OLDSMAR, FL—Performance Feeders Inc. has designed a vibratory bowl feeder, 30 inches in diameter, to supply three different cylindrical plastic parts for a medical device.

The parts are all the same diameter with slightly different heights. One of the parts was closed on one end (like a cup), and the others were open on both ends.

Built from stainless steel, the feeder runs four lanes of parts out of the bowl and orients them standing up. The cup part is oriented with the open end up. The four lanes are then merged into two, and then the two lanes widen at the bowl discharge to match the width of the vibratory track entering the assembly system. Pressure from the parts behind fills the widened discharge area, allowing each lane of the 10-lane track to be filled evenly.

Each line of parts is separated by a thin piece of steel in the vibratory track, which is 52 inches long. The track is covered with clear Lexan to allow the parts to be seen without removing the cover.

Photoelectric sensors monitor each line of the vibratory track, providing a signal to the system’s control system if the part level in any line gets too low.

An elevating prefeeder provides 6 cubic feet of bulk parts storage with automatic metering of parts into the vibratory bowl. A proximity sensor monitors the level of parts in the vibratory bowl, turning on the prefeeder as needed to maintain the proper parts level.

The system supplies 30 parts per minute, per line. A purge gate stops the flow of parts for changeovers.