Premier Foods' dessert trolley feeder

Spalding, UK - Premier Foods is employing a new bin feeder system as part of a process efficiency programme linked to the company's relocation of production of Bird’s Custard and other leading brand dessert products.

For the project, Premier Foods specified a feeder system capable of sieving at a rate of 50kg/min, elevating the sieved powder into large tote bins and managing a range of different powder types. The design also had to allow the complete unit to be wheeled away into a designated cleaning area so that a second unit could quickly take its place, and minimise dust levels, with certification for an ATEX Zone 22 environment.

At the new facility, ten 25kg bags are raised at a time by a vacuum lifter onto the first part of the new feeder system - a flat bed belt conveyor from Guttridge Ltd. The bags are then moved by the conveyor to a work station where operators slit open the bags and tip the powder into a sieve unit. Up to two 25kg bags per minute can be processed by the sieve.

The vibratory sieve prevents foreign objects and oversize particles from passing through, while a dust hood over the tipping station prevents dust leakage and ensures minimal impact on the working environment. The sieve-screened powder is then moved by screw elevator to a height of 2.7 metres and discharged into a tote bin. Once full, the bin is wheeled to the next stage in the process.

The equipment can be stripped down quickly and easily thanks to its quick-release clamps and slip-fit joints. It is then moved to a designated wet-cleaning area, while a second unit is quickly wheeled in to replace it to minimise changeover time.

According to Premier Foods’ project manager Peter Appleton, the Guttridge system also met the company's safety specifications. For example, he said, despite its length of 2.7 metres and heavy duty 150mm diameter construction, the inclined screw can be dismantled safely, as the screw feed system is hinged and can be readily lowered to floor level to avoid working at height.