Course of MT- 362
Material Handling
Lecture # 6
Material Feeding and Metering Devices
Batch Feeding and Weighing Systems:
• The manufacture of any blended product typically involves the
intermediate process steps of transfer and weighing or batching
of individual ingredients based upon their weight percentage in
a blend. Depending on this percentage, materials are
categorized as majors, minors and micros.
 There are two principle batching methods for weighing and
feeding bulk materials:
1.
2.
A Gain-in-Weight (GIW) batching station includes volumetric metering
devices, such as screw feeders or valves, that deliver the product to a
hopper on load cells. GIW batchers for the major ingredients.
The Loss-in-Weight (LIW) batching system employs gravimetric feeding
devices, such as loss-in-weight screw or vibratory feeders, which are
mounted on individual load cells or scales. LIW feeders for the micros and
minors.
Material Feeding and Metering Devices
Material Feeding and Metering Devices
Gravimetric Feeders:
In gravimetric feeding, dry bulk material or liquid is fed into a
process at a constant weight per unit of time. Consistent control
and complete monitoring are possible. In principle, gravimetric
feeding combines monitoring of the feeding process with a
feedback loop that enables accurate material control.
For example spice industries, glass bottle making industries
Volumetric Feeder:
volumetric feeding is the simplest, most economical feeding
solution available. Bulk material is held in a hopper and
constantly fed into a process per unit of time. Although there is
no weight feedback to assure feeding accuracy over time, this
may not be a concern for materials with consistent bulk density.
For example Beverage industries.
Material Feeding and Metering Devices
Continuous Feeders:
In a continuous process, all equipment components related
to the required unit operations function as a single system
and are designed to operate 24 / 7, except for periods of
required maintenance. This increased equipment utilization.
Material Feeding and Metering Devices
• Centerboard feeder
-shaped to match part,
-dips and then rises
-through parts to select
part, - which then slides
into feed groove
CHUTE: a sloping channel or slide for
conveying things to a lower level
• Reciprocating feeder
Either hopper or tube
reciprocates to obtain, orient,
and feed items
Material Feeding and Metering Devices
• Rotary centerboard feeder
- Blade, with edge shaped to
match part, rotates through
parts, catching those
oriented correctly. Parts
slide on contour of blade to
exit onto feeder rail
Material Feeding and Metering Devices
• Escapement feeder
- Escapement is weighted
or spring-loaded to stop
part from leaving track
until it is snared (trapped)
by the work carrier. Slope
of track feeds next part
into position
• Lead screw feeder
-Parts stack up behind the screw
- Rotation of screw feeds parts with
desired separation and timing.
Material Feeding and Metering Devices
Hopper
Adjustment
mechanism
Supports
Motor
Screw
Outlet
Vehicle bulk conveyor systems
Such systems consist of conveyors that can be moved easily so that
they can be used for loading and unloading of bulk material from
vehicles like
Trucks
Rails
Aircrafts
Consists of
Conveyer systems (belts,
rollers etc.)
Driving mechanism (motor,
gears, pulleys etc.)
Control cabinet (electronics,
sensors, transducers etc.)
Transportation modes (wheel
carriages, trucks etc.)
Vehicle bulk conveyer systems
Conveyer system
Controls cabinet
Drive mechanism
Transportation mode
Electronics
Vehicle bulk conveyer systems
Marine Bulk Material Handling
Marine handling equipments
• Those equipments which are used
for handling of material related to sea
or ocean
• These may include transportation to
or from
Directly from sea
From islands
Ships
Ports
Marine Bulk Material Handling
Products associated with marine may include
Mining (coal, iron, sulfur, etc.)
Import export bulk materials (grains, wheat, etc.)
