KWS Manufacturing

Mixing Screw Conveyor for Polyethylene Powder & Additives

Application Notes & Case Studies /

The KWS mixing screw conveyor was designed as a single piece screw to span the length of over 28-feet without the use of an intermediate support/hanger bearing. The screw was mounted on oversized pipe to prevent excessive screw deflection. The screw flights were cut-flight with notches every 90-degrees to promote mixing and agitation as the materials were conveyed. At the tail end of the screw, double flighting was added to provide even discharge to the extruder. KWS utilized a drive pedestal to protect the gear reducer and motor from heat and shock loads. The gear reducer and motor are located away from the heat source and operate at ambient temperature. The KWS drive pedestal is a compact design that houses the motor, gear reducer, bearings, low-speed coupling, seals and shafts. All rotating parts are guarded with OSHA compliant guards.

Mixing Screw Conveyor for Polyethylene Powder & Additives Read More »

Heavy-Duty Mass-Flow Twin Screw Feeders and Bucket Elevators for Ground Rubber

Application Notes & Case Studies /

KWS designed and manufactured twin mass-flow screw feeders to match hoppers supplied by Hoover Conveyor. The screw feeders were 23-feet in length. The mass-flow screws were mounted on oversized heavy-duty pipe to reduce deflection under load. KWS understands difficult applications and designs heavy-duty systems to meet demanding operating conditions. Each screw feeder was equipped with two low-rpm, high torque gear reducers to feed the material under packed, upset conditions.

Heavy-Duty Mass-Flow Twin Screw Feeders and Bucket Elevators for Ground Rubber Read More »

Loading Shredded Rubber into Super Sacks

Application Notes & Case Studies /

Genan, the largest scrap tire recycler in the world, needed a solution for feeding and elevating shredded rubber into super sacks. Shredded rubber is loaded in bulk into a hopper with an inclined screw feeder and discharged into a bucket elevator where it lifts the rubber and discharges into new super sacks. The shredded rubber is used in the manufacture of new tires, additives in asphalt and to cushion artificial turf in sports fields or playgrounds.

Loading Shredded Rubber into Super Sacks Read More »

Twin Screw Conveyor for EPDM Rubber

Application Notes & Case Studies /

Customer needed a solution for conveying EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene monomer) rubber particles. KWS worked closely with Lion Copolymer to design a unique conveyor for the application. EPDM rubber is fed into the conveyor by a perforated dryer belt that travels across the top of the twin screw conveyor. Excess EPDM falls through the perforations where they get picked up by the twin screw conveyor and discharged into a collection bin. EPDM rubber is used in a wide variety of outdoor and automotive applications due to the resistance to oxygen, ozone, heat and weathering.

Twin Screw Conveyor for EPDM Rubber Read More »

Hollow Flight Thermal Processor for Heating Rubber Powder

Application Notes & Case Studies /

Engineers at KWS designed a thermal processor based on the customer’s required volumetric capacity and necessary heating requirements. The KWS hollow flight design provides a path for heating media to flow through the full length of the screw flights delivering maximum surface area for heat transfer. Additionally, the center pipe and jacket around the trough also provide additional surface area for heat transfer. The combined surface area heats MRP from minus 90 to greater than 80-degrees F.

Hollow Flight Thermal Processor for Heating Rubber Powder Read More »

Complete Conveying System for Distiller’s Dried Grains at Major Bourbon Whiskey Distillery

Application Notes & Case Studies /

KWS included pivotal hazard monitoring instrumentation to protect the equipment against catastrophic failure. Shaft-mounted speed sensors detect changes in the rotational speed of the screw conveyors, screw feeders, and bucket elevator. When the sensor detects a change in speed, it alerts the control room of a potential malfunction allowing time to safely shut down the equipment for evaluation. To detect any potential blockages of material flow, capacitance point level plug detection sensors were installed above the screw conveyor and screw feeder discharge spouts. The process may be halted to prevent damage or plugging of other upstream conveying or processing equipment.

Complete Conveying System for Distiller’s Dried Grains at Major Bourbon Whiskey Distillery Read More »

Screw Feeder for Metering Coffee Beans

Application Notes & Case Studies /

KWS provided a screw feeder to meter green coffee beans from a storage bin to the roasting process. The screw feeder was designed with a long open inlet to properly empty the entire length of the storage bin. Variable pitch flighting was used to evenly meter the coffee beans for a first-in, first-out sequence which is vital to keeping the coffee beans fresh.

Screw Feeder for Metering Coffee Beans Read More »

Polished Stainless Steel Screw Feeders for Metering Snack Products

Application Notes & Case Studies /

For this project, the Customer required specially designed, food-grade screw feeders located under hoppers to meter dry cereal. The hoppers served to store out-of-spec cereal generated during startup or upset conditions. The out-of-spec product was typically of irregular size or color. The screw feeders metered the product into a tubular drag conveyor that conveyed the product downstream for further processing. Since the cereal was meant for human consumption, KWS took care to specify, design, and manufacture the screw feeders to meet the sanitary requirements of the Customer.

Polished Stainless Steel Screw Feeders for Metering Snack Products Read More »

Belt Feeders for Metering Silica Flour

Application Notes & Case Studies /

Given the small powder-like particle size of silica flour, it can be extremely dusty if it enters the atmosphere and could cause health issues if inhaled. The KWS belt feeders are totally enclosed using heavy-duty gauge steel and dust and weather tight. The enclosed design also aids in minimizing housekeeping concerns. The material flow from the storage silo must be contained to provide accurate metering of the silica sand to the finishing mills. The flow is controlled using an adjustable sliding strike-off plate fabricated from abrasion resistant steel. The strike-off plate prevents the material from free-flowing down the belt and controls the material depth on the belt. When combined with the KWS hammer style roller slide gates mounted between the storage tanks and belt feeders’ inlets, high metering accuracy is achieved.

Belt Feeders for Metering Silica Flour Read More »