Vibrating conveyors combine the transportation capabilities of a conveyor belt with the added dimension of electric or mechanical vibration transmitted through springs beneath the belt. Vibration keeps loose, sticky, wet or fine-grained materials from clogging the conveyor. The material is carried in a high-sided pan, a curved rubber belt or an enclosed tube to keep it contained even at an incline.

Today's vibration conveyor can do a lot more than move and shake, however. With the addition of screens, a vibration conveyor can sift and sort. Combined with vibrating feeders that combine motion with gravity, vibrating conveyors are crucial to many processes in mining, forestry, foundries and scrap reclamation.

Beyond industrial application of vibrating conveyors, vibration equipment helps improve the work flow in food and pharmaceutical processing and packaging. Keep these considerations in mind as you shop for new or used vibratory conveyors:

1. Choose vibrating conveyors and vibrating feeders suited to your application and to the materials handled.

2. Look to manufacturers of vibrating conveyors for innovations like frequency control to limit vibration noise, as well as low-maintenance and tight-quarters options.

3. Select a vibrating conveyor sales representative who will provide personalized customer service as your needs evolve.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get heavy duty materials handling from manufacturers of vibrating conveyors

Vibration conveyor manufacturers and distributors offer innovative solutions for material handling. With the right combination of vibrating feeders and vibrating conveyors, you can screen, cool, wash, sort or dry large quantities of even the most abrasive industrial material while moving it smoothly up the line.

I recommend: General Kinematics offers Vibra-Belt conveyors and Para-Mount II vibrating feeders. The rugged Syntron Coilmount vibratory conveyor from FMC Technologies, available in 10-inch or 20-inch widths, keeps even the stickiest materials flowing without interruption. Find a new or used vibrating air conveyor, useful for scrap removal in tight quarters, from Vibro Industries. Check out the range of feeders and conveyors, including a vibrating tube conveyor, from Vibra Screw, Inc.

Find lighter duty vibrating conveyors for your moving, sorting and packing work flow

Vibration conveyor belts aren't just for heavy duty industrial applications. Use a vibration conveyor to move bulk food products like rice, spices and nuts, as well as pharmaceutical or vitamin pills and capsules, without clogging. Food packagers use vibrating conveyors to settle loose items like chips and popcorn in bags, cartons and boxes before loading onto shipping pallets.

I recommend: Carrier Vibrating Equipment Company makes light duty leaf-spring vibrating conveyors for handling delicate materials. Contact Vibration Systems Solutions for vibrating conveyor sales of compacting tables, feeders and conveyors for food industries from MARTIN Engineering. ERIEZ manufactures a whole line of vibratory feeders for the food service industry. Use the BT Belt Table from Cleveland Vibrator Company to settle products during bagging and boxing.

Save money with used vibrating conveyors

Vibrating conveyors and feeder equipment can represent a substantial investment. Fortunately, you'll find many sources of reconditioned and used vibratory conveyors in a range of prices to suit your budget.

I recommend: At The Frain Group, schedule a phone consultation with an engineer to help you plan your used vibratory conveyors purchase. AAple Fabricating and Conveyor offers reconditioned vibratory conveyors; they'll buy your vibration conveyor, too. Contact Feeding Concepts, Inc. for little-used vibrating feeders and conveyors. Genemco carries a wide variety of used vibration equipment. Sign up online for a vibrating conveyors info email alert to learn about new arrivals and specials.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  For energy savings and efficiency, combine the gravitational boost of vibrating feeders with a vibratory conveyor whenever possible.
• •  Before bringing them online, test new or used vibratory conveyors by adding small amounts of typical material to the running conveyor at various points along the line. A controlled test will reveal any problems with the vibratory conveyors' dynamics, without risking large amounts of material or halting production.