Flexible screw conveyors (also known as spiral conveyors or flex auger conveyors) are typically used to move materials between bulk bag dischargers, storage vessels, manual bag dump (sack tip) or drum dump stations, screeners, crushers, blenders, reactors, packaging equipment, injection molding and extrusion machines, and other process equipments. In short, flexible screw conveyors are useful to convey tough bulk materials that tend to pack, cake, smear, break apart or fluidize, separate or are other wise difficult-to-handle.
Flexible screw conveyors are capable of conveying tough bulk materials at any angle, moving over or under obstructions and through small holes in walls or ceilings. These conveyors also have the advantage of simple construction, low space requirements, reliability of operation and favorable economics.
Screw conveyors were originally designed by Archimedes for the transport of water from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. In his time, conveyors were turned by windmills or manual power. Today, flexible screw conveyors are usually powered by electric motors even though they can also run on alternative power sources.
Flexible screw conveyors consist of a large Archimedean screw contained inside housing. When a motor turns the screw, the material rotates along while being transported down the length of the screw. In this sense, the screw fulfills the same purpose as traditional belt conveyors. However, different from traditional belt conveyors, screw conveyors are capable of transporting liquid products.
Flexible screw conveyors are especially useful in transporting powders and materials composed of small granules, such as grain. Screw conveyors are also used to feed plastic pellets used in injection molding to a hopper.
Depending on the application, flexible screw conveyors may be fitted with a variable rate feeder to control the amount of product distributed at a time. Although they retain the ability to transport liquids, they are not as efficient as other fluid moving methods. But, they are capable of bending to some degree.
Helix™ by Hapman is one of flexible screw conveyors you can choose in the market. This conveyor fits your exact application, with the broadest selection of hoppers and heavier duty augers than anyone else in the industry. Just choose from stainless or low-cost ‘poly’ hopper. With Helix™ HiLo, featuring auger changes less than five minutes, you can reduce product changeover times.
This type of flexible screw conveyors can convey up to 40 feet. It is available in diameters ranging from 2-1/2″ to 8″ with a standard 8 cubic ft 304 stainless steel hopper, food grade poly conveyor casing and a protective grate with safety cut-off switch. This conveyor is completed with connectors as T-handle couplings for simplification of service. No special tools are required and this unit can be dismantled quickly.
Or you can choose Dyna-Flex Flexible Screw Conveyors. With only one moving part, the free floating auger, this is easily the simplest form of conveyors on the market. The DynaFlex Flexible Screw Conveyor is comprised of a centerless, free-floating helical auger that rotates within the confines of a flexible tubular housing for dust-free transport of flowable bulk materials.
These DynaFlex Flexible Screw Conveyors will move flowable powder and bulk solid materials at any angle from horizontal to vertical. The optimal angle at the product pick-up point is 45°. This factor combined with the flexibility of the casing and auger, allows this helical conveyor to be installed in many configurations and is well suited to retrofit or upgrade situations.
