BETHLEHEM, PA — Flexicon pneumatic and mechanical test laboratories are equipped with full size bulk handling equipment and systems that are readily reconfigured and accessorized to simulate customer installations, according to David Gill, president.

Using customer supplied bulk materials, engineers and laboratory technicians can verify system performance prior to final equipment design and fabrication, and demonstrate newly constructed equipment for visiting customers prior to shipment. In addition, Flexicon engineers utilize the laboratories to study the performance of new designs.

The test laboratory for pneumatic bulk handling systems is equipped with blowers, vacuum pumps, filter receivers, cyclone separators, inlet/discharge adapters and valves, and conveyor lines in a wide range of diameters and lengths—the test

laboratory for mechanical bulk handling systems is equipped with flexible screw conveyors in a comprehensive range of diameters, lengths and screw configurations.

Both test laboratories are also equipped with bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag fillers, manual dumping stations, automated weigh batching systems and other equipment designed to interface with pneumatic and/or mechanical conveying systems.

"The array of equipment with interchangeable accessories in a virtually unlimited combination of system configurations, enables Flexicon to establish repeatable performance ranges for entire systems as well as components using customer supplied bulk materials, taking the risk and guesswork out of purchasing highly customized bulk handling equipment," says Gill.

Side-by-side installation of flexible screw and pneumatic conveyor test equipment reportedly allows the relative merits of each to be compared in terms of conveying over short and long distances, moving problematic materials, preventing the separation of blends, and meeting other application-specific requirements.

The ability of bulk bag unloaders to promote complete discharge and allow dust-free loading, untying, retying and removal of bulk bags can be proven using customers' own bulk bags and materials.

Similarly, the performance of weighing systems, bulk bag fillers, bag dump stations, drum dumpers and a range of other pneumatic and mechanical process equipment and integrated systems can be evaluated prior to, and following manufacture.