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DOWNLOADSThe Brabender Loss-in-weight Feeder Range
When ingredient accuracy and repeatability is essential, Brabender Technologie offers a wide range of gravimetric feeders to give you the highest level of feed rate and quality control. Suitable for almost all applications across many different industries, Brabender loss-in-weight feeders cover feed rates from as little as 30g/hr up to 50te/hr.
In this article we are going to look specifically at their Loss-in-Weight Feeders and will cover Gain-in-Weight systems elsewhere.
What is a Loss-in-Weight Feeder?
For those who are not familiar with the term, a Loss-in-Weight Feeder in its broadest sense, combines a feeding device such as a screw feeder, an electronic weighing system and a sophisticated control system to create a gravimetric feeder. A feeder that controls the set material flow rate based on the weight of the product rather than its volume. As material flows from the feeding mechanism, weight measurements are fed continuously to the control system that then adjusts the feed devices rate to ensure that material is fed accurately at the required setpoint.
The Brabender loss-in-weight feeder range is ideally suited for a wide variety of bulk ingredients including liquids. They operate with a high degree of accuracy, reliability and flexibility, even in the most demanding industrial applications.
Brabender’s full feeder range can be configured as loss-in-weight devices as can liquid systems using a wide variety of pump types.
It is also worth noting that loss-in-weight systems only perform at their best when they have have the correctly designed refill system feeding into them and are properly installed. We discuss both of these points in another article but if you have any questions please feel free to contact one of our team.
Single Screw Loss-in-Weight Feeders
The Brabender Technologie range of single screw loss-in-weight feeders are designed to be precise, flexible and long-lasting and are ideal for high accuracy applications for powders, regrinds, flakes and pellets. With feed ranges from just a few Kg/Hr up to several tonnes/hour the options available will cover the vast majority of materials handling requirements. We also offer micro lab-scale options and high capacity feed devices for applications that require these.
In all of our single screw range, the screw trough is fabricated from 304 stainless steel, with the option of upgrading to 316 stainless if required. The feeders come with an integrated rotating agitator blade, which stirs the ingredient to aid flow into the dosing screw.
We can also arrange a laboratory test with your materials to confirm the best configuration for your needs.
Twin Screw Loss-in-Weight Feeders
The Brabender Technologie range of twin screw loss-in-weight feeders are suited to materials that can be floodable or are otherwise unsuitable for the Flexwall or single screw range of feeders.
As with the single screw range, we can cover feed rates from less than 1 Kg/Hr to several Tonnes/Hr. Twin screw loss-in-weight feeders allow for finer control at low rates and the interlocking nature of the twin screws holds back powders and other fine materials that would otherwise flush through a single flight device.
In addition to its flexible feed rate range, our twin screw feeders share many other qualities with our single screw devices. The feeder screw trough is fabricated from 304 stainless steel (also with the option of 316 stainless) and has an integrated rotating agitator blade designed to stir the ingredient to aid flow into the dosing screws.
You have a choice of screw designs and agitator blades that we select to best match your material’s characteristics, as well as numerous extension hoppers to ensure you have the optimum configuration for your material.
Flexwall Loss-in-Weight Feeders
For both free flowing and poor flowing products, the Brabender Technologie range of Flexwall Plus and Flexwall Classic loss-in-weight feeders ensures hassle-free feeding every time. They work for sticky powders, free flowing granules, light and fluffy powders, regrind and even with difficult fibreglass strands.
One of the key features is the flexible polyurethane feed trough which is massaged by external paddles. These ensure the product in the feeder is sufficiently agitated to achieve the best mass flow into the feed screw arrangement. It also means that the product does not come into contact with a mechanical agitator as it would in a conventional feeder. This makes it a great option for products that have a low melting point or might coat and build up on a rotating agitator, as it is perfect for gently dosing the ingredient without overworking it. It also has a huge advantage in the food industry as the same product isn’t being circulated within a trough which can happen with conventional screw feeders.
To add to its material handling benefits, the Flexwall loss-in-weight feeder can be cleaned down in minutes. The flexible trough can be removed from the feeder by simply removing the hopper, screw and tube first. It can then be cleaned and refitted, or replaced with another spare trough. As a result, the Flexwall feeder saves on changeovers and downtime, maximising your production efficiency.
Vibratory Loss-in-Weight Feeders
If your product is fragile and free flowing, the Brabender vibratory loss-in-weight feeders give you a highly accurate feeding system and also one that will handle your product gently, minimising the degradation that would be caused if a screw mechanism was used.
Many food products such as crisps, flakes, breakfast cereals and other friable materials can be accurately fed using a vibrating tray feeder. Rates can vary from a few Kg/Hr up to several tonnes/hour. For higher throughputs a weighbelt feeder may be another option as this also works well with fragile materials and where you want to minimise the mechanical action that may impact your feed material.
Laboratory Loss-in-Weight Feeders
For laboratory test applications, small accurate devices are essential that is why Brabender have developed a specialist range of laboratory loss-in-weight devices, designed to operate at very low feed rates.
With both a twin-screw and rotating tube feeder option most materials can be handled including pellets and powders.
Liquid Loss-in-Weight Feeders
When liquids are part of your formulation, Brabender can supply a suitably configured pump as the feeding mechanism and combine this with a weighing system for the supply vessel, either heated or not depending on the liquid being handled.
Each liquid loss-in-weight feeder is customised to your particular requirements and we work with a wide range of pump types to ensure the most accurate configuration.
Controls for Loss-in-Weight Feeders
Brabender’s Congrav range of loss-in-weight feeder controls offer a number of flexible control options ranging from single feeder controllers through to multi-feeder line controls. They can be connected to the plant control system in a number of different ways, and also used in conjunction with the OP6 or OP16 Operator panel.
If you would like to find out more about the Brabender range, or set up a lab test with your raw materials, please use the details on our contact page.