You’ve heard the old adage that less is more. And when it comes to vibratory equipment this is no exception. At General Kinematics, we pride ourselves on knowing and implementing the newest and most effective processes when it comes to modern vibratory processing equipment. A prime example of this can be seen in our vibratory feeders. Unlike many other manufacturers, we use a Two-Mass vibratory drive instead of a brute force drive. Why? Well, let’s take a look at the difference between the two.
Brute Force Drive
The use of a brute force design, also called a single mass system, is one of the oldest methods to vibrate and move coarse materials in bulk. It uses shafts, rotating weights, and cranks to produce all the force required to vibrate the feeder at a certain speed and linear stroke. This force is created by rotating the twin motors in the opposite direction of one another until the motors synchronize and produce the desired stroke.
These types of feeders are extremely temperamental and do not do well when a new material or a material of a different density is added to the feeder. A change in weight or density could cause changes in the amount of material being processed – and in short, it could slow things down.
Two-Mass Drive
Our Two-Mass drive feeders are extremely efficient – generally feeding aggregate at 2-3 times faster than that of a brute force drive at the same bed depth while using less energy to do so. For example, our PARA-MOUNT II® Vibrating Feeder uses a sub-resonant Two-Mass system in which one mass energizes the other through the use of precision engineered coil springs. This means that less energy is needed to maintain operation because energy is used and stored within the spring system. This system creates a reliable and easily maintained feeder that allows for increased feed capacity as well as an overall reduction in energy costs.
A bonus to these types of feeders is that they do tremendously well when given a variety of materials and densities to work with. As seen in the video below, we attempted to overload the machine and it kept on working without a hitch.
Check out this video comparing a brute force feeder and a GK Two-Mass feeder to get a better idea of the differences in efficiency and speed.
Examples of Feed Rates
2 inch bed depth –
Brute Force Feeder: Feed rate is 11 feet per minute
GK Two-Mass Feeder: Feed rate is 16 feet per minute
6 inch bed depth –
Brute Force Feeder: Feed rate is 4 feet per minute
GK Two-Mass Feeder: Feed rate is 12 feet per minute
12 inch bed depth –
Brute Force Feeder: Feed rate is 1 foot per minute
GK Two-Mass Feeder: Feed rate is 9 feet per minute
Overall, it’s fairly obvious that a GK Two-Mass system is going to get you more bang for your buck and take you less time to get it. With a brute force feeder, you’re going to be using more energy and getting less output, which doesn’t make much sense to us.
More questions about brute force vs. GK’s Two-Mass feeders? Contact us today.
