Advantages and Challenges of Vertical Friction Feeders

Did you know that precision feeding systems like vertical (meaning load from the top, feed from the bottom) friction feeders are designed to reduce material waste by significant margins, sometimes up to 30%? Vertical Friction Feeders are common models of friction feeders that are widely used in packaging, printing and mailing industries.

These friction feeders are employed in automation for feeding flat products such as envelopes, leaflets, collapsed cartons, labels and more. Products are stacked upright or in an inclined position on the machine and fed from the bottom of the stack. 

While vertical friction feeders are beneficial in many ways, they also have some challenges. First, let's look at the benefits.

Advantages of Vertical Friction Feeders 

1. High-speed Feeding

Vertical Friction Feeders are known for their high feeding speed. They are excellent for bulk material feeding in industries that handle high-volume production. Products are fed rapidly from the bottom up. In pharmaceuticals, they are used for inserting PPI's (patient package insert) with utmost precision. They can also be used to feed items including medicinal patches among others.

2. Reduced Material Waste 

These feeders are known for their accurate feeding rate. This minimizes material waste arising from misfeeds, double feeds or jams. They can easily feed a high volume of products without any compromise. This is an important feature that reduces downtime and improves the quality of products.

3. Versatile Application 

Vertical friction feeders can be employed in a wide variety of production processes such as mailing, packaging, inserting and labeling. They are also known for accommodating different material types such as paper, plastic and lightweight cartons.

4. Adjustable Design 

Vertical feeders can be adjusted to suit different feed speeds, stack heights and discharge angles, according to the packaging requirements. Vertical dispensing discharges saves a lot of time on material sorting and arrangement. This is especially useful in inserting product instructions through an opening at the top.

5. Continuous Feeding 

Vertical friction feeders allow for continuous and uninterrupted feeding. This limits downtime and increases overall productivity. This is an indispensable feature for industries handling bulk production.

6. Space-saving Design 

Vertical Friction Feeders take up less space owing to their upright design. This is as opposed to the traditional flat feeders which occupy more working space. This makes them a good choice for companies with limited work environments.

7. Integration with other Systems 

Another desirable quality of vertical friction feeders is their ability to work in sync with other automated systems such as printers, conveyors, and labelling machines. This makes them valuable in streamlined production workflows.

Challenges of Vertical Friction Feeders 

1. Problem with Material Compatibility 

One of the downsides to vertical friction feeders is their limited compatibility with materials. Problems associated with material compatibility can be classified as follows:

Material Texture 

Although vertical friction feeders can handle various materials, the material surface may limit feeding. Materials with smooth, glossy or slippery surfaces may pose a challenge for the feeder. These are considered static-prone materials and may cause inconsistent feeding or no feeding at all. This could lead to jams that may result in machine breakdown. Friction feeders equipped with vacuum assist are necessary for these types of products.

Material Thickness 

On the other hand, certain materials may not feed due to their thickness. Feeding thick or rigid materials may pose a challenge to the machine. The vertical feeder works in a way that requires the material to bend to some extent along the curve. This is hard to achieve with thick and long materials as bending them would impact pressure on multiple parts of the product. This leaves your product weak and in extreme cases, damaged.

Material Density 

For the material density, vertical feeders are not so good at feeding heavy materials. They are best suited for feeding lightweight materials such as postcards, product instructions and labels. Heavy materials like cartons may result in misfeeds or product skewing.

2. Accelerated Wear and Tear of Friction Components 

Feeder belts are kept at a certain tension to help keep the products in line. Over time, the belt experiences wear and tear due to the tension and consistent feeding. For vertical feeders, this wear and tear occurs more often due to a higher product coefficient of friction. With heavier and high friction products on the belts, materials tend to skew off and the belt wears out more quickly. 

Belt tear and wear also happen in flat feeders but it has been noticed to be faster in vertical feeders. The explanation is that while the vertical feeders have a slight discharge angle, the flat feeders have a more consistent discharge angle and this reduces the tension on the belt.

3. Problem with Feeding Accuracy 

Vertical friction feeders may feed materials with high speed, but they may appear less efficient than flat feeders when it comes to precision. Without proper adjustments, combining both speed and accuracy may not work out so well for vertical friction feeders. However, this can be taken care of with proper automation. With no human interruptions, vertical feeders can do just fine with feeding precision.

4. Maintenance Costs

While flat feeders may be more expensive than vertical feeders, the latter tends to be more expensive to maintain. This is because it requires frequent maintenance as there are higher chances of dust and debris buildup on the moving parts. This is also coupled with more frequent needs for changing the moving parts, especially the belts.

5. Limited Stack Capacity 

Vertical friction feeders have a smaller stack capacity compared to the flat feeders. This may lead to frequent reloading which delays production and increases operator intervention. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can vertical friction feeders be integrated with other automation systems?

Yes, vertical friction feeders can be integrated with printers, labelling machines, conveyors and packaging systems. Many models come with programmable settings and compatibility features that help them fit seamlessly into automated production lines.

2. What are the common issues faced when using a vertical friction feeder and how to resolve them?

Common issues include skewing or slippage due to material surface properties, jams caused by improper stacking, and wear on moving parts. These can be resolved by adjusting pressure settings, ensuring material compatibility and apt replacement of worn-out components.

3. What maintenance is required to keep a vertical friction feeder running efficiently?

Routine maintenance requirements include cleaning the rollers and belts to remove dust and debris, inspecting for wear and tear on the belt, lubricating moving parts if applicable and ensuring proper calibration for different materials.

Conclusion 

Vertical friction feeders are just as effective as traditional flat friction feeders or even more. They are fast and convenient in addition to allowing for automation. On the other hand, it has some disadvantages like material incompatibility and extensive maintenance needs. Regardless, vertical friction feeders are very commendable and can serve in many ways just like flat feeders.