There's a reason bucket elevators are so popular. They're good at their job. In fact, they're one of the most effective ways to vertically transport bulk materials. Bucket elevators are also adaptable, with the capacity to work with thousands of applications.
This flexibility in application and diversity in design promotes a tailored, efficient handling solution, but it can also quickly make the choice between manufacturers overwhelming. Below are the key considerations that should be taken into account when selecting a bucket elevator manufacturer.
Bucket Style
Once the bucket elevator type has been determined, engineers can select from the available bucket styles within the chosen category to determine what bucket size options are available to them.
The most common types of buckets used with centrifugal elevators are the AA and AC designs. These buckets are engineered to handle the digging and scooping action characteristic of the centrifugal elevator.
With a continuous elevator, medium-front (MF), high-front (HF), and super-capacity (SC) are the most common selections. Continuous style buckets are designed to facilitate a gentle discharge of material by utilizing the back of the preceding bucket to guide material into the discharge chute.
All bucket styles are available in a wide range of sizes to accommodate the demands of any application.
Elevator Specific
Now that you've considered what you're going to be using the bucket elevator for, what you’ll be putting on the elevator and where you’ll be using the elevator, you need to consider the make of the elevator itself.
First, how tall and wide do you need it to be? Do you need to lift the materials up an additional ten feet? Or maybe you need the elevator to lift higher? Perhaps you have rafters above the regular work floor that is used to house excess gear and it is important to be able to lift the stored items up to these rafters. You’ll need to know these measurements as it will help with the design.
Do you want the elevator to be open, fully sealed (so it feels more like a traditional elevator), or should it be just partially enclosed? Does there need to be some kind of airflow, or will the fully enclosed design be okay? There are some materials you don’t want to fully enclose as it needs air ventilation.
It is okay if you do not know all of these specifics right away. Sometimes you might not fully know what kind of drive system will work best or how fast you need the elevator to rise and decline. The staff at Gough Econ, Inc. can help walk you through the design process. They will know how to best determine the kind of equipment and elevator specifics you need.
High-Quality Fabrication
Longevity is a critical focus with most plant handling equipment, but it is especially important with bucket elevators; an offline bucket elevator means material cannot move on in the process flow, causing bottlenecks and process downtime.
Additionally, bucket elevators are often employed in demanding and rigorous settings such as aggregate and mineral handling operations. With these considerations in mind, it is essential to select a manufacturer with rigid quality standards. Heavy-duty materials of construction and high-quality fabrication aid in the effort to minimize equipment wear and unnecessary downtime.
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