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Trantec specialises in the design and manufacture of Flexible Screw Conveyors, providing conveying solutions to process manufacturers and machinery suppliers for over two decades.
Well known for their simplistic design, Flexible Screw Conveyors, also called Flexi Screws or spiral conveyors, consist of one moving part, the spiral auger. The spiral self-centres inside of the hollow outer tube using the conveyed material to do so.
Manufactured in stainless steel or powder coated mild steel Trantec Flexible Screw Conveyors have throughput ranges from a few kilos to many tonnes per hour. We manufacture the majority of our conveyor parts in-house including our own laser cutting and fabrication department combined with CNC press forming and CAD sheet metal design. Trantec have invested heavily in our own machining department with state of the art CNC milling and turning capacity. We pass on our economies to our customers giving Trantec a highly competitive edge in the flexible screw market place without compromising quality. Our evolution over the past two decades has put Trantec in a commanding position to challenge existing flexible screw manufacturers and bring a fresh, customer centred approach to the market place.
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Here are some other common names for Flexible Screw Conveyors:
Simple, reliable, and all-around versatile, Flexible Screw Conveyors are a common choice for transportation of powders and dry bulk solids.
Consisting of one moving part, the flexible spiral, process engineers around the globe opt for their low-maintenance requirements and overall reliability.
Flexible Screw Conveyors are designed to be exactly what their name suggests… flexible!
Trantec offers a wide range of configurations and directions including vertical, horizontal, at an angle, around fixed equipment, through to another room, with multiple discharge points, fit in a tight spot, or a fully mobile unit.
The spiral auger is designed to self-centralise inside of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethene (UHMWPE) conveying tube, which maintains dust-tights conditions, preventing cross-contamination. The spiral uses the material being handled to keep itself rigid, which is maintained through consistent mixing of the contained powders.
A single motor drives the spiral, gently transporting powders without the risk of product degradation, before dropping out of the material outlet at a constant pre-determined rate
Trantec Flexible Screw Conveyors offer efficient, low-cost transport of powders and dry bulk solids.
Suitable materials include fine powders, granules, large pellets, flakes, and pills. We have considerable knowledge and experience in the solids handling industry, working alongside some of the best-known brands and OEMs spanning over twenty years.
Trantec’s Flexible Screw Conveyors are constructed in mild steel, 304, or 316 stainless steel with a variety of polish finishes to choose from. These include welds as laid, standard, crevice-free, and mirror (0.2Ra). These materials include the construction of any inlets, outlets, hopper, lids, agitators, connection flanges, and drive shafts.
Easy-clean features are provided, including quick-release, for added assistance in reducing downtime. Trantec works closely with all USDA, EC, FDA, and 3-A dairy food contact legislation and can advise the most suitable construction and finish as required by current legislation.
UHMWPE is an approved material of extrusion and is the number one choice for conveying tubes for to its excellent low friction, chemical resistance, and overall high wear resistance properties.
Many of our components are now produced in-house from specifically selected materials of our choosing. Trantec can advise on the pros and cons of all, with full traceability available upon request.
Regardless of the manufacturer, all Flexible Screw Conveyors will consist of the same components. These include:
The above is an example of a base model powder conveyor and will not include any additional features such as agitation or quick-release.
An agitation device may be required for poor-flowing materials. To prevent material build-up, an agitator will be added to condition and break apart the powder constantly.
A blade mechanism is a typical method, with the type of agitation specially selected for the application and to suit the material flow properties.
Vibratory agitation is occasionally used for certain powders and granular materials that cannot flow with traditional techniques but is far less common.
Trantec’s agitation devices are independently driven, providing precise control of the speed of rotation and levels of product conditioning.
Below are examples of common issues faced with poor-flowing materials.
Rat-holing: The term given to materials that form a hole above the spiral auger or the hop
Bridging (or arching): When powders form a bridge or arch above the spiral or discharge point in the hopper, causing similar issues to the rat-holing pers inlet, preventing material from dropping and entering the inlet for conveying.
The full term given to this is Bridging and Rat-Holing.
Both of these will affect your product flow rates, so your equipment must be able to handle the application. After all, you can’t design your powders flow properties to suit your machine!
Trantec’s Flexible Screw Conveyors or Flexible screw augers are available in a selection of designs and configurations, whilst staying true to their key operating principles.
We offer tailored solutions based solely around your application, ensuring the most efficient means of transport whilst producing accurate throughout rates as desired.
Whether horizontal, vertical or at a 45° angle, through to a different room in your process plant, or with multiple discharge points, Flexible Screw Conveyors can be adapted to suit almost any application without compromise.
Our flexible UHMWPE tubing and spiral augers allow for construction around bends and obstacles, meaning our Flexi Screws can be fit into the tightest of spots – hence the name Flexible!
Flexible Screw Conveyors are carefully engineered and can be configured for both batching and continuous conveying, giving them further popularity in the solids handling industry for their versatility. Common materials conveyed include powders, pellets, crystals, friable materials, granules, and flakes, just to name a few.
Their ability to distribute a wide range of dry bulk solids and powders, from free-flowing to non-free flowing, is renowned. Trantec has supplied conveying solutions to the following industries for the last two decades:
Trantec has the manufacturing, innovative technology that has enabled the many UK and EU-based OEMs to incorporate our products into their industries.
Some of the products that are used are Flexible Screw Conveyors, Metering Screw Feeders and dumping discharge stations. Sometimes larger custom-built machinery is added – such as Rigid Auger conveyors and dosing systems.