Centrifugal feeders are complex machines which sometimes make effective communication a challenge. We will always do our best to clearly communicate and explain the topic at hand but we understand some things still get lost in translation.
Below are some common “vocab” terms that we at Hoosier Feeder Company commonly use to discuss our centrifugal feeder systems so that you can have a deeper understanding of what we do.
The words “part” and “parts” refers to the production pieces we are tasked to feed
- Tub – The rotating cast aluminum component that acts as both the sides and running surface of the standard centrifugal feeder bowl
Disk – The rotating and often tilted component that acts as the bottom of the feeder bowl, often made from ABS plastic- Tooling Band – Outermost circular steel band from which all feeder tooling is mounted
- Tooling ring/Backup Ring – Inner circular steel ring that acts primarily as the boundary for the moving parts on the running surface – can also be used for smaller tooling components – anchored/mounted to the tooling band
- Height Qualifier – Tooling component that regulates part transfer to the next section of the feeder based on part height
- Profile Qualifier – Tooling component that regulates part transfer to the next section of the feeder based on some profile feature of the part
- Pre-load – Small tooling “fins” placed around the disk in a repeating pattern to assist in pre-orientating parts before they are loaded into the tooling sections
- Cam – Angled tooling component that gradually pushes parts away from desired location depending on their orientation
- Loading Area – Portion of feeder system where the angled disk r/s and tub (or alternatively upper scallop) r/s meet
- Bernoulli air jet – Tooling feature that, based on a set of physical part conditions, creates a vacuum effect for certain part orientations and a blowing effect for other part orientations
- C-Track – Tooling component added to feeder discharges that quickly and reliably flips parts top for bottom for final orientation
- Discharge – The feeder system’s part output – only correctly oriented parts leave this section
Upper scallop – Section of Scallop style centrifugal feeder that acts as staging section for sorted but not fully oriented parts – usually suited for parts with significant length compared to its other dimensions- Lower scallop – Lower portion of scallop style centrifugal feeder that holds fully oriented parts as they move toward the bowl discharge
- Shelves – Surfaces below Scallop portions that serve as the r/s of scallop style centrifugal feeder – will interface with output conveyor in most cases
- Puck – A reusable/recirculating and high-wear part “holder” that allows high-speed part movement for irregularly shaped or tall parts – creates a more stable base as parts move through the feeding system
- De-ionizer – Air conditioning system that helps to remove static charge buildup on certain feeding systems
- Idler Stack – Stack of gears and shafts that transfer, reduce, regulate rotation speed from the feeder motor to its several rotating components
Contact Us
We know there is much more to your project than what can be explained with the words above but hopefully these terms might guide your questions and make our process a little more transparent. If you have any questions about your next project give us a call or send us a message, we would love to help!
April 18, 2018
Related Topics: Centrifugal Feeders
