Reprinted From Powder and Bulk Engineering, December 2001
com
How to troubleshoot and maintain your
feeder
David H. Wilson K-Tron Institute
Troubleshooting and maintaining your feeder to en-
sure that it meters material accurately and effi-
ciently to your process depends on a solid
understanding of how your feeder operates. After
explaining how three common feeders operate, this
article gives advice on how you can troubleshoot
and maintain each of the feeders.
F
eeders that dont feed accurately typically produce
off-spec finished products and require extended pe-
riods of downtime to recalibrate or fix, which can
cost your company in decreased production rates and lost
sales. If your feeder is specifically selected or engineered
for your application and your processs upstream and
downstream equipment operates within spec, then most
feeder problems youre likely to encounter can be attrib-
uted to improper feeder installation, inadequate mainte-
nance, or changes in your material, operating conditions,
or process requirements.
You can avoid many feeder problems by properly in-
stalling the feeder. For a complex feeder system, such as a
multiple loss-in-weight feeder with mixers or com-
pounders, contracting an experienced company to help in-
stall it can avoid potentially costly problems and startup
delays. You can prevent other problems by thoroughly
training your operating and maintenance workers, helping
them become familiar with the feeder and teaching them
effective troubleshooting and maintenance practices.
www.powderbulk.
Because your feeder is engineered and configured to han-
dle your specific material at a specific discharge rate,
changes in your material, operating conditions, or process
requirements can also cause problems. For instance, re-
ceiving material from a different supplier can change the
feeders performance because of subtle differences in the
new materials physical characteristics. Changes in your
process conditions such as ambient or material temper-
ature or vibration levels can also affect feeder perfor-
mance. Requiring your feeder to operate at discharge rates
outside of its initial design range can cause performance
problems, too. Choosing a feeder that can be easily recon-
figured in your plant to handle new conditions can help
you solve these problems.
Other feeding errors stem from problems with the feeders
operation. The following sections discuss the operation of
three common feeders, then explains how to troubleshoot
and maintain the feeders based on their operating princi-
ples. One feeder the volumetric screw feeder oper-
ates volumetrically, and two feeders the loss-in-weight
and weighbelt feeders operate gravimetrically.
Volumetric screw feeder
Like other volumetric feeders, a volumetric screw feeder,
as shown in Figure 1, feeds a certain material volume per
unit time (such as cubic feet per hour) to a process. The
volumetric screw feeder consists of a hopper, material dis-
charge device, and controller. This is the most common
volumetric feeder, and its material discharge device is a
screw that rotates at a constant speed to meter material at a
predetermined volume-per-revolution discharge rate from
the hopper to the process. The controller monitors and
controls the feeders screw speed, which determines the
materials discharge rate.
An optional agitation system located between the hopper
and the screw can facilitate material discharge from the
hopper. Various agitation systems and screw designs,
sizes, and geometries are available to suit your application.
Because the volumetric screw feeder cant detect or adjust
to variations in a materials bulk density, the feeder is most
effective with relatively free-flowing, uniform-density
materials, such as pellets, and in applications where high
feeding accuracy isnt crucial.
Troubleshooting and maintenance. Volumetric screw
feeder problems are relatively easy to diagnose. Most
problems relating to the feeders discharge rate stem from
a faulty screw-speed control sensor (Figure 1) or motor
drive, a change in the discharge rates volume-per-revolu-
tion ratio, or material flow problems from the hopper. Pre-
cise control of the discharge rate will be impossible if the
feeders screw-speed control sensor doesnt register the
screw speed accurately (or at all) or if the drive doesnt re-
spond as required by the setpoint. If the feeders discharge
rate is a problem, first check for loose sensor wiring and
electrical connections. If the connections are sound, you
may need to clean or replace the sensor, depending on the
sensor type and the manufacturers recommendation. You
can easily evaluate the sensor if the motor speed is stable.
If the screw-speed control sensor isnt causing the prob-
lem, then the cause is probably a change in the discharge
rates volume-per-revolution ratio. Such a change is typi-
cally caused by material buildup on the screw or in the dis-
charge tube (Figure 1) or by a blockage in the hopper that
prevents a consistent material supply to the screw. The
Figure 1
Volumetric screw feeder
Controller
Hopper Screw-speed signal
Agitation system
Controller
signal
Discharge tube
Screw-speed sensor
Feeder (internal)
buildup or blockage reduces the material volume that the
screw discharges in each revolution at the constant screw
speed. An immediate, but temporary, remedy is to clean
the screw, discharge tube, or hopper, or all three. To per-
manently solve the problem, you may have to change the
screw or hopper design or add an agitation system to help
move material from the hopper to the feed screw.
