The AFC Spiralfeeder screw conveyor from process equipment manufacturer Automated Flexible Conveyor (AFC) may be configured to automatically transfer dry bulk materials straight up vertical runs without material separation. Reportedly able to reach discharge heights of up to 12 feet, the vertical screw conveyor is suitable for elevating bulk materials; for conveying up and in to a mixer, tank, hopper, or bag filler; and for when tight spaces and odd plant configurations require conveying on a compact footprint.

Suitable for conveying powders, granules, pellets, and other free-flowing materials in food plants, the vertical AFC Spiralfeeder transfers the dry solids from an integrated hopper up to discharge via a stainless steel screw auger rotating inside a stainless steel tube. The material moves gently in a first in – first out flow pattern within a sealed, dust-tight system. Nuisance dust release into the workplace is eliminated along with the need for workers to carry heavy bags up ladders and stairs, the company says.

The equipment can be used to transfer flour, sugar, chocolate chips, and other ingredients from the hopper at floor level up and into a mixer, or it can also be used to transfer finished products like hard candies up and into a hopper above a vertical form fill seal machine for packaging.

The vertical AFC powder conveyor is available in FDA-compliant models for sanitary processing and in explosion-proof models for hazardous material transfer. The conveyors are custom-designed and manufactured at the company's New Jersey facility and may be tested in the on-site test laboratory.

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