What Is a Screw Conveyor?
What Is a Screw Conveyor?Screw conveyors are among the most reliable and popular options for industrial plants that need to move bulk materials, but what exactly are they and how do they operate? Screw conveyors were used as far back as the 3rd century BC to irrigate crops and remove water from boats, which means they’re among the oldest types of industrial machines still in use today. They started being used for a wider array of functions in the 1800s and were popular in food mills that were trying to meet the needs of a growing population. Today, screw conveyors are used in all types of industrial plants to streamline the handling of many types of bulk material.
How Does a Screw Conveyor Work?
The mechanics of a screw conveyor, or auger conveyor, are basic. The device includes a hollow cylinder or trough with a screw or “flighting” inside the cylinder that turns on a central axis. As the screw rotates, the material is pushed forward inside the cylinder. Screw conveyors usually operate horizontally but can be inclined up to vertical. It’s important to note that their capacity diminishes as the angle of incline increases.
Because they’re so efficient, they can be used for an almost unlimited number of applications. Some of the bulk material that is commonly moved using screw conveyors includes:
- Grains and sugars
- Dry food materials
- Cement and clinker
- Wood chips
- Aggregates
- Boiler ash
- Municipal solid waste
- Coal and coke
Part of the appeal of screw conveyors is their adaptability, as they are suitable for handling dry and semidry materials. And for excessively wet or sludge-type materials, a shaftless screw can be provided.
Does Your Plant Need a Custom Screw Conveyor?
If you’re in the market for a screw conveyor for your company, would you prefer one that’s been customized to meet your needs? Of course, you would, and that’s exactly what you’ll get when you partner with Materials Handling Equipment. We’re one of the longest-serving manufacturers of industrial conveyors, as we first opened our doors in 1927. We consider ourselves to be a leader in the advancement of conveyor technology, and we even helped develop the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) standards that are still in use today.
Offering Custom Conveyor Solutions
Many conveyor manufacturers offer a “cookie-cutter” product and expect their customers to adapt it to their needs. When you partner with Materials Handling Equipment, we’ll visit your plant and discuss your goals, and we’ll manufacture a custom screw conveyor that’s tailored to your specific needs.
What’s more, our industrial conveyors are manufactured using heavy-duty components made from wear-resistant alloys, so they can handle environments that are abrasive, corrosive, and feature elevated temperatures. In fact, it’s not unusual for our conveyors to still be performing reliably more than 50 years after initial delivery. And if you ever encounter an issue, our Critical Care team will be standing by to provide prompt assistance.
Contact Materials Handling Equipment Today
Let Materials Handling Equipment provide a custom screw conveyor that will exceed your expectations. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team.
A drag conveyor is a versatile option used by many industrial plants to transfer bulk material from one point to another. Also commonly referred to as a drag chain or drag flight conveyor, this popular type of conveyor is characterized by a single- or double-stranded chain of paddles or “flights” that are driven by a motor and pull bulk materials through a channel. Drag conveyors are extremely popular due to their reliability and adaptability.
Transporting items from point A to Point B is a common occurrence for almost any type of business and is often accomplished by manpower. However, when the “items” that need to be moved are heavy, dangerous, or difficult to contain and need to be moved continuously in large quantities, a conveyor comes into play. The use of conveyors for material handling has been occurring since as far back as 1795, when basic conveyor systems were used to move grains a short distance. By definition, a conveyor is any piece of mechanical equipment that moves materials from one location to another. In day-to-day business, this could be a belt that is used to sort packages, items coming off a production line, or luggage headed to an airplane cargo hold. For industrial purposes, however, conveyors are much more specialized and must be able to withstand many different types of environments.
As the name implies, material is dragged along the conveyor by either a single chain or multiple chains with a paddle. At many industrial plants, it’s crucial to be able to move bulk material quickly and reliably. Whether you’re dealing with cement, clinker, lime, coal, wood chips, phosphate, food waste, grains, or ash, a dependable conveyor is a must to keep things up and running. There are many different types of conveyors to choose from, and the best one for a given situation is usually determined by the type of material that needs to be conveyed and the distance it needs to move. One of the more popular options is a drag conveyor, which is sometimes referred to as a drag chain, drag flight, or en-masse conveyor.
