Elscint When a customer approaches us with a feeding requirement, our goal is never just to meet the spec — it’s to exceed it. This case study is a testament to exactly that philosophy.

The Requirement

Our customer needed a vibratory bowl feeder to feed M10 × 50 mm screws through two outlets, oriented head up. The target feed rate was 40 parts per minute per row — a reasonable benchmark for this size of fastener.

What We Achieved

Using our Model 400 vibratory bowl feeder fitted with a cast aluminium bowl and an LF II linear vibrator, we delivered a feed rate of 80 parts per minute per row — exactly double the customer’s requirement. The orientation was consistent and reliable throughout the run.

The Engineering Challenge: Managing Two Outlets

Running a bowl feeder with two outlets introduces a specific engineering problem that must be solved before anything else: overflow control. If one outlet fills faster than the other, parts can back up, jam, or spill outside the bowl — all of which are unacceptable in a production environment.

In this application, we addressed overflow through precision tooling inside the bowl itself. The tooling was designed to ensure balanced flow across both outlets, eliminating the risk of jamming or parts falling outside the bowl. Once both linear tracks were full, the bowl feeder was automatically stopped and restarted as required — keeping the system clean, controlled, and production-ready.

Why Tooling Makes All the Difference

The performance in this project didn’t come from the hardware alone. Achieving 80 parts per minute per row — at the correct orientation, across two outlets, without jamming — is a result of experienced bowl tooling. Knowing how to guide a screw reliably into a head-up orientation, while managing two simultaneous outlet flows, requires a deep understanding of part dynamics inside the bowl.

At Elscint, our tooling engineers bring decades of hands-on experience to every project. It’s this expertise that allows us to take on applications that other manufacturers decline — and routinely outperform the feed rates customers ask for.

Equipment Summary

 You can watch the video of the equipment.