Product category:
Powder and Solids Handling
News Release from: Spiroflow | Subject: Soliant
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 10 May 2007
Better powder feed consistency with
Spiroflow
An Aero-Mechanical Conveyor supplied by Spiroflow Systems has been instrumental in assuring a paint manufacturer of a consistent flow of soft acrylic powder into a large cylindrical mixing vessel
This is achieved without lumps, or sticking, in the manufacture of Fluorex thermoplastic finish at Soliant, a paint and coatings manufacturer located in Lancaster, South Carolina According to Soliant, Fluorex is an alternative to traditional paint and plating systems; it is more durable, cost effective and environmentally friendly
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 19 May 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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With a current production palette of over 140 different colours, the Soliant thermoplastic decorative film and coating is used by a variety of industries from automotive to marine, architectural, signage, appliance, electronics, telecommunications and others.
In the automotive industry, Soliant film is currently used on 20 different car and truck models.
Before purchasing the Spiroflow Aero-Mechanical Conveyor in the early 2000s, Soliant employees used to manually push 125kg drums filled with acrylic resin powder to a scale for weighing and adding to the mix.
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Once weighed out, two employees manually scooped around 750 grams of powder at a time from the drums to the mixing vessel, the beginning stage of the Fluorex process.
The scale is used to ensure that only the amount of powder specified for every particular batch of paint is added to the mixing vessel.
In the vessel, the powder is stirred into a mixture about the thickness of mayonnaise.
Before scooping powder into the mixing vessel, employees first had to hand inspect the contents of each drum and physically break up any lumps of sticky powder.
Speed and consistency varied from batch to batch.
On average, each batch required over a man-hour of labour.
"The manual system was time consuming and didn't provide the quality control we needed," confirms Mark Beard, Product Development Engineer, at Soliant.
"We needed a dependable, hands-off system that assured batch to batch consistency and automatically provided a consistent flow of material into the mixer".
Mark Beard researched and ultimately recommended a portable 'Spiroflow' Aero-Mechanical Conveyor based on an advertisement he saw in a trade journal.
"We had no previous knowledge of Spiroflow capabilities, even though they are almost in our backyard," comments Beard: "After visiting their facility, we were convinced that Spiroflow had the know-how and expertise we were looking for.
A demonstration using our powder convinced us that their equipment was right for the job".
Designed and custom built for Soliant by Spiroflow Systems, the all stainless steel conveyor and distribution system consists of an inclined 2.25 m long straight-line Aero-Mechanical Conveyor with a hooded sack tip hopper at the inlet.
It is all mounted on a mobile frame complete with two fixed and two swivel casters.
The casters assure easy positioning and have locking brakes for maximum safety.
When required to add material to the mixer, the mobile conveyor is positioned onto a 1.25 m square weight platform that is flush with the factory floor.
Once located on the weigh platform, the weight of the conveyor is tarred-off so that the precise amount of acrylic powder can be loaded into the conveyor feed hopper.
The powder is tipped into the hopper through a plastic strip curtain located at the front of the dust hood over the hopper.
The dust hood is connected to a dust extraction system that assures an environmentally safe, dust free operation.
A grid across the top of the hopper is used to break up any agglomerates of material, a main concern with the previous procedure.
Six air operated vibratory pads, strategically placed around the hopper, ensure a consistent flow of powder into the rotary valve at the hopper outlet.
This valve controls the rate of flow from the hopper into the conveyor.
The conveyor has 80mm conveying tubes and operates at a 45 degree angle.
An air motor powers both the conveyor and rotary valve to avoid the need for electrics within the hazardous environment where solvents can be present.
An inter-locked access panel facilitates cleaning of the internal conveyor components and a vision panel in one of the conveying tubes enables operators to determine when cleaning is required.
According to Beard, the problem of lumpy, sticky powder has been eliminated, "It's a quality, worry-free, piece of equipment which we are glad to have," noted Beard: "Product is now poured consistently into the mixing vessel and we find the system extremely dependable.
Instead of over an hour of labour required under the old method, the same process takes under 20 minutes, is totally automatic and requires little or no supervision.
The system is virtually maintenance free.
In the over five years since installation, the only routine maintenance required relates to cleaning and rope tensioning and the Spiroflow after sales team has been excellent in providing us with support when required".
With company headquarters in Lancaster, South Carolina and sales offices in Detroit, Michigan, and The Netherlands, Soliant is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ernie Green Industries, a Dayton, Ohio based automotive supplier.
To learn more about 'Spiroflow' Aero-Mechanical Conveyors and their ranges of Flexible Screw Conveyors, Big Bag Dischargers and Big Bag Fillers, please visit their website, or call them to discuss your specific requirements. Request a free brochure from Spiroflow ...
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