A bucket elevator is one of the most common types of industrial conveyors and is utilized by companies in a wide array of industries. When large quantities of bulk material need to be moved vertically in an efficient and reliable manner, a bucket elevator is often the best option. In this article, we will explain how exactly bucket elevators work and discuss some of the applications for which they are popular.
Since 1927, Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) has been manufacturing custom bucket elevators for industrial plants throughout the United States. We are recognized as pioneers in several classes of conveyors, including mill-duty and cement-duty. While many other conveyor manufacturers offer cookie-cutter options, our bucket elevators are custom-manufactured to fit the space they will occupy and the application they will be used for. Additionally, we utilize special wear-resistant alloys and customized components, so our bucket elevators provide decades of reliable service in the most severe environments imaginable. In fact, many of our custom conveyors are still in service more than half a century after delivery.
One of the most common types of conveyors you’ll find at industrial facilities is the bucket elevator. This style of conveyor is a workhorse for a variety of industries and can reliably and efficiently move large quantities of bulk material. They are used effectively in a wide variety of industries, including:
If you’re in the market for a conveyor for your factory or industrial plant, you don’t have to settle for a pre-fabricated, “cookie-cutter”-style conveyor that only meets some of your needs. Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) can custom-manufacture a heavy-duty conveyor that is designed to check all the boxes for your company and will provide the efficiency and productivity gains you’re hoping for. Our team of experts will work with you to design the ideal custom 
The harsher the environment, the more durable the conveyor will need to be. MHE is recognized for producing conveyors that can handle the most extreme conditions, including severe corrosion and abrasion and high temperatures, without missing a beat. Our conveyors last for decades in extreme environments thanks to upgrades like custom-engineered drive components, special wear-resistant alloys, and internal Ni-Hard gravity take-up bearings.
The right kind of conveyor system can do wonders for the productivity of a factory or industrial plant, as it can eliminate some steps in the manufacturing process and accomplish others much more efficiently. If you’re in the market for a heavy-duty conveyor system for your company, the first question that likely came to mind is “How much will it cost?” There’s no simple answer to that question, however, as there are many different factors that will come into play when determining the initial costs your company will face. Yes, there are “cookie-cutter” conveyor systems on the market that have set prices, but these are not a good option for companies that want a conveyor that accomplishes specific goals and is manufactured to fit in a pre-determined space.
One of the biggest differentiators in the conveyor industry is the ability of a conveyor to reliably perform in extreme environments. Simply put, many of the products on the market aren’t engineered to be able to handle extreme corrosion, severe abrasion, and high temperatures for long periods. At MHE, we utilize heavy-duty elements, such as custom-engineered drive components, special wear-resistant alloys, and internal Ni-Hard gravity take-up bearings. This ensures that our 
If your company deals with any type of bulk material that needs to be moved quickly and efficiently, there will likely come a point where a custom conveyor becomes a necessity. Conveyor systems are able to transport all types of materials with unmatched efficiency, and you can count on them to perform year after year in hazardous conditions. While the initial setup costs may be high, there’s no doubt that a custom conveyor system will pay for itself in almost no time.
If you need to move large quantities of bulk material quickly and efficiently at an industrial plant, you’re probably trying to determine which type of industrial conveyor will work best for your needs. Industrial conveyors that are made well can handle all types of materials and can function in the most extreme environments, and you’ll likely have several different options to choose from. The most important variables to consider when choosing the right conveyor are:
This type of conveyor can elevate both light and heavy bulk materials and is effective for materials that are fine or coarse with large lumps. They can be used for food, cement, wood chips, etc., and depend on centrifugal force to get materials into the discharge chute, or on gravity if a slower discharge is required.