Chemical plants (chemical processing)
Petroleum products
Food products
Material handling equipments is
performed by
Cranes
Conveyers
Elevators
Rails
Containers
Lifters
Marine Bulk Material Handling
Different stages in marine material handling
Loading/ unloading
Stacking
Conveyers
Reclaimers
Wagon loading
Marine Bulk Material Handling
• Bulk material loading to ships
Marine Bulk Material Handling
• Loading/ unloading
Marine Bulk Material Handling
• Stacking
Marine Bulk Material Handling
• Reclaimers
Marine Bulk Material Handling
• Conveyers
Marine Bulk Material Handling
• Wagon loading
Packaged material handling
• Packaged materials are those materials that can be easily packed in
single units
• Few examples are
– Food items
– Medicines
– Glassware
– Industrial products
– Electronics
Packaged material handling
• Pallets and palletizing operations
– These are unit load formation equipments
– The objective is to use recyclable material for the product
containers
– Such material handling consist of
• Boxes
• Cartons
• Crates
• Totes
• Bags
• Packets
Packaged material handling
• Pallets
– Pallets are probably the most common platform for moving unit
loads.
– Perhaps the most obvious area of concern associated with the
use of pallets today involves cost and quality
– Poor quality pallets annually cost industry billions of dollars in
the form of
• Product damage,
• Lost productivity, and
• Damaged handling
Packaged material handling
• Pallet construction
– A pallet consist of
• Top deck/ slat
• Bottom deck/ slat
• Blocks
• Stringer board (support/ connector)
• Guide ways for fork lifter forks
• Guide ways for hand-trucks forks
Packaged material handling
Packaged material handling
• Pallet construction
– Size of pallet is specified by its depth (i.e., length of its
stringers or stringer boards) and its width (i.e., length its
deck-boards)—pallet height (typically 5 in.) is usually not
specified
– 48 × 40 in. (1200 × 1000 mm) pallet is most popular in the
US, because its compatibility with railcar and truck trailer
dimensions; e.g., the GMA (Grocery Manufacturers of
America) pallet is four-way and made of hardwood
– 1200 × 800 mm “Euro-Pallet” is the standard pallet in
Europe
– Single-face pallets are sometimes referred to as “skids”
Packaged material handling
• Pallet material
– A key decision affecting the overall life cycle cost of pallets is
the materials used in their manufacture
– The pallet materials include
• Wood
• Pressed wood fiber
• Corrugated fiberboard
• Plastic
• Metal
Corrugated : a material shaped into a series of
parallel ridges and grooves so as to give added
rigidity and strength
Packaged material handling
Wooden pallets
Corrugated fiberboard
Packaged material handling
Pressed wood fiber pallets
Packaged material handling
Plastic pallet
Metal pallet
Packaged material handling
• Advantages of using different material pallets
– Wooden pallets are sold each year than any other type due to
the versatility, low cost, biodegradability and recyclability of
this material
– Pressed wood fiber is a combination of wood fibers and organic
resins which eliminates the need for nails and enables the
molding of pallets into more space efficient designs
Packaged material handling
• Advantages of using different material pallets
– Disposable, corrugated fiberboard pallets can be made of
recycled paper materials and provide a light weight, low cost
alternative for one way shipping when loads do not need to be
stored outdoors
– Durable plastic and metal pallets may provide the low cost
alternative over the full pallet life cycle despite their high initial
cost
• Both of these materials are recyclable, can be sanitized for
clean applications, and can be used in the most demanding
applications
Packaged material handling
• Palletizing
– It is the process of stacking the product to
form a unit load
– Palletizing operation may be through the
following methods
• Manual
• Automated /robotic
Packaged material handling
• Manual palletizing
Packaged material handling
• Automated/ robotic method
Packaged material handling
• Pallet positioner
– It is a tool which fulfills the ergonomics requirements of an
operator
– It consist of a turn-table, drive mechanism, damping system and
control device
– It can be operated
• Manually
• Hydraulically
Ergonomics (or human factors) is the
scientific discipline concerned with the
• Motorized
understanding of interactions among humans
and other elements of a system, and the
profession that applies theory, principles,
data and methods to design in order to
optimize human well-being and overall
system performance.
Packaged material handling
• Pallet positioner