InterProcess gravimetric belt weighfeeder in an industrial installation

Gravimetric belt weighfeeders

Gravimetric belt weighfeeders DTU and DTC

Q: How does a belt weighfeeder differ from a screw feeder?

In a belt weighfeeder the material travels on a conveyor belt, which makes the delivery exceptionally gentle, with no shearing or abrasion by a screw. That is the best answer for friable materials such as flakes and pellets, for coarse particles, and for highly abrasive products. A screw feeder copes better with fine, cohesive powders and takes up less space at lower rates. A belt weighfeeder also needs less installation height.

Q: When should I choose the DTU and when the DTC?

The DTU is the better choice for materials of low and medium bulk density: in the food, chemical and cosmetics industries, where a hygienic stainless steel construction and an FDA approved belt are called for. The DTC suits heavy, strongly abrasive materials and hard industrial conditions: cement works, lime plants and construction material production, where throughputs reaching 1000 t/h and a robust carbon steel structure are needed.

Q: Can a belt weighfeeder work in a multi-ingredient system?

Yes, belt weighfeeders lend themselves well to proportional multi-ingredient feeding systems. Several feeders deliver different ingredients onto a common take-away conveyor, holding the recipe ratios in master/slave mode. The systems communicate over 4–20 mA analogue signals or industrial protocols (Profibus, Profinet, Modbus, EtherNet/IP). InterProcess designs and integrates complete lines of this kind.

Q: How accurate are belt weighfeeders?

Both types reach an accuracy below 0.5% of setpoint, and in selected applications the DTU can reach below 0.25%. The accuracy depends on a number of factors, among them the properties of the material, the steadiness of the feed, the right choice of feed hopper, and calibration of the system.

Q: How is the feed hopper selected?

The choice of feed hopper, that is of the feeding device, rests above all on the flow properties of the material. For free flowing materials we use simple discharge hoppers with an adjustable gate. For poor flowing materials, ones that bridge or ones inclined to aerate, we select special hoppers, for instance with a vibratory feeder, a rotary valve or a screw feeder. With dusty and fluidising materials we also use settling chambers with venting chains. Getting the hopper right is decisive for holding a steady bed of material on the belt, and so for the accuracy of the feed.

Q: Why is a belt weighfeeder better than a conveyor with an ordinary belt scale?

Standard conveyor belts fitted with flow scales are designed first of all to move material, with weighing as an added function. A belt weighfeeder is designed from the ground up for precise feeding. Its compact dimensions and short centre distance keep the influence of belt unevenness, temperature and vibration on the measurement to a minimum. The gravity take-up maintains a constant, repeatable belt tension, which removes zero drift. A dedicated control system with PID regulation of belt speed actively holds the set mass flow, while built-in belt cleaning and the detection of mistracking and slip add further reliability. The result is accuracy below 0.5%, where an ordinary belt scale usually offers 1–2%.

Continuous, precise feeding of bulk solids with mass flow measurement: from delicate food products to heavy construction materials. The material travels on a belt, with no shearing or abrasion of the particles.

Compare DTU and DTC Data sheets

<0.5% feeding accuracy 100 kg/h – 1000 t/h throughput range FDA · ATEX · HACCP compliance of the build

What belt weighfeeders are

Continuous feeding that treats the product gently

Gravimetric belt weighfeeders deliver bulk solids at a controlled rate with continuous measurement of the mass flow. Unlike screw feeders, they carry the material on a belt, which handles the product exceptionally gently, with no shearing, abrasion or damage to the particles. That makes belt weighfeeders the natural answer for friable materials, for coarse particles, and for abrasive or mechanically sensitive products.

DTU

Precision and hygiene

Compact, entirely of stainless steel, with an FDA belt. For light and medium-heavy materials in the food, chemical and cosmetics industries.

100–40,000 kg/h AISI 304/316L FDA belt

DTU details

DTC

Strength and throughput

A rigid carbon steel structure for high-density materials in the hardest conditions: cement works, lime plants, construction and mining.

