Industrial Vibrator Beat Archives

What You Need to Know About Clogged Industrial Pipe Issues and Vibration

By Cleveland Vibrator Team

May 27

Material flow issues are the worst. Not only are they a headache to deal with during production for the team out on the floor, but they may be costing you valuable time and money in the long run. The usual suspects for material flow hang-ups typically occur in bulk supply hoppers or industrial bins. But, what about those industrial pipes and chutes transferring materials throughout various stages of production?

Industrial vibration is not just for those usual suspects; it can be just as successful when applied to those transfer chutes and pipes! Not only does it get the job done, but it is economical and ultimately saves the integrity of your equipment and your team’s shoulders and backs.

How Vibration Helps Improve Dust Collection Systems

By Mike Stratis

Jul 25

When dealing with dust collection systems, it is critical to regularly clean the collected dust out of the equipment. One of the methods to remove the accumulated dust is with the help of vibration. Where the vibration is applied, though, depends on the collection system installed. Standard installations that we see are:

Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP)
Baghouses
Cyclones

Photo Credit: Himenviro Environmental Technologies

Electrostatic Precipitators

First, we’ll discuss electrostatic precipitators. These are large systems that are frequently found at facilities, such as:

Pulp and paper or steel mills
Refineries
Concrete plants
Coal-fired power plants, just to name a few

The systems have a series of wires and plates that act as filters that rely on an electrostatic charge to pull dust particles from the air passing through the collection system. Keeping these wires and plates clean is imperative to the process because it helps increase the efficiency of the dust collection system.

This is where a Rapper comes into play.

The Cleveland Vibrator 3″ PMA Rapper is an air-powered piston vibrator that is installed on a mounting plate connected to a shaft to shake the wires and plates. This shaking process breaks the friction of the particulates clinging to the collection media. The dust then drops down to the collection hopper underneath. Once the material is in the collection hopper, an externally mounted piston vibrator or air knocker will remove the dust from the inside sloped walls of the hopper and to the discharge.

Mike Stratis

Mike joined The Cleveland Vibrator Company team in 2013 with prior experience in manufacturing sales with a Cleveland company in the tool and die industry. Now, he’s the Director of Sales and specializes in “making stuff that shakes stuff”.

When he’s not immersed in the world of industrial vibration, as rare as that might be, Mike keeps busy *not finishing in last place* in Fantasy Football and enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids. It’s always golf season for Mike, and he’s been known to 3 putt his way around any course and can roll tee balls in rain or shine. You can find him tailgating in the Muni Lot before Browns games or supporting local breweries.

As an avid provider of #VibrationEducation, he offers this free bit of advice, “Not all vibration is the same. Force and frequency do matter!” However, there is a 2% upcharge for all Michigan and Steeler’s fans.

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Can You Operate 460/3/60 Industrial Electric Vibrators at 380/3/50?

By Jack Steinbuch

Jun 05

Rotary electric motors, Industrial Vibration, Industrial Vibrators, The Cleveland Vibrator Company, Uras Techno, Vibratory Motor

I’ve noticed increased requests for operating stock U.S. rotary electric (motor) vibrators that are wound for 460/3/60 power overseas, where the power is often 380/3/50. The good news is, there are two options available to operate a rotary electric vibrator with this power rating.

First is the realization that you can operate a 460/3/60 vibrator using 380/3/50 power. It works due to de-rating the higher voltage 60 Hz motor since 50 Hz power rotates the eccentric weights at a lower RPM (rotations per minute) by a factor of 50/60. For example, an 1800 RPM vibrator would run at 50/60 x 1800 = 1500 RPM.

We can also apply this logic to voltage. So, a 460-volt motor would be de-rated to 383 volts by multiplying the 60Hz voltage by the same factor of 50/60. Therefore, due to 50Hz input, a 60Hz vibrator will accept 380 volts ± 10% without jeopardizing the motor.

Note: Due to the eccentric weights rotating at a lower RPM, the force output will experience roughly a 30% decrease.

The exact amount of reduction is the square of the factor provided above for determining the lower RPM of the vibrator due to 50Hz.

Jack Steinbuch

Jack Steinbuch has been with The Cleveland Vibrator Company for over 36 years accumulatively. He has previous experience in the manufacturing industry as a Senior Application Engineer and has worn many hats on our team in sales and managerial capacities. Now, he’s in the position of General Sales Manager. With a BSCE from The University of Toledo, he is an expert in the realm of sizing vibratory screeners and feeders, and sizing vibratory drives for tables and other vibratory equipment. Understanding that customer service is crucial, Jack believes it is important to provide the proper product for every application, even if it happens to not be supplied by The Cleveland Vibrator Company.

In his off-hours, you can find Jack spending time with his family and playing with his grandchildren. He loves sports; both watching and playing, and is an avid golfer and a league bowler during the winter. He will be retiring at the end of September 2021 and hopes to spend his winters vacationing in Florida.

