Introduction to microfeeding powders — Part II
Pharmaceutical and other industries have spurred demand for continuous, gravimetric low-rate powder feeding, where accuracy is measured in milligrams and an hour's worth of feeding might add as little as 1 teaspoon of material to a process. The lowest rates are achieved by loss-in-weight microfeeders, which can control the flow of minor ingredients at rates down to 20 g/h (0.04 lb/h) or lower. Part I of this article explained how microfeeding differs from feeding at higher rates and how microfeeding can be applied. Part II concludes the article with information on how to select a microfeeder and specify its performance level.
To select a microfeeder that's right for your application, you need to understand how each component -- the metering device, weighing system, and control system -- works and what options are available for each.