7 replies to this topic

[john123]

So I struck out here at work on my own, figured someone here might have some experience in something similar.

We use a food grade, poly tube material to connect various pieces of equipment together and handle material flow in our process (transfer augers to sifers, packaging units to boxes, etc). We've had some problems with an electronic scale and believe a build up of static electricity to be the problem. We contacted our local supplier to see if they have anything anti-static that would be food grade, but theirs are so far only intended for use with electronics.

So does anyone know where I might continue my search for a poly-tube that is anti-static and food grade? It'll need come with certifications that it meets Federal standards and doesn't contain animal derivatives, allergens, etc., in accordance with our packaging approval requirements.

[Charles.C]

So I struck out here at work on my own, figured someone here might have some experience in something similar.

We use a food grade, poly tube material to connect various pieces of equipment together and handle material flow in our process (transfer augers to sifers, packaging units to boxes, etc).

Dear john,

I know an auger can be related to drilling but a sifer ? Defeated Google also.

Rgds / Charles.C

(added later) - OK, now i get it, sifer = sifter

[john123]

Transfer auger. We have bigger ones, but this image from Bing shows the general idea. A feed screw inside a housing that can convey product from one point to another. Some of ours are used to convey product up (from the bottom of a roller mill to the top of a sifter) and some are used to feed product sideways into a mill or packaging line (adjustable speed regulators allow us to control the feed speed).





The area giving us the most problems is where we use a transfer auger up on an elevated platform to feed product from drums or boxes to a gravity flow metal detector before product goes into a bag. The system requires a 10 foot connection sock from the metal detector down to the bag fill. Dehydrated vegetables going through a plastic sock in a high desert climate makes for a bit of static buildup.

[Setanta]

Could you use some form a grounding wire from the transfer auger to the floor ? I think that would direct the energy to a specific source.


I am going by memory here, but in a past job, I worked with flour at a pasta manufacturer. We had several devices like this to prevent build up of static electricity.

Best Regards,
S.

[john123]

We thought ground wires would help too. All equipment in the facility is properly grounded, the metal platforms are all grounded to copper posts embedded in the floor, even the scale that has experienced burned out computer boards has been regrounded.

We're left thinking the anti-static poly tubes are the next step we need to take. That is, if we can find them. One of our customers uses an anti-static box liner but so far we haven't found a company making a tube from the same material.

[Shyguy77]

have you tried http://www.discountp...es/Poly-Tubing/ i havent used poly tubing for tranferring before but i figured checking them out couldnt hurt.

[john123]

That's the ticket! Wish the website seemed a little more reputable, but this gets me started on the right foot.

[campbell]

Poly tube with built in coppoer wire is available and has been used in past. The copper wire runs rouind the spiral. I don't know who supplies.