What are Aggregate Feeders?
Aggregate feeders transfer bulk aggregate materials to screens, hoppers, bins, and other equipment. Feeders are also used to meet the desired flow rates for aggregate processing or crushing systems.
Often, bulk aggregate materials need to be “activated” when being processed, or they will get stuck or cause jams. Thicker or wet materials require more vibration to keep them moving. Aggregate feeding equipment activates these trickier materials, allowing them to be processed continuously.
The most efficient aggregate feeders will have a high continuous output while maintaining low power consumption. There are several different aggregate feeders, each with their own use cases.
Types of Vibrating Aggregate Feeders
Grizzly Feeders
Grizzly feeders are tough, abrasion-resistant feeders meant to take heavy loads of medium-sized aggregates from trucks or other primary sources and screen them for crushing.
These feeders consist of a pan end and a feed end. The pan end is filled with bulk materials, and the feed end sends them off for crushing and further processing.
Grizzly feeders’ vibratory movement allows smaller materials to fall through the bottom screen into a bin or other container before they reach the crusher, ensuring that only larger materials are processed. This is important because it reduces the strain and wear and tear on the crusher, reducing the maintenance needed.
Grizzly feeders are good for:
- Size sorting before feeding primary crushers
- Absorbing heavy shock loads
- A wide variety of applications, including mineral, sand, and gravel processing
- Handling materials prone to binding in mesh screens
Belt Feeders
Belt feeders are an excellent choice for finer materials loaded from a storage system such as a hopper. They offer a controlled feed rate that a hopper or silo cannot provide.
Belt feeders are helpful when:
- Transporting fine goods
- You need varying speeds of conveying that regular conveyors cannot provide
- Materials have liquid runoff
- You want easy-to-maintain equipment
PARA-MOUNT II® Vibratory Feeders
PARA-MOUNT II® Vibratory Feeders are ideal for feeding operations where you’d like to maintain a steady, efficient flow of materials while consuming less energy than other feeders, thanks to its Two-Mass design.
Benefits of PARA-MOUNT II® feeders:
- Two-Mass vibratory drive uses up to 2/3rds less energy than direct drive/brute force feeders
- The sturdy construction requires minimal maintenance
- Two-Mass drive system automatically maintains a constant feed rate
- Fully enclosed motors and other drive components are fully accessible for easy service
Apron Feeders
Apron feeders are used to transport bulk materials in a wide variety of industries. Unlike belt feeders, apron feeders are composed of plates connected by chains instead of a single conveyor belt.
They are ideal for handling materials of all sizes. They are handy for metering materials into crushers in a more precise and controlled manner.
Apron feeders are helpful for:
- Feeding uniform loads into a crusher/storage unit
- Low-maintenance feeding
- Handling rough or heavy materials
Wobbler Feeders
Wobbler feeders can handle wet and sticky materials more effectively than most other feeders. Typically used in mining and aggregate applications, these feeders reduce chunks of material and reduce the amount of strain put on crushers.
Wobbler Feeders are ideal for:
- Wet or sticky materials
- Providing uniform feed rates
- Reducing wear and tear on downstream equipment
How Do You Choose the Right Feeder?
That depends on the material you’re processing, budget, desired output, and many other factors. Here are a few key things to consider when purchasing an aggregate feeder:
- Type of material: if you’re processing sand, the kind of feeder you’ll need will be different than a facility that processes concrete
- Material size: larger/heavier materials will require more “heavy-duty” feeders
- Energy requirements: how much energy is needed to maintain your desired output? The more power you require, the more efficient you’ll need your equipment to be
- Budget: how much can you afford? Higher-end equipment may have more upfront cost but may save you money on maintenance long-term
- Material output: the greater your processing goals, the more efficient you’ll need your equipment to be
- Feed rate: do you need a fixed or variable feed rate?
Because choosing the right aggregate feeder depends heavily on your business’s individual needs, being educated on the right aggregate equipment is especially important. General Kinematics’ aggregate team is happy to help you narrow your options. Contact us today, and we’ll help you achieve your aggregate processing goals efficiently and affordably.
