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Custom Gates, Valves and Diverters Keep Production Moving

Equipment is expensive.

That’s not exactly a ground-breaking revelation. Purchasing new bulk material handling equipment is a large investment – and one that’s often done begrudgingly. A plant spends money on equipment like gates, valves and diverters because they’re necessary for production.

However, the initial price tag doesn’t tell the whole story.

It doesn’t say how much maintenance will be put into it over its lifespan. It won’t bring into account the headaches caused and dollars lost if (or when) it malfunctions and brings production to a halt. There’s no mention of the safety concerns that arise if things go sideways.

That’s what makes getting custom-made gates, valves and diverters so important.

It might be a little cheaper initially to settle for a one-size-fits-all approach, but – as they say – you get what you pay for. One of the worst phrases kickstarting a buying decision is: “I guess it’s fine.”

Benefits of Custom-Engineered Transitional Equipment

One major benefit of working with custom-made manufacturers is knowing the product is made just for you. Every plant is a little different with different target goals or different needs.

Custom-engineered transitional equipment is designed specifically to handle that much of that material per hour at that plant.

Partner with a manufacturer that works with you during the process to make sure the gates, valves and diverters are built specifically for your site.

You need a 39-inch slide gate? Done. You have a funky plant layout and need maintenance to be done from that side? No problem. You unsure if you should go with an A-style or K-style diverter and what kind of material it should be made from? We’ll work with you.

Where Things Go Wrong with Cookie-Cutter Equipment

Having equipment made purposefully to fit your needs also eases maintenance.

It provides a design that makes replacing parts simple. It gives peace of mind that the seal likely isn’t going to malfunction and cause problems elsewhere in the plant – the gates don’t open and close properly, it’s leaking or spraying hydraulic fluid, etc.

There’s a lot that could go wrong if your equipment isn’t reliable.

If you deal with fine particles, they could collect in the gaps of the valves and leak material – which is both wasteful and could contaminate other processes.

Heavy materials could damage a substandard blade and it could fail completely – creating a safety hazard and several other obstacles. The material flowing through transitional equipment will quickly wear out the surface if serious thought isn’t put into the decision.

That’s why one option is to protect the interior of the valve with a ceramic-based lining. That way, the lining takes on most of the brunt – and the lining will be much easier (and cheaper) to replace.

Keep Things Moving in Your Conveyor System

Conveyor systems are the circulatory system of the facility – pumping life through the veins by reliably moving product through the processes. If anything goes wrong at any stage of the process, it can have a domino effect throughout the plant.

Custom-made equipment is a smarter purchase, taking into account a longer lifespan, better reliability and ease of maintenance.

That’s what makes every piece of equipment ­– even something like gates, valves and diverters – a highly important buying decision. They are long-term investments. Considering this, it’s important that each investment comes knowing that the product you bought has the best possible chance at success because it’s made specifically for you.

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About CDM

The CDM story is about recognizing every industrial operation is different, as are their conveying challenges. A custom-engineered conveying system is a cost-effective approach to any operation willing to look at the value of having a partner who is vested in your success and one who stands by their product. CDM has earned more than 91 percent repeat business because we’re more than just a conveying systems manufacturer – we’re a business partner.

For further information contact:

Andrew Parker, President CDM Systems, Inc.

Andrew@cdmsys.com  • cdmsys.com