Loss-in-weight feeder
Unlike the volumetric screw feeder, a loss-in-weight
(LIW) feeder is a gravimetric feeder that directly measures
the materials weight to achieve and maintain a predeter-
mined feedrate thats measured in units of weight per time.
The LIW feeder, as shown in Figure 2, consists of a hop-
per, refill device, weight-sensing device (typically either a
digital or analog load cell), feeder (typically a volumetric
screw feeder powered by a variable-speed motor), and
controller. Before operation, an operator programs the
controller to discharge material at a predetermined fee-
drate (or setpoint) measured in units of weight per time
(such as pounds per hour).
In operation, the feeder meters material from the hopper to
the process as the weight-sensing device continuously re-
ports the materials instantaneous weight in the hopper to
the controller. To prevent feeding interruptions, the refill
device periodically refills the hopper with material. The
controller compares the weight loss rate to the setpoint and
increases or decreases the feeders screw speed to acceler-
ate or slow the material weight change in the hopper,
matching the process feedrate to the setpoint. The LIW
Figure 2
Loss-in-weight feeder
Controller
Weight-sensing
Hopper device signal
Refill device
Weight-sensing
device (load cell)
Controller
signal
Discharge tube
Screw-speed signal
Feeder
feeder is typically used to precisely meter powders, pel-
lets, granules, or solids-liquids mixtures to a process at low
feedrates, and its enclosed design enables it to contain
dusty and hazardous materials.
Troubleshooting and maintenance. Because the LIW
feeder typically uses a volumetric screw feeder to meter
material, many of the volumetric feeder problems and so-
lutions in the previous section also apply to the LIW
feeder. But since the LIW feeders operation is based on
the weight loss rate per unit time rather than the screw
speed, the controller automatically compensates for mate-
rial buildup on the screw or in the discharge tube or a
blockage in the hopper by increasing the screw speed to
maintain the setpoint. The controller continues to increase
the screw speed until the feeder reaches an alarm condi-
tion, such as when the screw speed exceeds the recom-
mended operating speed. If an alarm condition occurs in
your LIW feeder, check first for material buildup on the
screw or in the discharge tube or a blockage in the hopper.
If you find no material buildup or blockage, check the hop-
per to ensure that it has material in it. If the hopper is
empty, you then need to check the upstream material de-
livery system for a blockage or other malfunction.
Since the LIW feeders operation depends on accurate
weight measurements of the material in the hopper, make
sure the feeder and weight-sensing device are isolated
from any external vibration created by other equipment in
your process, because vibration can impose artificial
forces on the feeder that cause weighing errors. This re-
quires installing the feeder so that the weight-sensing de-
vice is shielded from vibration effects. Do this by ensuring
that the feeder has a stable mounting, using flexible con-
nections and shock mounts, and eliminating strong air cur-
rents near the feeder. [Editors note: For more information
on flexible connections see the article, Loss-in-weight
feeder connections: More flexibility equals better feeding
performance, elsewhere in this issue.]
Vibration problems can result later from installing new
equipment near the feeder or improperly refitting the
feeders flexible connections during maintenance. So for
example, if your LIW feeder has feedrate problems that
appear to correlate with the operation of newly installed
machinery or that occur after feeder maintenance, external
vibration is probably affecting the weight-sensing device.
To solve these problems, you need to make sure that the
feeder and weight-sensing device are isolated from any vi-
bration created by the newly installed equipment or, if the
problems occur after maintenance, recheck the flexible
connections to ensure that theyre properly connected to
the feeder.
The weight-sensing device itself can cause performance
problems if you dont select it properly for your applica-
tion. Carefully evaluate the weight-sensing devices capa-
bilities such as resolution, stability, responsiveness,
weight signal integrity, vibration sensitivity, reliability,
and data communications before purchasing the LIW
feeder. After installing your feeder, maintain its perfor-
mance and find any problems such as drift (a gradual de-
viation from a set adjustment) as early as possible by
regularly calibrating the weight-sensing device.
Other performance problems can result from a defective
refill device or a leaky seal at the feeders discharge. If an
automatic refill device loads material into the hopper, any
leakage in the refill device at the hoppers inlet will pro-
duce a feedrate error because material will continue leak-
ing into the hopper after the refilling process has stopped.
This creates a weight loss rate change; the controller
senses that not enough material is being discharged from
the hopper. To compensate for this, the controller increases
the screw speed to meet the setpoint, discharging more
material per unit time.
And if the LIW feeder discharges material to a nonambi-
ent pressure environment such as a pressurized or vacuum
conveying line, a pressure pulse (air leaking from the
downstream system through the feeders discharge tube to
the weight-sensing device) can cause a feedrate error. A
pressure pulse affects the hoppers instantaneous weight
measurement by exerting a vertical force on the weight-
sensing device opposite to the hoppers downward force
in effect, slightly lifting it so that its weight reads less.
