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Dryers, feeders, blenders, loaders, metal detectors, level sensors, mechanical and pneumatic conveyors, silos, bins, pumps, filters, valves, box fillers, bag dumpers, and materials-handling control systems constitute one of the biggest categories of products on display at NPE. Lower cost, higher efficiency, energy savings, and higher accuracy in metering/feeding are common themes. In addition to familiar domestic suppliers, there is a wider-than-ever range of international equipment sources to meet at the show.

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Conveying systems & controls

If you’re thinking of installing or upgrading a pneumatic conveying system, a host of new and improved components from silos to hopper loaders will be introduced by firms such as AEC, K-Tron, Lorenz, Meyer, Mould-tek, Pelletron, Premier Pneumatics, Process Control, Progressive Products, Salina Vortex, Silos y Camiones, Sterling, Universal Dynamics, and Wittmann. You’ll find everything from more wear-resistant tubing elbows to self-cleaning slide gates to quieter vacuum pumps.

And if you’re looking for a way to control and monitor your plant from a single PC station, new-generation systems will be unveiled by AEC, Conair, Motan, Mould-tek, and Universal Dynamics. Mould-tek’s new Excel system boasts the unusual capability to “learn” the optimum load times.

For new products in mechanical conveyors for materials and parts, stop by Bunting Magnetics, Dynamic Conveyor, and HFA.

Dryers of every kind

More vendors are offering a choice of different drying technologies for different needs and budgets. They’ll all be there at NPE: hot air, desiccant, vacuum, and compressed air with or without absorbent membrane. Some come with integrated blending and/or conveying systems. The latest models boast improved energy efficiency, compactness, and easy cleanout.

Whether you’re looking for larger sizes or diminutive units for micromolding, you’ll find new dryers and drying controls from Cactus, Comet, Conair, Dri-Air, Fasti, Matsui, Motan, Novatec, Sterling, Wittmann, and Thoreson-McCosh. Novatec, in particular, is adding its first wheel-type desiccant dryers, vacuum dryers, and infrared PET dryer/crystallizers.

Feeders, blenders by the dozen

In volumetric and gravimetric feeders and blenders, the main goals of recent product developments have been improved accuracy and faster changeovers. New products range from additive feeders for less than 1 lb/hr (from CRG Logics) to gravimetric blenders for 10,000 lb/hr (Maguire Products).

Other new feeding/blending hardware and controls will be shown by AccuRate, Acrison, AEC, Autoload, Colortronic, Comet Automation, Conair, Foremost, K-Tron, Meyer, Motan, Plast-Control (introducing its first line), Plastore, Premier Pneumatics, Process Control, Sterling, and TSM Control.

For more specialized needs, there are new metal detectors/separators from Bunting Magnetics and Eriez Magnetics, as well as new level sensors from ASI Instruments. Industrial Magnetics is also showing metal separators, and level sensors are displayed by Bindicator, Binmaster, HCS, ifm efector, Kistler-Morse, and Monitor Technologies.

International vendors

Each NPE attracts more suppliers from outside the U.S. to provide domestic processors with a wider range of choices. This year’s materials- and parts-handling exhibits include Aircomex and Silos y Camiones of Mexico; Ariostea, Doteco, Gima, and Zecchetti of Italy; Bry-Air Asia and Dynamic Engineers from India; Eisbaer of Austria; Axium, HCS, Industrial Metal Fabricators, and Orientec from Canada; Kongskilde from Denmark; Liad of Israel; Ming Lee of Hong Kong; Ningbo Fangli, Ningbo Huare, and Yann Bang from China; Shini from Taiwan, TSM from Ireland, and Zeppelin from Germany.