Elscint Vibratory Bowl Feeders for feeding, orientating, conveying and singulating valve seats and valve guide

Elscint recently manufactured three bowl feeders for feeding of valve seats and valve guide. There were four valve seats (two per set to be fed simultaneously) and a single valve guide. The requirement was to correctly orient the valve seats in a particular orientation. The difference was that the internal diameter had an inside chamfer of 0.5 mm on one side. This critical orientation was done in the bowl itself. However, the customer insisted that the same had to be checked not only for correct orientation but also to ensure that wrong component (different model) was not fed. This was done by placing a camera on top which checked the correct type / model of component as well as the orientation of the same. In case of incorrect valve seat or wrong orientation, the same was to be rejected at a separate place and in case of correct valve seats, they had to be carried 600 mm further to the pick-up point. Elscint used a Festo make three stage rodless cylinder to ensure that this was done smoothly and with the least space as the machine had huge space constraint. The changeover between models was made easy with just loosening and locking provision to ensure that it was very fast, saving the operator valuable time. The bowl feeder for the valve guide was placed at the top of these two bowl feeders. The same was with two outlets, feeding two valves onto a two track linear vibrator. Thereafter, the valve guide was singulated and two parts (one per tube) were released into 2 tubes to the placement position (two at a time). Elscint used a Model 250 EV bowl feeder for this purpose, getting the valve guides in two rows and singulating two at a time and feeding them in tubes to the required position. Two sets of this system were manufactured and supplied to the customer in record time.

Monish Shete

Monish Shete is CEO of Elscint India Pvt Ltd (formerly Elscint Automation), a 40 year old company manufacturing vibratory bowl feeders, Rotary / Centrifugal Feeding Systems and similar small part handing products. He personally has more than 25 years experience with last 20 years being with Elscint. This blog will help customers and laymen understand the intricacies of vibratory bowl feeders. One can find information about the finer aspects of vibratory bowl feeders which cannot be found anywhere else. Case studies and information about various innovative ways of feeding and orienting of different parts are given in this blog. Do subscribe to get this thrice a month.

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