Classification of vibrating hoppers for feeding workpieces & How to choose the right vibrating plate

In modern industry, production automation plays a key role in improving productivity and efficiency. Vibrating feeders are an indispensable device in automatic production lines, helping to arrange and orient small parts accurately and quickly. However, not all vibrating feeders are the same.

Choosing the right type of vibrating hopper and vibrating plate to suit the characteristics of the workpiece and production requirements is extremely important to optimize operating efficiency and investment costs. This article SWOER will give you an overview of the popular types of vibrating feeders, as well as detailed instructions on how to choose the right vibrating plate, helping you make the optimal decision for your business.

Classification of vibrating hopper for feeding workpieces

By shape:

The shape of the vibrating funnel directly affects how the workpiece moves and is classified. Below are the 3 most common types of vibrating funnels based on shape:

Bowl feeder

Advantage:

• Flexible in design of feed path and trap, suitable for various workpieces of different shapes and sizes.
• Highly efficient in sorting and orienting workpieces, especially small and complex parts.
• High productivity, meeting large production needs.

Disadvantages:

• Takes up a lot of installation space.
• Difficult to design for large sized parts.

Application:

• Electronic component feeding (chips, capacitors, resistors, etc.).
• Supply screws, bolts, nuts, etc. for mechanical and assembly industries.
• Supplying small parts in the manufacturing industry of household appliances, medical devices, etc.

Linear feeder

Advantage:

• Simple structure, compact, easy to move and install.
• Suitable for narrow spaces.
• Lower investment cost compared to circular vibrating hopper.

Disadvantages:

• Lower productivity than round vibrating hopper.
• Limited ability to classify and orient workpieces, difficult to apply to complex parts.

Application: 

• Bar and tube form.
• Feeding of simple shaped parts that do not require complex classification.
• Used in simple, small-scale production lines.

Step feeder

Advantage:

• High productivity, suitable for mass production.
• Simple structure, easy to clean and maintain.

Disadvantages:

• Difficulty in designing paths and traps.
• Less flexibility in embryo classification.

Application:

• Mainly used for simple components with few traps.
• Feeding of parts with symmetrical shapes, without the need for complex orientation.

Other special vibrating funnels

In addition to the three common types of vibrating funnels above, there are also some special types of vibrating funnels designed to meet specific requirements:

• Multi-layer combined vibrating hopper: Increases the capacity of complex workpieces and sorting.
• Vibrating hopper with integrated inspection system: Check the quality of the workpiece during the feeding process.
• Spiral vibrating hopper: For parts that need to be lifted high.
• Vacuum vibrating hopper: Uses vacuum suction to feed small, light, fragile parts.

By application:

Each industry has its own requirements for feeding. Therefore, vibrating hoppers are also designed and manufactured with characteristics suitable for each specific field.

Vibrating funnel for electronic components

Characteristic:

• Compact size, high precision.
• Usually made of antistatic material to protect sensitive components.
• Intricately designed tracks and traps accommodate components of various shapes.

Application:

• Supplying chips, capacitors, resistors, etc. to electronic circuit board production lines.
• Supplying small parts in mobile phones, computers, etc.

Vibrating hopper for food industry

Characteristic:

• Manufacturing materials must meet food hygiene and safety standards (usually 304 stainless steel or special plastic).
• Smooth surface, easy to clean, avoid adhesion and infection.
• Sealed design, prevents dust and insects from entering.

Application:

• Feeding nuts, candies, cookies, etc. to the packaging line.
• Supplying vegetables, fruits, etc. to the processing line.

Vibrating funnel for pharmaceutical industry

Characteristic:

• High precision, ensuring absolute hygiene.
• The manufacturing materials must be inert to drugs to avoid chemical reactions.
• Sealed design prevents cross contamination between drugs.

Application: 

• Feeding tablets, capsules, etc. to packaging and labeling lines.
• Supply raw materials for drug production line.

Vibrating hopper for automotive manufacturing industry

Characteristic:

• High productivity, withstand heavy loads.
• High durability, stable operation in heavy industrial environments.
• Can be integrated with other automated systems in the production line.

Application:

• Supply bolts, screws, nuts, etc. for automobile assembly lines.
• Supply mechanical parts to auto parts production line.

According to manufacturing materials:

The material used to make the vibrating feeder affects the durability, corrosion resistance, hygiene and cost of the product. Here are some common materials:

Stainless steel

Advantage:

• High durability, impact and load resistance.
• Good anti-corrosion and oxidation resistance, suitable for humid and chemical environments.
• Smooth surface, easy to clean, ensuring food hygiene and safety.
• Long life, low maintenance.

Disadvantages:

• Higher cost compared to other materials.

Application:

• Most popular in industries, especially food, pharmaceuticals, electronic components manufacturing, etc.

Plastic

Advantage:

• Low cost, light weight.
• Anti-corrosion, good insulation.
• Easy to process and create complex shapes.

Disadvantages:

• Lower durability than stainless steel.
• Poor heat resistance.
• Easily scratched and deformed.

