When you’re one of Australia’s largest manufacturers of certified organic stockfeed, product integrity isn’t negotiable. Every ingredient, from rice flour, chickpea flour to soybean meal, must be handled with care to maintain organic certification and deliver the kind of quality customers have come to expect from the family-owned business. So when a bulk material conveyor was needed for a new mixing process, the business went on the hunt for equipment that was reliable, efficient and gentle, to transfer the diverse range of animal feed ingredients used in their powder handling.
The challenge: Short-distance conveying without high costs and complexity
Founded in 1998 in Australia, the organic stockfeed mill produces chemical-free feed tailored for livestock, poultry and pets. Their customers range from small backyard farmers to large-scale certified organic operations across the country.
The company needed to add a new process to their plant: mixing animal feed ingredients received in one-tonne bulk bags before transferring them to a feed mixer. The application required bulk bag discharge and conveying of varied materials including soybean meal, fava beans, chickpea flour, rice flour and field peas.
The site already operated other conveying technologies, so the team understood the options available. However, the relatively short conveying distance presented a dilemma. A drag chain conveyor would well exceed their budget. And while a bucket elevator might seem like an obvious choice for vertical conveying, the maintenance requirements and potential downtime made it a costly proposition for a family business focused on efficiency and reliability.
The site manager was looking for a conveyor solution to:
- Handle multiple materials with different bulk densities and flow characteristics
- Fit into a tight area of their existing brownfield site
- Deliver a lower total cost of ownership than bucket elevator alternatives
- Provide the reliability their operation depends on
- Be manufactured and delivered quickly to meet seasonal deadlines.
Why a bucket elevator wasn’t the right answer
Bucket elevators have their place in bulk material handling, but they’re not always the most practical choice, particularly for shorter conveying distances. Buckets wear, chains stretch, and the enclosed housing makes inspection and cleaning time-consuming. For a business handling powders and granules used in certified organic products, contamination prevention is also a critical factor in choosing the right conveying equipment.
The agriculture manufacturer had heard about the reliability track record of aero-mechanical conveyors (AMCs) and decided to explore whether this technology could meet their needs. After consulting with Floveyor’s powder handling specialists, they found a solution that made everyone in the business happy, from the plant operators right through to the accounting department.
Selecting the right bulk material conveyor
Following initial consultation, including a discovery conversation and solution modelling, Floveyor recommended a Floveyor Avida F3 AMC with a Cohesive Materials pack.
Why the Avida range was chosen
The Floveyor Avida with FloDisc® Technology is designed for applications where proven AMC technology is needed at a competitive pricepoint. It delivers the pedigree and reliability of a Floveyor AMC while representing excellent value compared to bucket elevators and screw feeders for applications conveying over short distances.
The Avida F3 was ideal for handling the diverse materials used in organic stockfeed production because it:
- Handles a vast number of powders, granules, flakes, pellets, seeds and grains with a single machine
- Provides gentle conveying action that maintains ingredient integrity
- Offers a compact footprint, making it ideal for additions to brownfield installations
- Delivers fully enclosed, dust-controlled operation which reduces the risk of contamination
- Requires minimal maintenance, especially when compared to bucket elevator systems.
The powder-handling solution provided by Floveyor
- Floveyor Avida F3 AMC
- Cohesive Materials pack
The varied animal feed ingredients handled at this facility have different flow characteristics. Some materials tend to lump together or clump, which can affect infeed conveyor performance.
To address this, the Avida F3 with a Cohesive Materials pack was chosen. This upgrade consists of a rotary vibrator mounted to the infeed, promoting consistent flow of materials that might otherwise bridge or clump before entering the conveyor. It’s a practical solution ensuring reliable bulk bag discharge across the full range of ingredients.
The new conveying system from Floveyor transfers animal feed ingredients from one-tonne bulk bags to the mixer at throughput rates of 3,000 kg/hr. The customer prepares batches by counting the number of bulk bags discharged into the mixer, a straightforward process for their production workflow.
Why Floveyor won the business
Several factors made the Floveyor Avida the right choice for this application:
Versatility across materials: The AMC efficiently conveys different ingredients with varied bulk densities and flowability, from free-flowing rice flour to denser soybean meal and field peas.
Proven reliability: The site manager had heard about Floveyor’s reputation for longevity and reliability, highly desirable attributes for an operation where downtime directly impacts production schedules.
Compact installation: The AMC’s small footprint allowed it to fit into a tight area of the brownfield site without requiring extensive modifications.
Lower total cost of ownership: Compared to bucket elevators and other conveying systems reviewed, the Avida’s total cost of ownership helped get the investment approved.
Fast delivery: Being based in Australia, Floveyor manufactured and delivered the AMC to satisfy a demanding deadline, allowing the client to commission their mixer system in time for the new season.
Results: Reliable conveying for certified organic production
The Floveyor Avida F3 met the challenge of finding a cost-effective, reliable bulk material conveyor for short-distance conveying of organic animal feed ingredients. Local manufacturing and minimal site modifications contributed to a timely installation for the plant’s new mixing process.
The system enables the organic stockfeed manufacturer to:
- Transfer varied animal feed ingredients reliably at 3,000 kg/hr
- Efficiently handle bulk bag discharge of materials with different flow characteristics
- Maintain product integrity for certified organic production
- Operate with minimal maintenance requirements
- Meet seasonal production deadlines with reliable equipment.
The success of this installation demonstrates that bucket elevators aren’t always the best choice for vertical conveying applications. For this organic stockfeed manufacturer, the Floveyor Avida F3 delivered the reliability, efficiency and value they needed to expand their production capabilities while maintaining their commitment to quality.
For more information
If you need conveying machinery and bulk material handling equipment for your animal feed ingredients operation, a Floveyor with FloDisc® Technology will optimise your powder handling. Contact us to learn more.