material flow solutions

Zach Church

How To Choose Quality And Effective DC Vibrators For Your Salt Spreader

By Zach Church

As winter approaches, taking time to ensure that salt spreader you have on your truck is optimized to its fullest potential is essential to making quick work of the snow and ice heading your way. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or perhaps a first-time user, choosing the correct DC truck vibrator can make a huge difference in the performance of your equipment. 

Here are five important things to keep in mind: 

  1. KNOW YOUR HOPPER SIZE 

Begin by checking the size of your spreader hopper. Cleveland Vibrator’s line of DC truck vibrators come in several sizes so it’s important to select the one that best fits your needs. The MG-80 and its 80 pounds of vibratory force is a perfect choice for smaller tailgate spreaders. However, if you have a larger, slide-in V-Box spreader, you would be wise to opt for a heavy-duty solution like the MG-200 which boasts 200 pounds of force. In some V-Box applications when even more vibratory force is needed, one option is to mount two vibrators – one on each side of the spreader. 

PRO TIP: Product stickers and powder coating don’t mix well with harsh winter conditions so keep a written copy of the make/model of your spreader as well as the make/model of your truck vibrator handy so you can access that information easily in case you need to reference it later. 

  1. INSTALLATION MATTERS 

Proper installation is key to ensuring that your vibrator continues to function optimally. It’s always a good idea to keep the following things in mind when purchasing and installing a truck vibrator:  

  1. Use a steel backing plate to mount your vibrator. Not only will it extend the life of your spreader, but your actual vibrator will also last much longer.  
  1. When uninstalling an older vibrator from your hopper, be sure to inspect the area around the bolt holes to make sure the plastic isn’t cracked.   
  1. Although you want to make sure your mounting bolts are tight, be careful not to overtighten (See No. 2 above). A snug fit will help prevent wear and tear on your hopper. 

Installation is a good time to check anything/everything that might be happening behind the scenes on your hopper. When left unchecked, those little things can turn into big problems down the road. For more helpful installation steps and tips, click here for our handy vibrator instruction manual.  

  1. MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR LONGEVITY 

Extend the life of your vibrator by following these maintenance best practices: 

  • Avoid carrying the vibrator by the cable. 
  • Leave slack in the cable during mounting. 
  • Be cautious when pressure washing the hopper, avoiding direct water pressure on the vibrator. 
  • Handle the spreader with care, considering the presence of the vibrator during unloading. 
  • Tighten bolts securely to ensure the vibrator can perform its job effectively. 
  • Check the duty cycle in the vibrator’s manual to prevent prolonged operation. 
  • Make sure the vibrator has proper ventilation. Overheating a vibrator can cause internal motor component failure. 
  1. REACH OUT FOR ASSISTANCE 

When it’s time to replace your DC truck vibrator, it’s easy (and tempting) to simply copy and paste your previous order. But making sure you have the right equipment is critical and it never hurts to get a second opinion. If you find yourself in doubt about your selection – or if you have general questions about your unique needs, don’t hesitate to contact a member of our sales team. They’re available from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and can be reached by phone, email, or via a handy chat feature on our website. Simply provide your spreader model number and someone from our team will guide you toward the ideal solution for your needs. 

  1. WINTER DOESN’T LAST FOREVER 

Even though it’s hard to believe sometimes, winter won’t last forever and the good news is that Cleveland Vibrator’s line of DC truck vibrators aren’t exclusive to winter applications. If your company also handles any type of landscape work in warmer months, that same hopper is often used with grass seed, fertilizer, and other materials. And the same type of moisture issues that can wreak havoc on your ability to smoothly spread salt or ice melt can also severely limit your ability to smoothly spread those items.  

Beyond those areas, our expansive line of vibratory motors and equipment are utilized in mining, recycling, concrete and aggregates, food and pharmaceuticals, plastics, powders, foundry operations, and many others. You can explore their versatility and see photographs of them being used in real-life applications in the extensive application gallery found on our website.  The benefits of using vibration in manufacturing operations is endless – and well documented.  

In conclusion, selecting the right DC truck vibrator for your salt spreader is a straightforward yet essential task. By considering hopper size, following proper installation procedures, and adhering to good maintenance practices, you’ll ensure your equipment performs at its best when you need it the most. Choose wisely, operate carefully, and tackle the season with confidence. 

If you have any questions or need additional assistance, we’re always just a message or phone call away. 


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Mike Stratis

MG Electric Truck & Trailer Vibrator: How To Quickly & Safely Unload Material

By Mike Stratis

If you are in the truck and trailer industry servicing dry bulk materials, you know how much of a headache unloading materials like grain products, DDG, aggregates, and road salt can be when it sticks to the inside of your end dump or hopper bottom trailer. So, to ease the stress of these material flow problems, The Cleveland Vibrator Company introduced our 12 VDC electric-powered vibrators, the MG Truck and Trailer Vibrators, which are designed to handle tough material flow challenges and eliminate sticking material for any load size.

DC Vibrator, MG Vibrator, Truck and Trailer, Truck and Trailer Vibrator, Trailer Vibrator, Electric Vibrator, electric vibrating motor
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Katy Sabo

Reliable DC Vibrators Boost Profits for Snow & Ice Removal

By Katy Sabo

Operators waste valuable time manually freeing clumped rock salt out of their spreaders when an automated solution, like DC Vibrators, is available.

Over 70% of U.S. roads are located in snowy regions that experience more than 5 inches of snowfall yearly.

