The Wrights Dowson Group is one of the leading manufacturers of screw conveyors and accessory equipment in the UK. We lead the development of conveyors. Our equipment has been used in a wide variety of industries, including food, drink, animal feed, grain, waste, biomass and recycling, and many others.

Aside from our expanding range of manufacturing equipment, the Wright Downson Group offers a full design service to deliver bespoke screw conveyor solutions for your operations. This includes adding a hopper to your conveyor set-up where your applications might benefit from one.

What is a Screw Conveyor?

Screw Conveyors use a screw-like rotating shaft to transport sluggish materials from one location to another. They can be set up horizontally or at a slight incline. Vertical screw conveyors are also available.

Screw conveyors ensure that bulks of products are transported without spillage and at high performance, saving time and costs in the long run. They are ideal in various industries where a difficult-to-handle product needs to be moved from one manufacturing stage to another.

Products commonly used by this equipment includes:

  • Food
  • Grain
  • Animal feed
  • Waste and garbage
  • Biomass
  • Recycling
  • Sludge

What is a Hopper?

Supply Hoppers allow for products to be steadily supplied onto a conveyor to automate one more step in this process. They are integrated into the conveyance system to keep the product moving without the necessary intervention of a staff member. Therefore, hoppers are especially important in operations that can’t afford to waste time and need a product in motion as soon as possible.

Hoppers are usually large, pyramidal, or cone-shaped containers. This makes them suitable to hold all manner of materials, including sludge, gravel, nuts, grains, dust, etc.

Advantages of Screw Conveyors with Hoppers

There are several advantages to including a screw conveyor with hopper in your operations.
This is why they are used in hundreds of different industries. Screw Conveyors with Hoppers are easy to install and can fit seamlessly into your plant to take up little space.

They are cost-effective and can save a significant amount of time, making them an investment that quickly pays for itself.

More specifically, the advantages of a set up of Screw Conveyors with Hoppers include:

  • Metering – The Screw Conveyor can take a product from the hopper in measured quantities to feed them into the process stream.
  • Enclosed – Screw Conveyors are entirely enclosed, ensuring no leakage or contamination can occur.
  • Adaptable – Screw Conveyors can be used horizontally, at a slight incline, or even vertically. (This requires specific equipment).
  • Time-Saving – Screw conveyors save time by automating the transport of product. With a Hopper, this effect is furthered as the conveyor doesn’t need to be restocked manually as often.
  • Screw Conveyors can be used for mixing various products
  • Screw Conveyors can heat or cool the product that they convey. They can be jacketed or have a hollow-flight design, which provides the heat transfer or cooling required
  • Screw conveyors with hoppers are designed for easy cleaning. They can come with quickly removable covers, drop-bottom casings and internal spray systems. Depending on your application, we can create an easy-to-maintain system for your plant.
  • Screw Conveyors with hoppers are highly flexible. They can be designed with multiple inlets and discharge points. Bulk materials can therefore be conveyed to various locations. The flow of product can be controlled with slide gates or valves.
  • Screw Conveyors with Hoppers can handle various materials in bulk, including a product that is usually difficult to handle, such as with a sluggish or free-flowing consistency.

The Wrights Downson Group Can Provide Bespoke Screw Conveyor and Hopper Equipment

Our Wright Downson Engineers work to bespoke requirements. We use 3D CAD Software to design screw conveyors and associated equipment to the required specifications so they seamlessly fit into your plant and operations.

Ideally, we will require the following information:

  • Details of the space the screw conveyor with hopper will fit into
  • What maintenance functions will be required
  • The angle at which material will be conveyed
  • The type of product you aim to convey
  • The maximum material discharge rate
  • How many inlets and discharge points will be required
  • Heating or cooling requirements

Learn More

The Wrights Dowson group continues to build on its established reputation for bespoke screw conveyor and Hopper design for various industries. We also design rotary shaft seals, bin activators, and more.

If you want to learn more about our screw conveyors, get in touch with us at the Wrights Dowson group for advice, technical support, and a quotation.