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4 Construction Features to Consider When Choosing Rotary Electric Vibrators for Vibratory Equipment or Material Flow Applications

By Craig Macklin

Apr 20

Have you ever had someone try to push you over from your side? I recall skiing with my big brother once when we were kids. We had gotten off the chair lift and were stopped at the top of a run, getting ready to head down. I was standing with skis closely together in parallel, hands off my poles as I adjusted my goggles. Big brother gave me a push on my shoulder from the side, perpendicular to the direction of my stance and skis. I tipped right over. There was nothing I could do about it. It was hilarious… at least it was to him and everyone watching me flail about wildly on my way down. Had I positioned my skis and stance wider and center of gravity lower, I could have avoided this embarrassing failure.

rotary electric vibrator, eccentric weights

Figure 1. Rotary Electric Vibrator Shaft

Such is as it is with Rotary Electric Vibratory Motors. Imagine for a moment that you have a long bar going right through your solar plexus and out of the middle of your back. Now that you are over that painful thought, imagine that at each end of the bar, there is a weight dangling from a rope and swinging around that bar. Those weights are pushing you in every direction perpendicular to your feet and stance. You are now a Rotary Electric Vibrator! Can’t quite get the mental picture? Check out the photo to the right to see what I am talking about. Read More…

Craig Macklin

Craig Macklin joined The Cleveland Vibrator Company in 2010. Although his prior experience is mired in the world of theoretical, intangible products and services such as software and consulting sales, the past 11 years have developed his passion for this industry and molded the vibration expert we know today. Now, as President and CEO, Craig has a deep understanding of the value and importance of industrial vibration to numerous industries and applications. He enjoys fine, locally roasted espresso, good food, and spending the day with his wife and two daughters. He has cried at multiple Browns and Indians games and likes to get outside and golf in his free time.

What’s his area of expertise, you ask? “Making sure the people on our team are better and smarter than I am.” – Craig Macklin

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How to Choose the Best Truck Trailer Vibrators Based on the Material You’re Hauling

By CVC Team

Apr 07

Are you hauling a sticky material, such as DDG or soybean meal, in a hopper bottom trailer? Maybe carrying gravel or asphalt in a dump trailer? What about fertilizer in a v-body spreader?

The reason we ask this information when working with clients is that the material characteristics play a major role in determining the best type of vibrator to help quickly and safely unload the trailer. There is a big difference between unloading sticky DDG’s from a hopper bottom trailer compared to cleaning out the hopper bottom that was carrying whole potatoes or other free-flowing materials like corn and wheat. Read More…
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Tighten Those Bolts!

By Mike Stratis

Mar 13

If you happened to take the time to read Craig Macklin’s blog, about the expectations for maintenance of the pneumatic vibrators, then you’ll have a good base of knowledge on how to keep those units running efficiently. This time, we’ll take a deeper dive into the importance of tightening the mounting bolts used for installing the vibrators themselves.

On the pneumatic piston vibrators, the proper bolt torque is critical. Because of the tight tolerance held between the outside diameter of the piston and the inside diameter of the bore of the casted body, the vibrator needs to be rigidly bolted in place to allow for correction operation so that only the piston is moving inside the vibrator. If the bolts are loose, even slightly, the vibrator body will “rock” back and forth on the mounting channel. Once this starts happening, failures or seized pistons can happen.

Why does this happen? The reason is, the piston will still try to move in a pure linear direction but if Read More…

Mike Stratis

Mike joined The Cleveland Vibrator Company team in 2013 with prior experience in manufacturing sales with a Cleveland company in the tool and die industry. Now, he’s the Director of Sales and specializes in “making stuff that shakes stuff”.

When he’s not immersed in the world of industrial vibration, as rare as that might be, Mike keeps busy *not finishing in last place* in Fantasy Football and enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids. It’s always golf season for Mike, and he’s been known to 3 putt his way around any course and can roll tee balls in rain or shine. You can find him tailgating in the Muni Lot before Browns games or supporting local breweries.

As an avid provider of #VibrationEducation, he offers this free bit of advice, “Not all vibration is the same. Force and frequency do matter!” However, there is a 2% upcharge for all Michigan and Steeler’s fans.

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Properly Size an Industrial Vibrator on a Bulk Barge Hopper in 3 Easy Steps

By Mike Stratis

Jan 30

When it comes to unloading dry bulk bins, hoppers or vessels, we all know time is money. The more efficiently a job is done, the more time becomes available to take on new projects. More projects, equals… well, you get it.

One of the options available when it comes to material handling and unloading dry bulk barge hoppers or vessels is vibration. These externally mounted pneumatic or electric devices, when properly sized and installed, appropriately flex the bin or hopper wall to break free rat holing, bridging, caking or sticking material. With the assistance of the Cleveland Vibrator Selection Guide, the vibrator sizing process can be simplified and help increase successful installation. Read More…

Mike Stratis

Mike joined The Cleveland Vibrator Company team in 2013 with prior experience in manufacturing sales with a Cleveland company in the tool and die industry. Now, he’s the Director of Sales and specializes in “making stuff that shakes stuff”.