The national average snow removal costs and salt application for private homeowners/business entities were approximately $150/service date. Snow Plowing Forum suggests it typically takes to plow an average driveway is 10-15 minutes. *It should be noted that these numbers can fluctuate based on geographic location, weather severity factors, and individual location needs.

If we took a quick look at theoretical numbers, it would indicate that snow and ice removal businesses could make ~$720/hr. (~12.5 minutes/service x $150). What if one or two minutes per service were used to promote the flow of salt from the spreader hopper manually? This could result in a profit loss between 8% to 19% per hour, the worst-case scenario.

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Craig Macklin

Introducing Fastfeed Corporation: How Can Automation Solve Part Handling Problems and Save Money?

By Craig Macklin

When I was young(er), I remember hearing that robots would replace everyone’s jobs.  Almost immediately I thought:

It seems like a good job will be building robots.

Who is Fastfeed Corporation?

Due to The Cleveland Vibrator Company’s recent acquisition of Fastfeed Corporation, I am proud to realize that childhood dream! Fastfeed Corporation is a manufacturer of unique automation systems for high volume and high-speed applications in assembly, sorting, and packaging. Coming at a time when the unemployment rate in the U.S.A. is at ~4%, it is critical to high volume manufacturers to eliminate reliance on humans to handle repetitive functions on production lines.

That’s where the automation offered by Fastfeed comes into play. As a result of streamlining applications in assembly lines, sorting lines, and packaging stations, opportunities for automation can be easily identified and achieved.

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Derek Stake

The Engineering Perspective: How to Stop Fatigue Failure During Vibrator Installation

By Derek Stake

After reading some of our very informative blogs about vibration applications on hoppers, you probably learned that vibrators don’t damage equipment, wrong installations do. Those blogs described how critical it is to size the vibrator for your hopper applications and the importance of using a stitch weld to adhere the vibrator mount to the hopper wall. Now, I would like to provide some engineering support discussing why stitch welding is essential and further insight into how vibration works to improve material flow inside a hopper.

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Kate Morel

Vibratory Feeders: The Helpful 5-Minute Guide for Improving Your Material Flow Process

By Kate Morel

If you’re new to vibratory equipment and vibratory feeders, you may be wondering, “How does a vibratory feeder WORK?” It’s a fair question, and one we hear a lot from people who aren’t familiar with this type of equipment! It’s a completely horizontal solid tray or tube with seemingly no moving parts. Still, the material moves steadily from one end to the other. But, HOW?

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Steve Chinn

Top 5 Reasons OEMs Should Switch to Uras Techno Vibratory Motors

By Steve Chinn

In 1978, we were approached by a company specializing in rotary electric motors: Uras Techno. Sharing our goal of providing vibratory units built to the highest quality standard with options to fit each customer’s unique application – we found our perfect match! Since then, we have been the exclusive USA stocking distributor of their rotary electric motors. Together, we have helped many now-happy customers make the switch from competing brands.

Stainless Steel, Vibratory Motor, Vibrating Motor, Food Grade, Rotary Electrics
Uras Techno Stainless Steel
Rotary Electric Motor

For example, a few months ago, an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) in the food industry was looking for an alternative vibrator for their feeder, which is used to transfer frozen fruit in their production process. The competing brand’s units had gaps in the design that were easily contaminated. This led to frequent downtime to clean the vibrators to avoid sanitary issues. Choosing to make the switch, they now experience less downtime thanks to their easy-to-clean Uras Techno stainless steel food-grade motors.

So, why should you take the leap and switch to Uras Techno?

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Katy Sabo

Which Industrial Vibrator Works Best for Cold Temperature Applications?

By Katy Sabo

Previously, I wrote a blog about industrial vibrator options for hot temperature applications like transfer chutes in forging facilities or installations on cope & drags in a foundry. But what about those applications on the other end of the temperature spectrum?  

Let’s talk about those cold environment applications like outdoor installs on a silo, chute, or load-out spout in geographic locations that face frigid temps, hopper bottom trailers delivering goods when there’s snow on the ground, or within facilities that do not have climate control.  

When frigid temps are a factor, we lean towards supplying an electric vibrator option for material flow issues. Electric industrial vibrators do not require compressed airlines to operate, which is the biggest drawback when using pneumatic vibrators for these application environments. 

Between RE Rotary Electric Vibrators, CM Electromagnetic Vibrators, and DC Vibrators, plenty of voltage options, force outputs, and frequencies are available.  

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Steve Chinn

Having Material Flow Problems?  Your Liner Could Be to Blame.

By Steve Chinn

Material flow problems are time-consuming, messy, expensive, and can even contribute to workplace hazards. The tricky part? Many problems can slow down your production processes, such as applying the wrong vibration force and frequency for the application, issues with the installation of the vibratory flow aid, and even the size and style of the liner applied to the inside of your bin, hopper, chute, or pipe. 

That was the case with a customer who wanted to apply vibration to their ¼” thick wall chutes for sand processing. Previously, they manually cleaned their chutes with a garden hoe leading to unnecessary employee injuries, equipment damage, and production downtime. Knowing they have liners installed, we asked three important questions: 

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Katy Sabo

Which Industrial Vibrator Works Best for Your Extreme Temp Conditions?

By Katy Sabo

Casting facilities pour molten metals into molds that require vibration to enable material flow and release air from the molten metal during the cooling process. Hot Forging Facilities feed metal ranging from 800 degrees Fahrenheit to 2200 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the material they’re producing which may require vibration for their transfer chutes. These are just a few examples of material flow locations that vibration can be used within these facilities.

What is the one thing these applications have in common? Heat.

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