Application:

• Often used for small vibrating hoppers, feeding light parts that do not require high durability.
• Suitable for light industry, toy production, stationery, etc.

Aluminum

Advantage:

• Light weight, relatively good durability.
• Anti-corrosion, good heat dissipation.
• Reasonable price.

Disadvantages:

• Hardness and durability are less than stainless steel.

Application:

• Vibrating hopper for medium weight parts.
• Applications in light industry, electronic components manufacturing, etc.

By size:

The size of the vibrating feeder hopper is an important factor to consider when choosing, because it directly affects productivity, workpiece capacity and installation space.

Mini vibrating funnel

Characteristic:

• Compact diameter, usually under 200mm.
• Small embryo capacity.
• Suitable for super small parts, electronic components,...

Advantage:

• Save installation space.
• Cheap price.
• Easy to move and install.

Disadvantages:

• Low productivity.
• Difficult to classify complex details.

Small vibrating funnel

Characteristic:

• Diameter from 200mm to 400mm.
• Average embryo volume.
• Suitable for small parts, medium scale production.

Advantage:

• Balance between productivity and size.
• Reasonable price.
• Variety of designs and models.

Medium size vibrating funnel

Characteristic:

• Diameter from 400mm to 600mm.
• Large embryo capacity.
• Suitable for medium sized parts, large scale production.

Advantage:

• High productivity.
• Efficient embryo classification.

Disadvantages:

• Takes up a lot of installation space.
• Higher price.

Large vibrating hopper

Characteristic:

• Diameter over 600mm.
• The volume of the embryo is very large.
• Suitable for large parts, mass production with high productivity.

Advantage:

• Outstanding productivity.
• Multiple paths and complex traps can be integrated.

Disadvantages:

• Takes up a lot of space, bulky.
• The price is very high.
• Complex installation technical requirements.

Vibrator Bowl – The heart of the vibrating funnel

The vibrating tray (also known as the vibrating bowl) is the most important part, determining the operating efficiency of the vibrating hopper. Its task is to create vibration, helping the embryo move and classify in the hopper.

Role of vibrating plate:

• Create vibrations: The vibrating plate creates mechanical vibrations with certain frequency and amplitude, transmitting vibrations to the hopper body and causing the workpiece to move.
• Control of workpiece flow: By adjusting the frequency and amplitude of vibration, the operator can control the speed and direction of movement of the workpiece in the hopper.
• Improve classification efficiency: Vibration from the vibrating plate helps the workpieces pass through the traps, ensuring that only qualified workpieces reach the output.

Types of vibrating trays:

Electromagnetic vibrating tray:

Principle: Use electromagnetic force to create vibration.

Advantage:

• Simple structure, easy to adjust frequency and vibration amplitude.
• Low energy consumption.
• High durability, low failure rate.

Disadvantages:

• The vibration force is not as strong as the pneumatic vibrating plate.
• May be affected by ambient temperature.

Pneumatic vibrating plate:

Principle: Use compressed air to create vibration.

Advantage:

• Strong vibration force, suitable for large-sized, heavy-duty vibrating hoppers.
• Less affected by ambient temperature.

Disadvantages:

• More complex structure, higher cost.
• Compressed air consumption.
• Higher noise level.

Instructions for choosing the right vibrating plate

Choosing the right vibrating plate plays an important role in optimizing the performance and life of the vibrating feeder. Here are some factors to consider when choosing:

Embryo characteristics

• Size and shape: Workpieces with complex sizes and shapes require a vibrating plate with strong vibration force and suitable vibration frequency to ensure accurate movement and classification of the workpieces.
• Weight:Heavy workpieces require a vibrating plate with greater vibration force.
• Friction: High friction workpieces require vibrating plates with large vibration amplitudes to avoid jamming.
• Adhesion: High adhesion workpieces require a vibrating plate with high vibration frequency to avoid sticking to the hopper wall.

Required capacity

• Feed speed: The need for high speed feeding requires a vibrating plate with strong vibration force and high vibration frequency.
• Workpiece weight: The mass of workpiece to be fed in a unit of time also affects the choice of vibrating plate.

Working environment

• Temperature: Working environment with high temperature requires choosing vibrating plate with good heat resistance.
• Humidity: Wet environments require vibrating trays that are moisture-resistant and corrosion-resistant.
• Dirt: Dusty environments require a sealed, dust-proof vibrating tray.

Noise requirements

If a quiet working environment is required, a low-noise vibrating plate should be selected (e.g. an electromagnetic vibrating plate).

Budget

• Investment costs: Consider the initial investment cost and the results.
• Operating costs: Calculate the cost of electricity consumption and maintenance.

Conclude:

Choosing the right vibrating feeder and vibrating plate plays a key role in optimizing production efficiency, improving productivity and saving costs for businesses. Hopefully, the detailed information on vibrating feeder classification and vibrating plate selection guide in this article has helped you have an overview and useful knowledge to make the right decision. If you need more information or detailed advice, do not hesitate to contact us. SWOERWith a team of experienced experts, we are ready to help you choose the best solution!

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