor savings than ever, including labor-saving automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) that shuttle materials across warehouses and production areas. (Learn more by reading: Using Material Handling Automation to Improve Efficiency.)

Efficiency: It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon

There’s no single solution for any given material handling, batching, or blending application. Significant efficiency improvements require varying degrees of customization to meet your material, processing, and business goals. Asking the right questions of your internal team and your external partners can take you closer and closer to your project’s finish line — and beyond, because the race toward greater efficiency and competitiveness is an ongoing journey.

When it comes to selecting a partner to provide equipment, systems, and engineering services, it’s most important that they have the breadth of expertise and deep knowledge of your needs, This, in turn, can go beyond solving problems to open new opportunities and benefits spanning design, reliability, serviceability, and much more.

About Hapman

We are a global manufacturer of standard and custom bulk material handling equipment and complete material handling systems, with locations in North America, Europe, and Asia. Our process has been proven across 12,000 applications across all major bulk material processing industries in every US state and 56 countries worldwide.

Whether your equipment needs are standard and straightforward or elaborate and controlled, Hapman’s team of applications experts will assist you with any level of support.

Our company culture is driven by new ideas, fresh thinking, and continuous improvement. That’s why Ideas that Move is more than a slogan. It’s an integral part of who we are. We seek to acquire and share new knowledge, build on our experience, collaborate with you and other industry experts, and push perceived process limitations — all while fully embracing disciplined engineering and quality material handling practices.

At Hapman, we are more than a material handling systems provider. We are your business partner. We are dedicated to achieving your highest level of trust and satisfaction and earning your confidence in our commitment and expertise.

Take the next step towards innovation and excellence. Contact our experts at (800) 427-6260 or sales@hapman.com for a personalized consultation.

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With their knowledge and history working in wastewater treatment, Hapman’s product specialists are regularly called upon to integrate the tubular drag conveyor in transportation of dried wastewater sludge and biosolids. Hapman engineers the most robust and reliable tubular drag conveyor in the market. Hapman’s standard schedule 40 tube design with patented, factory-fit flanged connections offer superior sealing, strength, and quick install and maintenance. Hapman also offers a large range of chain and flight options with patented engineered chain technology which offer superb reliability in demanding industrial environments and any situation where uptime is critical. The low speed en-masse conveyance mode of Hapman Tubular Drag Conveyors results in maximum up time, low power input, and minimal maintenance. Unlike cable conveyors and round link (log) chain tubular conveyors, Hapman’s engineered chain used on its Tubular conveyors are designed for routine starting and stopping under load, full of material, and overload conditions. Finally, what makes the tubular drag ideal for wastewater sludge and biosolids is the dust tight construction that eliminates the opportunity of some deflagration or explosion conditions, enables maintaining nitrogen blanketing, and eliminates undesirable dust and odor conditions.

For this particular project, Hapman teamed up with Jim Myers & Sons, an OEM that sells systems exclusively for the wastewater treatment industry, to supply an automated dried biosolids handling solution for the Jordan Basin Water Reclamation Facility in Utah. The project involved Tubular Drag Conveyor systems taking 100+ degree Fahrenheit biosolids from the dryer into storage silos and En Masse Conveyor systems discharging from the silos to the loadout facility directly to retractable discharge chutes for discharge into semi trucks. A nitrogen inerting system and dust collection were also involved in the project.

Biosolids were conveyed from the dryer to multiple silos using two Tubular Drag Conveyors. A 157 foot, 4 inch (100 mm) Tubular Drag Conveyor in a gooseneck configuration received the dryer discharge and transferred material to the second 150 foot, 4 inch (100 mm) Tubular Drag Conveyor using a square loop configuration. The conveyors utilized Hapman’s engineered UHMW molded flights with special rivet-less drop forge chain. Schedule 40 pipe was used with special hardened elbows and connected with Hapman’s unique factory-fit locking flange design. All conveyors run continuously, 24 hours/day, 7 days a week and required Class II, Div 2 Explosion rated electrical components.

