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34 / March 2020 powderbulk.com CUSTOM SOLUTIONS NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED FOR PRE-ENGINEERED VACUUM CONVEYING SYSTEMS Most vacuum conveying systems don't require custom solutions in order to meet your powder and bulk solids processing requirements. Pre-engineered vacuum conveying systems are now so technically advanced that they're useful as is for a wide range of industries. This article talks about situations, including real-world examples, when turnkey packaged conveying sys- tems fit and when custom enhancements are necessary. Doan Pendleton, Vac-U-Max ticals, and chemicals; and metal powder recovery systems for additive manufacturing. In addition to these, modern general-duty pre- engineered conveying system packages include component options for vacuum producers, conveyor mounting, standard or sanitary design, filter media possibilities, interior and exterior finishes, and flexible utility alternatives to complement plant utility require- ments. These package choices provide a broader range of use across the food, pharmaceutical, chemical, plas- tics compounding, and metal forming and finishing industries and are adaptable when conditions such as business needs or materials change. Shopping for a system Purchasing a pre-engineered vacuum conveyor isn't like purchasing a widget from a website where you just click on a product and it ships to you. Because each organiza- tion and plant have unique requirements, consultation with a pneumatic conveying expert is still necessary to ensure a pre-engineered product will work as intended without costly surprises. Some common custom engi- neering requirements are related to available space, material characteristics, integration with existing equip- ment, and level of automation desired. Although pre-engineered vacuum conveying systems are designed to address common powder conveying challenges experienced in a range or class of materials or for materials with a range of character- istics, some powder processes require the addition of auxiliary or accessory equipment. Fine powders with low bulk density, such as fumed silica and carbon black, present their own set of chal- T he complexity of factors considered when design- ing vacuum conveying systems can bring about the notion of expensive custom systems that can take months of design before a solution reaches the plant floor. Or perhaps you imagine older, off-the-shelf systems that were designed for undemanding bulk sol- ids transfer and limited powder applications. In reality, today's turnkey pre-engineered vacuum conveying packages descend from a gene line of custom- engineered solutions and satisfy about 80 percent of the challenges faced when conveying powders and bulk solids, including combustible dust. The other 20 percent of challenges may need custom or auxiliary equipment to achieve an organization's material handling needs. All vacuum conveying systems consist of five basic components: a pickup point, a vacuum receiver, a vac- uum producer, a control panel, and conveying tubing; all simple stuff, right? The complexity surfaces when you consider that each component has a variety of available options that influence the parameters of the next component. The art of vacuum conveying mani- fests in the careful orchestrating of those components to create a system that provides application-specific solutions. Pre-engineered solutions are birthed from custom first-time solutions that have advanced the science of vacuum conveying. Variety in pre-engineered vacuum conveying systems Examples of custom-engineered systems that have been adapted into application-specific, pre-engineered packaged systems include tablet press loading systems; direct-charge blender loading for food, pharmaceu-