1–1000 t/h belt 650–1400 mm gravity take-up

DTC details

DTU belt weighfeeder

A compact stainless steel belt weighfeeder

DTU600 belt weighfeeder in the open version — DTU600 in the open version

DTU600 belt weighfeeder in the dust-tight enclosure — DTU600 in the dust-tight enclosure

DTU installations · click to enlarge

DTU videos

Continuous feeding of nuts

Quick, trouble-free belt changing on the DTU

Flow measurement of crisps

The DTU belt weighfeeder is a compact, precise way to deliver materials of low and medium bulk density. Built entirely of stainless steel, with an FDA approved belt, it suits the food, chemical and cosmetics industries particularly well. The DTU can work in the open version or enclosed, in a dust-tight housing.

Key DTU specifications

Accuracy<0.5% of setpoint (<0.25% in selected applications)
Throughputfrom 100 to 40,000 kg/h
Belt width300 or 600 mm
Materialssteel 1.4301 (AISI 304) or 1.4404 (AISI 316L)
BeltPU/PVC, FDA approved
Enclosureopen or dust-tight version
Intended forpowders, granules, pellets, friable and delicate products

Downloads

DTU data sheet (PDF) DTU enclosed data sheet (PDF) DTU questionnaire (PDF)

DTC belt weighfeeder

A belt weighfeeder for heavy and abrasive materials

The DTC belt weighfeeder is the robust answer for materials of medium and high bulk density in the hardest industrial conditions. A rigid carbon steel structure, stainless steel optionally, together with a range of feed hopper designs, keeps it working properly even with strongly abrasive materials, materials that aerate, or ones inclined to flush. The gravity belt take-up extends belt life considerably and improves the accuracy of the measurement.

Key DTC specifications

Accuracy<0.5% of setpoint
Throughputfrom 1 to 1000 t/h
Belt width650, 800, 1000, 1200 or 1400 mm
Centre distancefrom 1500 to 8000 mm (in 500 mm steps)
Constructionpainted carbon steel (stainless steel optionally)
Intended forcement, lime, gypsum, coal, aggregates, raw meal

Downloads

DTC data sheet (PDF) DTC questionnaire (PDF)

DTC belt weighfeeder — general view — DTC: carbon steel structure, side drive

DTC installations · click to enlarge

DTC videos

Feeding ground limestone

DTU vs DTC

Which belt weighfeeder should you choose?

The choice between the DTU and the DTC rests above all on the material being fed, the throughput required and the surrounding conditions. The table below should make the decision easier.

Parameter	DTU precise	DTC robust
Accuracy	<0.5% of setpoint (down to 0.25%)	<0.5% of setpoint
Throughput	100–40,000 kg/h	1–1000 t/h
Belt width	300 / 600 mm	650–1400 mm
Construction	Stainless steel (AISI 304/316L)	Painted carbon steel (stainless steel optional)
Belt	PU/PVC, FDA approved	Rubber (to 70°C; 170°C optional) or PU/PVC (FDA)
Dust-tight enclosure	Optional	Optional (cover, discharge flap)
Typical industries	Food, chemicals, cosmetics, pet food	Cement, lime, construction, mining, power
Best suited to	Powders, granules, pellets, friable products	Cement, lime, gypsum, coal, aggregates, meal

Proportional feeding

Multi-ingredient feeding systems

Belt weighfeeders are the natural building block for continuous proportional feeding systems, in which several ingredients are delivered at once onto a common take-away conveyor. One feeder acts as the master and the rest work as slaves, holding a fixed mass ratio to the main ingredient.

A change of rate on the master automatically corrects the rates of all the slaves in proportion. The system holds the recipe ratios whatever the line output. InterProcess designs and integrates complete multi-ingredient feeding lines: feeder selection, weighing controllers with industrial communication (Profibus, Profinet, Modbus, EtherNet/IP), and recipe automation.

Industries and applications

Applications in key industries

DTU belt weighfeeder in the food industry

DTU

Food and cosmetics

Gentle feeding of breakfast cereals, dried fruit, seeds, food granules, milk powders and cosmetic components. The stainless steel construction with an FDA belt meets HACCP requirements. A dust-tight enclosed version is available.