Due to local ordinance, the silo height was limited and unbale to offer a typical drive-thru load out. Hapman worked closely with CDM, their sister company, to provide an En Masse conveyor system to transport the dried biosolids to the loadout platform. The first En Masse conveyor ran 62 feet horizontally underneath the silos to pick up the biosollids. A second En Masse conveyor came off the first, ran 14 feet horizontally before running another 39 feet at a 40° angle in a L-path to the load out mezzanine. The final En Masse conveyor ran 60 feet horizontally along the mezzanine with multiple discharge chutes for unloading into semi-trucks beneath the mezzanine. The system was able to meet the 20 minute semi loading time using direct silo discharge.

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The Art and Science of Handling Controlled, Functional Explosive Material
Dyno Nobel manufactures explosives and offers explosion management services to customers in mining, oil and gas exploration, fertilizers, construction, and concrete and building materials. The core of Dyno Nobel’s operation is manufacturing Ammonium Nitrate Prill in bulk and safely transporting it in specially designed trucks to the point of use. When the company decided to shift its plant in Donora, PA from a manufacturing facility to a distribution hub, plant engineers knew the transition would require a safe, automated way to o-load the bulk material from railcars.

The system previously used for the rail car unloading consisted of screw conveyors, bucket elevators, and belt conveyors. The system was very inefficient, created an unacceptable level of product degradation, and became a maintenance problem.

Partnerships Bring Project Success
To assist with this process, Dyno Nobel hired Venture Engineering, a multi-faceted engineering firm that provides clients with front-end feasibility studies through design and construction. “Very early on during our first visit and inspection”, stated Kevin O’Connor, Venture Engineering’s Project Manager, “we realized that their existing equipment was totally inadequate for the goals of the system and the rates required.” Several Venture engineers had experience with Hapman and the Tubular Drag Chain Conveyor for use in applications with demanding variables. Due to the schedules of product delivery, and the inadequacy of their existing system, Dyno Nobel was “truly in an emergency mode to find the right solution,” stated O’Connor.

Engineering, operators, and management worked together to understand the needs and challenges the conveyor would face in the Ammonium Nitrate Prill unloading application. For this project, and for the material being handled, several considerations required addressing. First and foremost the system must handle the prill as gently as possible, maintaining the integrity of the product. The performance of the ammonium nitrate, for its intended purposes, requires that the material remain in prill form. Multiple transitions from conveyor-to-conveyor, or rough handling of the material will cause the prill to degrade thereby reducing the value of the product. The second consideration is that the system must be dust-tight. Allowing outside elements in, or inside elements out is not acceptable. Third, the system must be able to start and stop under a full load of material. And finally, the installed system must be absolutely dependable. “Due to the requirements of this project, we determined early in the feasibility process that the Hapman Tubular Drag system was the only way to go,” continued O’Connor.

Hapman designed a stainless steel Tubular Drag Chain Conveyor in a gooseneck circuit. The conveyor housing is constructed of 8” diameter sch. 40 stainless steel piping. Inside the fully sealed housing, the chain consists of stainless steel sealed-pin design with a 6” pitch and U.H.M.W. polyethylene flights on 12” centers.

The stainless steel provides the necessary corrosion resistance and the heavy-duty chain selection allows the conveyor to easily start and stop under full load, a critically important feature when unloading rail or truck cars. The process of loading and unloading of bulk material poses variables that may not exist for an in-plant operating condition. To ensure the material was not exposed to the open air upon discharge from the railcar, the engineers at Hapman sourced an air-driven interface assembly. With the push of a button, operators activate the sleeve and easily attach it to the railcar discharge. The interface assembly provides a safe, sealed discharge for material to flow. From the railcar the material flows into an 18“ dia. rotary feeder, located in the underground pit below the tracks, which control feeds the ammonium nitrate into the Tubular Drag. The conveyor then elevates the material nearly 83’ and moves it horizontally another 54’. The material is discharged onto a belt conveyor for final distribution in the storage building.

Hapman provided a complete turnkey system wherein fell the responsibility for the removal of the old system, the engineering and design of the new, as well as the installation, start-up and commissioning. “The system is living up to expectations and more,” notes Matt Graves, Plant Manager at Dyno Nobel. Upon arrival of the conveyor, Graves and others at the plant were unsure if the system would work in their application. “The flights were smaller than the pipe and I did not think it would work”, Graves explained. All operating concerns were quickly dispersed as the Tubular Drag Chain Conveyor began to e…ciently move the Ammonium Nitrate Prill from the railcar into the storage silo.

