KWS Manufacturing

Metering Hot Lime from Silo at International Paper

Application Notes & Case Studies /

The new KWS slide gate and screw feeder were constructed using heavy-duty 304 stainless steel to withstand high temperatures of the hot lime stored in the hopper and occasional foreign objects that inevitably travel through the system. The screw feeder trough was equipped with a clean out port to allow maintenance operators to pull out foreign objects with ease. The drive unit produces extreme high torque to power through upset conditions. A KWS torque arm trough end allows the gear reducer to “float” while producing torque. The screw was mass-flow design to promote even withdrawal of material from the hopper and to meter hot lime at a controlled rate. KWS provided a slider base trough end on the tail end of the screw feeder to account for thermal expansion due to high heat.

Metering Hot Lime from Silo at International Paper Read More »

Dryer Feed Screw Conveyor for Koppers Performance Chemicals

Application Notes & Case Studies /

The new KWS screw conveyor was redesigned to bolt directly to a dryer, eliminating a transition chute. To reduce clean out time, KWS designed and manufactured a split tubular housing with multiple doors for easy access. The special hinged design allows the doors to be opened from both sides and provides the option to completely remove the maintenance door. The split tubular housing design meets all OSHA safety regulations and requires special tools for removal by qualified maintenance personnel.

Dryer Feed Screw Conveyor for Koppers Performance Chemicals Read More »

Continuous Bucket Elevator for Wood Fiber Recycling Plant

Application Notes & Case Studies /

Though centrifugal bucket elevators are the most common design for elevating bulk materials, attempting to discharge a low-density bulk material such as wood fiber would lead to much of it free floating within the elevator housing. A continuous bucket elevator allows the material to discharge by gravity and slide out of the bucket, using the back of the preceding bucket as a ramp. Such a controlled discharge is preferred to maximize transfer efficiency. In addition, a belt-type elevator was used rather than a chain to avoid open areas where wood fibers could potentially snag and form clumps.

Continuous Bucket Elevator for Wood Fiber Recycling Plant Read More »

Screw Conveyor with Reversing Flighting Keeps Beef Plant Running

Application Notes & Case Studies /

KWS replaced the shaftless spiral and torque tube with heavy duty shaftless flighting, a stronger torque tube, and full penetration continuous welds on both sides of the flighting. A section of bare pipe was intentionally left for product to discharge. The key to solving the plugging issue was the addition of left-handed reversing flighting. Raw material flowing past the bare pipe section was now introduced to the left-handed flight which was mechanically sharpened by KWS to slice the raw material off, allowing it to fall through the discharge 100-percent of the time. Knowledge and experience provided by KWS is second to none, creating a very cost-effective solution resulting in 100-percent customer satisfaction.

Screw Conveyor with Reversing Flighting Keeps Beef Plant Running Read More »

Custom Drag Conveyor for Hot Pellets in Cargill Animal Feed Plant

Application Notes & Case Studies /

Cargill is one of the largest producers of animal feed products in the world, generating over 20 million tons of feed per year. Cargill feed products support livestock production that ultimately touches the plates of more than one billion people every day. Cargill Animal Nutrition in Ogden, Utah required a custom replacement drag conveyor to handle hot pellets fed directly from their pellet mill. The existing equipment was located within a highly confined area, making the outer dimensions of the replacement drag conveyor critical. The pellets also needed to be conveyed downstream while maintaining their shape and avoiding damage. KWS designed and engineered a long-lasting custom conveying solution for Cargill.

Custom Drag Conveyor for Hot Pellets in Cargill Animal Feed Plant Read More »

Heavy-Duty Tubular Incline Screw Conveyor to Convey Extremely Abrasive Alumina for Major Recycler

Application Notes & Case Studies /

This project offered a unique bulk material handling challenge due to the extremely abrasive characteristics of crushed alumina. KWS offered years of experience and expertise in conveying alumina and other extremely abrasive products. Because of the existing plant layout, Aleris required a 54-foot long screw conveyor to transfer crushed alumina from a screener to another conveyor. Aleris had used screw conveyors in the past with very disappointing results. Their previous solutions were poorly designed and a maintenance nightmare. Internal screw conveyor components such as screws, coupling shafts, hanger bearings and trough liners were only lasting a few weeks and adding tremendous amounts of downtime and additional labor costs.

Heavy-Duty Tubular Incline Screw Conveyor to Convey Extremely Abrasive Alumina for Major Recycler Read More »

Easy Clean-Out Screw Conveyor for Milled Grain Industry

Application Notes & Case Studies /

One of North America’s largest food and ingredient companies operates a plant in Indiana and mills a wide variety of premium corn masa flours used in the production of tortillas and corn chips. The plant can produce nearly 32,000 tons of corn masa flour annually. KWS engineered and manufactured a screw conveyor to transfer corn flour from a cyclone with a rotary airlock and then to a rotary distributor that divides the material into four ports for the sifting process.

Easy Clean-Out Screw Conveyor for Milled Grain Industry Read More »

Screw Conveyors for Corn in Masa Making Process

Application Notes & Case Studies /

A large North American food and ingredient company was expanding operations at their plant in Texas. Corn is processed and milled to make corn masa, the primary ingredient in tortillas, tortilla chips, and masa for tamales. KWS designed and manufactured several screw conveyors to be fed by weigh belt feeders and loss in weight feeders on the raw grain side of the process.

Screw Conveyors for Corn in Masa Making Process Read More »

Screw Conveyor Operates at Elevated Temperature and Pressure for Conveying UHMW-PE

Application Notes & Case Studies /

The plant layout required the use of two screw conveyors in series to span a total of 40-feet eliminating the requirement for an intermediate bearing. KWS selected 316 stainless steel materials of construction to withstand the high temperature, internal pressure, and corrosive chemical composition of the UHMW-PE flake. Both screw conveyors were designed to be identical for commonality of spare parts, reducing stock quantities and cutting overall project cost. KWS designed the screws with flanged connections between the screw and shafts. The flanged shaft and screw connections provide a rigid assembly when compared to a typical CEMA coupling connection. KWS also provided a shaft mounted gear reducer with a torque arm bracket to allow the gear reducer to “float” on the drive shaft, eliminating any potential binding caused by the rigid flanged connections.

Screw Conveyor Operates at Elevated Temperature and Pressure for Conveying UHMW-PE Read More »