When he’s not immersed in the world of industrial vibration, as rare as that might be, Mike keeps busy *not finishing in last place* in Fantasy Football and enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids. It’s always golf season for Mike, and he’s been known to 3 putt his way around any course and can roll tee balls in rain or shine. You can find him tailgating in the Muni Lot before Browns games or supporting local breweries.

As an avid provider of #VibrationEducation, he offers this free bit of advice, “Not all vibration is the same. Force and frequency do matter!” However, there is a 2% upcharge for all Michigan and Steeler’s fans.

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The Evolution of Industrial Vibrators: From Pneumatics to Electric Powered Vibrators in the 20th Century

By CVC Team

Dec 19

The Cleveland Vibrator Company started manufacturing air-operated vibrators in 1923 and for several years air vibrators are all we pretty much offered. This worked well in our primary foundry customer base through the first half of the 20th century. As we expanded our customer base, we found more and more customers wanting to use electrical power to operate the industrial vibrators. It became obvious that we needed to give our sales staff an alternate source besides air to offer our valued customers.

We started with fairly basic electromagnetic vibrators with the MC-1, MC-2, etc. and started to introduce these units into the marketplace. The MC series is considered the “grandfather” to our current CM-5, CM-10, and CM-30 and more recent Super 30 vibrators. You can see a success story of this product in the field in the case study on the right-hand side of this paragraph. In the early ’60s, we contracted with a company from Sweden called Dynapac to market and sell their rotary electric vibrators mostly here in North America. They were supplied in 1800 RPM and 3600 RPM (revolutions per minute) which opened the door to customers having hoppers, bins, chutes, bunkers as well as other applications which include vibratory tables, feeder, and screeners. Read More…
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Let’s Clear the Air on Vibratory Drives for Hazardous Locations

By Jack Steinbuch

Sep 20

Over the years I’ve received a number of requests for industrial vibrators or vibratory equipment that need to operate in a hazardous location. Most requests include the classifications they are either given or think they need, but often aren’t familiar enough with them to know what their application may really require. I believe, for vibrating motors especially, that most confusion stems from recognizing the difference between dust-tight and explosion-proof construction.

Our challenge for these applications is to clarify the classification being requested and offer possible alternatives to meet them. First, to my understanding, pneumatic powered drives are acceptable for any hazardous location. You only need to be concerned if you use an electrically activated valve to start/stop it, to make sure it meets the classification of the hazardous area.

Jack Steinbuch

Jack Steinbuch has been with The Cleveland Vibrator Company for over 36 years accumulatively. He has previous experience in the manufacturing industry as a Senior Application Engineer and has worn many hats on our team in sales and managerial capacities. Now, he’s in the position of General Sales Manager. With a BSCE from The University of Toledo, he is an expert in the realm of sizing vibratory screeners and feeders, and sizing vibratory drives for tables and other vibratory equipment. Understanding that customer service is crucial, Jack believes it is important to provide the proper product for every application, even if it happens to not be supplied by The Cleveland Vibrator Company.

In his off-hours, you can find Jack spending time with his family and playing with his grandchildren. He loves sports; both watching and playing, and is an avid golfer and a league bowler during the winter. He will be retiring at the end of September 2021 and hopes to spend his winters vacationing in Florida.

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What to Expect for Maintenance of Your Pneumatic Vibrator

By Craig Macklin

Aug 09

As my incredibly knowledgeable associate, Mike Stratis, wrote a blog about accessories to consider for installing an air-powered vibrator, I thought I would provide a follow-up piece to discuss what to expect AFTER the install. As with any equipment, pneumatic vibrators and their supporting accessories require love, attention, lubrication, and cleaning. Here is what to expect if you want to get the longest and most consistent life out of your pneumatic vibrator, whether a piston, turbine, or ball.

Air Piston Pneumatic Vibrator

Cleveland Vibrator Pneumatic Piston Vibrator Group Shot

Lubrication

Firstly, you must check your lubricator with some frequency. If you operate continuously, you might check and/or refill every 1-3 weeks. If your use is intermittent or infrequent, you might schedule on a 1-4 month basis. The use of internal coating in the vibrator can reduce or remove the need for lubrication. But, coatings without lubrication will typically wear out faster than a coated or uncoated piston vibrator that is properly lubricated. Depending on the size and duty cycle of your vibrator, you might use a pint of lubricant every 2 weeks – 2 years. We recommend our MXR-12 VibraLube, which is 10W-NR.

Craig Macklin

Craig Macklin joined The Cleveland Vibrator Company in 2010. Although his prior experience is mired in the world of theoretical, intangible products and services such as software and consulting sales, the past 11 years have developed his passion for this industry and molded the vibration expert we know today. Now, as President and CEO, Craig has a deep understanding of the value and importance of industrial vibration to numerous industries and applications. He enjoys fine, locally roasted espresso, good food, and spending the day with his wife and two daughters. He has cried at multiple Browns and Indians games and likes to get outside and golf in his free time.

What’s his area of expertise, you ask? “Making sure the people on our team are better and smarter than I am.” – Craig Macklin

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