Delivering Effective Bulk Material Railcar O-Load
The railcar o-load system at Dyno Nobel is a success because each party involved in the engineering, design, implementation and start-up worked together to understand the challenges of the application. The engineers at Hapman took those challenges and applied more than 70 years of bulk material handling experience to design the most comprehensive, fully automated conveying system. The number of chain and flight options offered in the Hapman Tubular Drag Chain Conveyor allowed designers to select the chain that would be corrosion resistant and not permit material to get trapped in the knuckles of the chain. The conveying system provided the safe, gentle handling, trouble-free, and effective bulk material o-load which Dyno Nobel was seeking. “Hapman and their local representative worked very hard to ensure the successful completion of our client’s project,” stated O’Connor. “Their efforts helped identify and implement the optimum solution in order to meet our client’s needs on schedule, scope, and budget.”

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The concept of tubular drag conveying is a common consideration among industries needing to move loose bulk materials between their many plant processes. A growing number have discovered that there are different conveyor types within this product category. Some have even experimented with more than one type and have learned, the hard way, what works best and why. The notion that chain-type tubular drag conveyors are more robust than their cable-driven cousins is a relatively easy conclusion for potential users to draw. However, recognizing the important differences between the chain offerings can be a little more challenging.

Chain-type tubular drag conveyors fall into two basic categories: those that use round-link chain and those that use engineered chains. The round-link variety is a utilitarian design that employs mass-produced chain similar to what you would find in most commercial hardware stores. It is made from round rod that is cut, formed into loops, and welded together at the ends. Flights (sometimes called discs or pucks) can either be molded or bolted onto the chain.

Tubular drag conveyors in the other category incorporate engineered chains that are specially designed for use in a conveyor. These chains can have an open or closed architecture design. Closed architecture designs, such as The Case for Engineered Chains Over Round-Link Chains Hapman’s Sealed-Pin type, are precision-machined and assembled by compressing elastomeric washers into the hinge point of the chain, which minimizes the opportunity for material presence there (very important when handling certain materials).

There are some advantages to using round-link chains, including price. However, the performance and serviceability of engineered chains is significantly better, resulting in a much lower longer-term cost of owning, operating and maintaining a conveyor that uses them.

Here is a more detailed comparison of round-link and engineered chains:

1. Round-link chain is more flexible, enabling more complex circuits with back-to-back bends that are out of phase with each other. But this kind of flexibility is rarely needed and comes with a significant downside: round-link chain is impossible to install without inadvertently introducing a lot of unwanted twist in the chain. Consequently, for the first several days after the conveyor is installed, the start-up procedure necessarily requires close monitoring of the inevitable accumulation of twisted chain. When that occurs, it is imperative that the conveyor be stopped immediately, before these wads of chain climb onto the drive sprocket and cause derailment or worse. At each occurrence, the master link must be located, the chain parted and the chain untwisted. This procedure must be repeated several times, and in the case of a long conveyor, can take a day or two to remove enough twist that it no longer accumulates.
2. While too much twist is problematic, some twist is often desirable and necessary for certain conveyor routings to work. Engineered chains are therefore designed with that capability. Minimum distances vary from one chain to the next, and it is important to observe those distances when designing circuits so that the chain can articulate freely. This minor limitation is, by far, outweighed by the relative reluctance of these chains to twist. It is exceedingly easier to control and prevent undesired twisting during chain installation, which eliminates the aforementioned monitoring and dramatically shortens start-up time. This is particularly important in high production environments with short service windows, where users need the ability to replace chains very quickly.
3. Of the many differentiating features of engineered chains, the one that most appeals to plant maintenance personnel is the fact that each link is individually serviceable. The chain can be parted and serviced wherever it is most convenient. There is no need to bump the conveyor or go searching for a master link, as is commonly required for round-link chains.
4. Round-link chains notoriously spill material from one flight to the next because of flight tipping. Quite often, round-link chains will include wiper flights in an attempt to counter this phenomenon. Engineered chains naturally hold flights more firmly due to their longer pitch, so they are always perpendicular to the carry surface. This allows the conveyor to operate more efficiently.
5. As mentioned previously, construction of round-link chains by nature includes a welded seam where the two ends of the round rod are pinched together. This seam is the most common point of failure.
   Each of these two chain categories feature unique design philosophies and construction. As a result, there is some variation between them in terms of reliability and performance.
6. Conveyors with round-link chains most often include a spring-loaded chain tensioning mechanism. These devices are necessary to keep short-pitch chains engaged with the sprockets that drive them. They are prone to derailment if any slack develops.
   Note: The ideal operating condition of any drag conveyor (not just tubular drags) is to operate without excess slack – NOT UNDER TENSION. However, tensioning the chain increases the inherent drag, which increases power consumption and, most importantly, wear. Using HP to overcome the extra inherent drag of a circuit naturally takes away from the amount of work that the conveyor is able to perform.
7. Engineered chains have a much longer and wider target. Therefore, drive sprocket teeth can be wider and longer for more positive engagement. By virtue of having more contact surface, wear is more evenly distributed. Greater engagement also makes the conveyor more slack-tolerant and allows the use of a simple jack-screw-type take-up mechanism. For the sake of operating in the ideal slack-free, un-tensioned condition, most users regard the occasional adjustment preferable to accelerated wear.
8. Round-link chain drags are quite often supplied with an outer casing that is constructed of lightgauge tubing and joined together using compression couplings. By contrast, conveyors that use engineered chains generally have outer casings that consist of heavy schedule-40 pipe and are joined using weldon flanges that are cut from heavy plate stock. They are a structural component of the conveyor designed to endure the kinds of stresses that are common to industrial environments and can cause separation of “coupled” joints. Conveyors of the latter type can be tugged into a position to accommodate unanticipated misalignment issues during installation, without compromising joint integrity.

