Ratholing causes loss of material flow to downstream processes
Ratholing in totes and bins leads to a loss of material flow out of the container to downstream industrial processes. When ratholes form, production comes to a halt until the ratholes are addressed. For facilities that do not have systems in place to address ratholing this means that someone will need to go the container and either hit it with a hammer or open the top and push the material down. This is a labor and time intensive solution to getting production back up and running.
A customer reached out to NAVCO to address a rat holing issue they were having in totes. The totes contained a caulk-like sealant that they would vacuum out through an outlet in the bottom of the tote. They were finding that the vacuum would pull a rathole through the material, which resulted in manufacturing delays. They also believed that they were not able to maximize the amount of material being extracted from each tote. The material being left over multiple totes was adding up to a significant amount of product paid for and not being utilized.
After discussing the process with the customer and reviewing the options that NAVCO could supply, it was determined that a custom vibrating table with an integrated scale would be the correct solution for their process. The table would include:
Flat deck vibrating table, with perimeter fencing.
Dual rotary electric motors.
Isolation springs.
Weight scale.
Vibrating table activates intermittently to prevent ratholes
The table would address the material flow issue by activating intermittently to ensure that ratholes are not forming. This cycle will continuously run until the tote is empty. Once the material stops flowing out of the tote, the scale allows an operator to quickly determine if there is still sealant left in the tote or if it has indeed run empty. This greatly reduces waste of the raw material and ensures the maximum amount of material is extracted.
The customer agreed with the proposed solution and has installed the vibrating table into their process. The table is keeping the material moving to the bottom of the tote and allowing operators to easily evaluate when a tote has completely emptied.
If you have an application that is experiencing material flow issues or have question about our custom vibrating tables, contact NAVCO today! We have a team of experts in applied vibration technology who are ready to help improve your bulk material handling processes and applications.
