Centrifugal Feeders
A Centrifugal Feeder is a mechanical unit that can be used for feeding special components, which require very high speeds. It is a motorised equipment which works with a single phase or three phase motor driving the main rotating plate that picks up the components while moving forward. Due to gravity components get moved towards the periphery of the rotating disc. Orientation, if required for the components needs to be done while the disc is rotating. As the disc can be moved at very high speeds, high feeding rates upto even 50 meters per minute are possible.
Advantages
However, it is definitely a very poor cousin of the Vibratory Bowl Feeder. For any part where a particular orientation is required, feeding through a vibratory bowl feeder is the only alternative. The first major distinction is that in a Rotary feeder, the parts which can be fed through a Rotary feeder are limited to certain flat caps where the diameter is more than the height, needles and rollers where the length is more than the diameter and any face can come out etc. As against this, in a vibratory bowl feeder almost any type of component can be handled. Second and most significant disadvantage of a Rotary feeder is that due to the positive pressure generated because of the rotating disc, the parts being fed are thrown against each other and against the wall of the feeder. This can result in damages to the parts. Compared to this, the parts do not get damaged in a vibratory bowl feeder. Even brittle and delicate parts can be handled in a vibratory bowl feeder. Thirdly, the speed or feed rate in case of a Rotary feeder can be as high as 40 metres per minute while that of a vibratory bowl feeder can be at the most 12 metres per minute. This is the only advantage of a Rotary feeder. Price of a vibratory bowl feeder is also much substantially less than that of a Rotary feeder.
Applications
- Capping
- Labeling
- Flow wrapping
- Cartoning
Video