While both varieties of chain-type tubular drag conveyors often compete for the same work, clearly they shouldn’t. A thorough examination reveals a different design mentality and disparate calibers of equipment. Therefore, the only question is whether a given application is one that is important enough to demand the robust build and reliable performance of a conveyor that features an engineered chain.

The 8 Advantages of an Engineered Chain

1. Dramatically shorter start-up time
2. Less undesired twisting during installation
3. Fewer maintenance-related headaches
4. More efficient operation with minimal spillage
5. Eliminates the most common point of chain failure
6. Less prone to derailment if any slack develops
7. More positive engagement and even wear distribution
8. Less joint separation under heavy stress

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Pneumatic conveying is often considered the standard solution for transferring materials in bulk solids plants. In many applications, however, a type of mechanical conveying — tubular drag conveying — can be a more cost-effective solution. Like a pneumatic conveying system, the tubular drag conveyor (also called a tubular drag chain conveyor) provide enclosed conveying and can be custom-designed to handle short or long conveying distances, multiple material feed and discharge points, and a range of material and process requirements. But the tubular drag conveyor has an important advantage: It requires far less energy than a pneumatic conveying system.

The tubular drag conveyor’s lower electrical power consumption means it has much lower operating costs — and a much lower long-term ownership cost — than the pneumatic conveying system. To understand this and other tubular drag conveyor advantages over pneumatic conveying, let’s start by looking at the conveyor’s components and operation.

How the Tubular Drag Conveyor Works

The tubular drag conveyor, consists of a tubular housing that encloses a continuous chain mounted with circular discs called flights. The flights are attached to the chain at regular intervals. The housing forms conveying and return legs that can be arranged in any of several configurations to suit your application. The conveyor can have one or multiple material inlets and outlets.

A drive sprocket inside a drive assembly engages the chain at the turn located at the conveying leg’s end; a motor nylon, cast iron, ductile iron, stainless steel, and other materials. UHMW-PE flights are recommended for most applications because they’re durable yet lightweight, they have a low cost, and they provide quick release of sticky materials, without wearing the conveyor bends and housing like steel or iron flights can.

More about the housing. The tubular housing can be made of carbon steel or stainless steel and is available in various diameters between 76 and 305 millimeters (3 and 12 inches). Which diameter best meets your needs depends on your required conveying capacity. Housing sections are provided in lengths to suit your conveyor’s layout and have bolted and gasketed flanged ends to allow easy field installation and maintain the conveyor’s tight seal.

More about conveying capacity. The tubular drag conveyor can move material at up to 1.416m³/min (50 ft³/min). The conveying capactiy depends on the tubular housing diameter, the distance between flights, and the chain speed. Average material conveying capacities are shown for each housing diameter within the PDF. However, be aware that the recommended conveying speed for a given application varies with the material type, and this will affect the conveyor’s actual conveying capacity.

