Vibratory Feeder Terminology
HOPPER (OR STORAGE HOPPER): The storage hopper is the storage area provided to backlog bulk parts prior to entering the feeder bowl. This hopper eliminates overloading or insufficient loads of parts, causing the bowl not to function as required. Feed rate from the hopper to a bowl is metered by a level control switch.
BASIC BOWL: The band, bottom and track assembly prior to any tooling for a specific part. Basic bowls are not off-the-shelf standard items. They are individually designed and can be supplied for any profile of part up to approximately 5″ long.
FEEDER BOWL: The feeder bowl is the actual orienting and feeding device that orients the part to your machine requirements and is the heart of the system. The feeder bowl is always custom tooled to a specific part configuration. Feeder bowls are almost always round and constructed of stainless steel for long life.
RATE (OR FEED RATE): The number of parts per minute, or per hour, which you require to meet your production requirements.
ORIENTATION: Positioning of part in the attitude you desire for your operation.
SELECTOR: An area of the system designed and custom fit to profile only the properly positioned part. Parts entering a selector which are not in the proper position are diverted out of the feed line.
BACKPRESSURE RELIEF POINT (OR BUBBLE): An area of the system just before the parts enter the discharge that causes the parts to fall off the track if the discharge fills with parts. This relieves parts pressure, eliminating problems that could be caused in the selector area.
CONFINEMENT: The fabrication installed to assure 100% control of the part after a selector ejects improperly positioned parts.
RETURN PAN: An extra pan-like area welded to the outside of the bowl which catches excess and rejected parts falling from the track. The pan guides these parts back into the interior of the bowl for recirculation.
DISCHARGE OF THE FEEDER BOWL: This is the last section of the bowl. In most cases, it is a straight exit that confines the parts after they are oriented.
TRACK SWITCH: A switch of any type which turns the feeder off whenever the tracking to the machine becomes full. The track switch also helps to eliminate wear, noise and jams within the feeder. Air, photo-electric, proximity and electro-mechanical track switches can be used.
