TECHNOLOGY | MATERIALS HANDLING


Right: Coperion says its K-Tron RF400 roller feeder offers a feeding system that provides consistent material


distribution, reduces waste, and improves overall production efficiency


Pro conveying system, which combines the essentials of a small, central conveying system (vacuum pump, dust collector, and intelligent, touchscreen control) into a compact and portable cabinet. The successor to the PowerFill 8, the new PowerFill Pro offers more power, more configurability, and new pump options to deliver throughputs up to 7,000 lbs/hr over distances up to 300 ft. Featuring all-new control hardware and a 4-in touchscreen that incorporates Conair’s common control user interface, the PowerFill Pro system easily serves up to eight material receivers through flexible vacuum conveying hoses, line valves, manifolds, or other conveying hardware. The system can be equipped with any of four vacuum pump options, starting with the popular 6.2 HP (4.6 kW) single-stage pump, or any of three, higher-capacity dual-stage pumps – 6.2 HP (4.6 kW), 11.5 HP (8.6 kW), or 16.9 HP (12.6 kW) – to meet greater throughput and distance requirements. All pumps are driven by three-phase direct-drive, brushless motors that require no oiling and have no belts to maintain. An optional idle-mode valve allows the vacuum pump to continue running at idle speed between loading cycles to reduce the number of stop-start cycles and prolong pump life. All units also include enlarged dust filters. This March, Coperion introduced the K-Tron


RF400 Roller Feeder, a new solution designed to enhance the efficiency and consistency of electrode dry material feeding in battery manufacturing processes. As demand for high- performance batteries continues to surge, manufacturers face increasing challenges in ensuring the precise and reliable delivery of the electrode blend directly into the calendar gap in dry battery electrode coating processes. The RF400 addresses these challenges by offering a state-of- the-art feeding system that provides consistent material distribution, reduces waste, and improves overall production efficiency by using advanced roller technology. The RF400 is perfectly suited for use in laboratory and pilot scale production environments, and integrates seamlessly with existing KCM-III controls and Smart Force Transducer (SFT) weighing technology, ensuring unparalleled accuracy and reliability.


Passing through Nitrogen closed-loop systems are gaining importance as they prevent dust or gas explosions through inertisation, to inhibit oxidation processes,


34 COMPOUNDING WORLD | July 2026


such as the quality-degrading yellowing of PTA, and to protect hygroscopic bulk materials from moisture ingress, which is essential for process stability, particularly in PA spinning plants. Coperion develops customised and optimally designed solutions with the goal of generating added value for the customer, and the process design of a nitrogen closed-loop system comprises several core components. The pneumatic conveying of bulk materials


through pipes is a proven technology that offers advantages over mechanical systems including flexible installation, low space requirements, and minimal maintenance. However, conventional dilute phase systems have limits, especially when conveying highly abrasive glass fibre pellets. These pellets are transported at high air speeds, which often leads to problems such as the formation of angel hair and wear on the pipe bends. Glass fibre-reinforced pellets with a proportion of 30% to 50% also mechanically wear down the pipe material and can lead to leaks. A solution is provided by Swiss group Gericke’s


PTA pneumatic dense phase conveying system, where a pressure vessel is used as a feeding device which doses the product into the pipeline and acts as a gas-tight valve. Small product plugs are formed in the pipeline, which are gently transported by compressed air at low speed. The conveying speed is significantly reduced compared to dilute phase conveying, which minimises wear while the pressure vessel ensures gas-tight feeding and enables the conveying of abrasive or sensitive materials. The bulk material is pushed through the pipeline in compact plugs, which increases throughput and minimises the required air consumption. For longer conveying distances, additional air nozzles can be integrated. Many bulk material processes require defined


and reproducible particle sizes. The Gericke GNB 250 Nibbler offers the advantages of the


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IMAGE: COPERION


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