Consuming Far Less Energy

The tubular drag conveyor requires much less power, making it much cheaper to operate than a pneumatic conveying system. The pneumatic system has several components that require a large amount of electrical power. The large motor for the system’s fan or blower consumes most of this power. If the system operates in dense phase, it has a pressure tank that requires a large amount of compressed air — another major energy draw. Motors for the system’s rotary valves require additional power. More electrical power is drawn by the compressed-air system supplying filter-cleaning air to the system’s filter-receiver.

In contrast, the tubular drag conveyor typicallyhas one small motor for its drive assembly. The motor’s variable-speed drive also mitigates spikes in energy use, reducing the conveyor’s overall energy requirement. As an example, the fan in a high-capacity pressure pneumatic conveying system can require a 100-horsepower motor, while the tubular drag conveyor’s drive assembly would require only a 15-horsepower motor to provide the same capacity.

More Advantages

Besides consuming less power, the tubular drag conveyor has other advantages over a pneumatic conveying system. Slow gentle handling. Material is moved more slowly in the tubular drag conveyor than in a pneumatic conveying system. Because the material is conveyed in the spaces between the flights, it’s also handled gently. This slow, gentle movement keeps blended materials from segregating and prevents degradation of fragile or friable materials.

Tolerance for tough materials and fluctuating environmental conditions. Because the material is carried between the flights, it’s much easier to convey sluggish, sticky materials and easily compacted materials in the tubular drag conveyor than in a pneumatic conveying system, where such materials can form plugs. Fluctuating temperatures and humidity also have less effect on the tubular drag conveyor’s operation than that of a pneumatic conveying system.

No filters. Very little air (or other gas) moves through the tubular drag conveyor, so it doesn’t require filters. A pneumatic conveying system requires a filter-receiver and other filters at various points in the system.

Lower inert gas requirement. The minimal amount of gas moving through the tubular drag conveyor provides another advantage: In an application that requires blanketing a flammable or explosive material with an inert gas such as nitrogen, the tubular drag conveyor uses a fraction of the inert gas consumed by a comparably sized pneumatic conveying system.

Less noise. The tubular drag conveyor’s small motor and slow conveying speed make it much quieter than a pneumatic conveying system. The pneumatic conveying system’s large fan or blower motor and other motors produce a lot of noise. More noise is created by the intermittent blasts of compressed air for the filter-receiver’s cleaning system and, for a dense-phase system, compressor operation for filling the pressure tank.

Less maintenance. Because the tubular drag conveyor has far fewer components, it requires much less maintenance than a pneumatic conveying system. With the pneumatic conveying system, the system fan or blower, rotary valves, and filter-receiver (and its filter-cleaning system) all require regular maintenance. With the tubular drag conveyor, maintenance workers will need to replace the flights at intervals that depend on the application, and also minimize slack in the chain, ideally about once a month. (Be aware that while some tubular drag chain conveyor suppliers offer automatic chain-tensioning devices, tensioning the chain can accelerate flight wear and increase the conveyor’s amp draw and power consumption.) The tubular drag conveyor’s slow conveying speed also extends the conveyor life. Less maintenance means the tubular drag conveyor can operate more reliably with less downtime and lower labor costs.

Modular construction. Most tubular drag conveyors have modular construction with interchangeable components that allow the conveyor to be easily expanded or reconfigured to change the length, conveying path, and the number of inlets and outlets. Such changes are more complex and time-consuming with a pneumatic conveying system because it has many more components and more electrical connections.

Some Selection Guidance

For help choosing a tubular drag conveyor to handle your unique material and process requirements, partner with the conveyor supplier. You’ll benefit from the supplier’s many years of experience in designing tubular drag conveyors to handle a wide range of tough materials and operating conditions.

Start by providing information about your material’s characteristics, especially particle size, bulk density, and flow properties. The supplier will also need to know application details such as your plant’s available floor space and headroom, how your material will be stored prior to conveying, the distance your material will be conveyed, the available energy source, and similar information. A key part of this process is to have your material tested in a tubular drag conveyor in the supplier’s lab. Based on the test results, the supplier can help you determine which conveyor components and options are right for your application.

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