This also creates a weight loss rate change; the controller
senses that too much material is being discharged from the
hopper. To compensate for this, the controller decreases
the screw speed to meet the setpoint, discharging less ma-
terial per unit time. These problems are usually easy to fix
but can be hard to detect. The best solution is to regularly
check the feeders refill device and discharge for proper
operation.
Weighbelt feeder
A weighbelt feeder, which is also a gravimetric feeder,
maintains its setpoint by weighing material as it crosses a
weighing section (or weighbridge) on a belt conveyor and
adjusting the conveyors belt speed. The typical weighbelt
feeder, as shown in Figure 3, consists of a hopper, feeder
(typically a volumetric screw feeder), belt conveyor with a
tachometer, shear gate, weighbridge with a weight-sens-
ing device (typically a load cell), and controller. Before
operation, an operator inputs a setpoint in units of weight
per time (such as pounds per minute) into the controller.
In operation, material flows at a constant rate from the
hopper onto the belt and then through the shear gate. The
gate shapes the material into a profile with a certain depth
and width, creating a consistent material bed to deliver
consistent belt loading (in pounds per foot) over the
weighbridge. Channeling side skirts along the belt sides
help contain errant material that strays from the material
pile on the belt. As the belt carries the material over the
weighbridge, the load cell sends a weight signal and the
tachometer sends a belt-speed signal to the controller,
which uses the signals to calculate the belts actual fee-
drate. The controller then compares the actual feedrate
with the setpoint and signals the motor to speed or slow the
belt to meet the setpoint. Because of its open design, the
weighbelt feeder is suited to feeding relatively free-flow-
ing, dustless materials that dont require containment.
Troubleshooting and maintenance. Most weighbelt
feeder problems are caused by the mechanical systems
that keep the belt clean, keep it tracking properly, and
maintain its tension. Because each weighbelt feeder man-
ufacturer uses different mechanical system designs, pre-
senting remedies for all the problems is beyond this
articles scope. However, most problems stem from lax
monitoring, maintenance, and cleaning of these systems.
To prevent problems with your weighbelt feeder, regularly
monitor and clean its mechanical systems and replace sys-
tem parts as required by the manufacturer.
Correctly setting the weighbelt feeders shear gate will en-
sure that the feeder operates properly. If you switch to
feeding a different material, or if your original materials
bulk density changes significantly, adjust the shear gates
setting to compensate for the change. Adjusting the gate
helps prevent material from coming into contact with the
channeling side skirts, which may cause friction between
the material and side skirts, changing the materials veloc-
ity profile on the belt and creating a small feedrate error.
Allowing material to contact the channeling side skirts can
also cause other problems, including material jamming
between the side skirts bottom and the belts top, which
may increase belt loading and slow the belt speed, affect-
ing the feedrate negatively and potentially causing belt
Figure 3
Weighbelt feeder
Controller
Belt-speed
signal
Hopper
Belt conveyor Weighbridge Weight-sensing
Shear gate device Weight-sensing
device signal
damage; and material migrating under the side skirt and
spilling off the belt where it can cause damage to the
feeders other operating mechanisms. When your mater-
ials bulk density changes, you may need to change the
shear gate setting to re-establish the belt loading (pounds
per foot) value and maintain feedrate performance.
Belt slip can also lead to feedrate errors or an inability to
achieve desired flowrates. Belt slip occurs when there isnt
enough frictional force between the belt and its drive pul-
ley, which is caused by insufficient belt tension or material
buildup on the belts underside, or both. You can help
avoid belt slip by properly maintaining the belt and its ten-
sioning system. If this doesnt work, you may have to re-
configure the feeder to operate at a lower belt speed.
Because the weighbelt feeder weighs the material as it
passes over the weighbridges weight-sensing device, you
must accurately and periodically tare (or zero) the weight-
sensing devices load cell. This procedure ensures that the
weight-sensing device is weighing only the materials
weight, not the belts weight and it variation. To avoid fee-
drate errors, regularly tare your weighbelt feeder. Some
weighbelt feeder manufacturers also offer a belt-memory
taring system, where incremental tare measurements are
taken of an empty belt in relation to the weighbridge and
programmed into the controller. The controller then auto-
matically tares each belt section as it passes over the
weighbridge during operation. PBE
For further reading
Find more information on volumetric and gravimetric
feeders in articles listed under Feeders in Powder and
Bulk Engineerings comprehensive Index to articles
(later in this issue and at www.powderbulk.com).
David H. Wilson is vice president and director of the K-
Tron Institute, PO Box 888, Pitman, NJ 08071-0888; 856-
256-3268, fax 856-256-3269 (dwilson@ktron.com,
www.ktron.com). He has nearly 30 years experience in
Controller feeding bulk solids and has written numerous feeding arti-
signal cles and a book on feeding plastics.
Motor