Belt weighfeeder in the chemical industry

DTU / DTC

Chemicals

Feeding pigments, fertilisers, detergents and industrial chemicals. Depending on the bulk density and the throughput required we use the compact DTU (up to 40,000 kg/h) or the robust DTC (up to 1000 t/h). Both types are available in ATEX versions.

DTC belt weighfeeder in the cement industry

DTC

Cement and construction

Feeding cement, lime, gypsum, raw meal, coal and aggregates: dense, strongly abrasive materials that often aerate. The rigid DTC structure, the range of feed hopper designs and the gravity take-up keep it running without failures.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does a belt weighfeeder differ from a screw feeder?

In a belt weighfeeder the material travels on a conveyor belt, which makes the delivery exceptionally gentle, with no shearing or abrasion by a screw. That is the best answer for friable materials such as flakes and pellets, for coarse particles, and for highly abrasive products. A screw feeder copes better with fine, cohesive powders and takes up less space at lower rates. A belt weighfeeder also needs less installation height.

When should I choose the DTU and when the DTC?

The DTU is the better choice for materials of low and medium bulk density: in the food, chemical and cosmetics industries, where a hygienic stainless steel construction and an FDA approved belt are called for. The DTC suits heavy, strongly abrasive materials and hard industrial conditions: cement works, lime plants and construction material production, where throughputs reaching 1000 t/h and a robust carbon steel structure are needed.

Can a belt weighfeeder work in a multi-ingredient system?

Yes, belt weighfeeders lend themselves well to proportional multi-ingredient feeding systems. Several feeders deliver different ingredients onto a common take-away conveyor, holding the recipe ratios in master/slave mode. The systems communicate over 4–20 mA analogue signals or industrial protocols (Profibus, Profinet, Modbus, EtherNet/IP). InterProcess designs and integrates complete lines of this kind.

How accurate are belt weighfeeders?

Both types reach an accuracy below 0.5% of setpoint, and in selected applications the DTU can reach below 0.25%. The accuracy depends on a number of factors, among them the properties of the material, the steadiness of the feed, the right choice of feed hopper, and calibration of the system.

How is the feed hopper selected?

The choice of feed hopper, that is of the feeding device, rests above all on the flow properties of the material. For free flowing materials we use simple discharge hoppers with an adjustable gate. For poor flowing materials, ones that bridge or ones inclined to aerate, we select special hoppers, for instance with a vibratory feeder, a rotary valve or a screw feeder. With dusty and fluidising materials we also use settling chambers with venting chains. Getting the hopper right is decisive for holding a steady bed of material on the belt, and so for the accuracy of the feed.

Why is a belt weighfeeder better than a conveyor with an ordinary belt scale?

Standard conveyor belts fitted with flow scales are designed first of all to move material, with weighing as an added function. A belt weighfeeder is designed from the ground up for precise feeding. Its compact dimensions and short centre distance keep the influence of belt unevenness, temperature and vibration on the measurement to a minimum. The gravity take-up maintains a constant, repeatable belt tension, which removes zero drift. A dedicated control system with PID regulation of belt speed actively holds the set mass flow, while built-in belt cleaning and the detection of mistracking and slip add further reliability. The result is accuracy below 0.5%, where an ordinary belt scale usually offers 1–2%.

Why InterProcess

Why choose our solutions?

In-house manufacture

We design and build DTU and DTC feeders in our own works.

A complete feeder range

Belt, gravimetric and volumetric screw, and vibratory feeders.

Multi-ingredient systems

We design complete proportional feeding lines.

Experience across many industries

Food, chemicals, cement and construction.

Safety and hygiene

Systems compliant with ATEX, HACCP and GMP.

Technical support and service

With a fast response, 24/7 if required.

Need a belt weighfeeder?

Get in touch and our engineers will help you choose the right type — the compact DTU or the robust DTC — matched to the properties of your material and the demands of your process.

Get in touch