When it comes to unloading dry or semi-dry bulk materials from a hopper trailer, belly dump, side dump, end dump, or similar type of truck, a few vibratory options are available to the market. Depending on the power supply available on the mobile equipment, air or electric, the vibratory components change. We will first look at the air-powered vibrator options then turn to the electric-powered vibrator options.
Air Powered Options
Piston Style Vibrator
The pneumatic or air-powered units that are available are the piston-style vibrator or the turbine-style vibrator. These two are by far the most common air-powered vibrators found on mobile equipment. The Vibra-Might Air Piston Vibrators are popular units in the field because these vibrators have a dual-diameter piston that allows for start-up at any mounting angle, and there is no spring on the inside of the vibrator. No spring = less wear parts.
These vibrators also have a single exhaust port and come standard with the exhaust port protector. The exhaust port protector helps keep dust, dirt, water, and other contaminants out of the bore of the vibrator. These Vibra-Might air piston vibrators come in both 4-bolt square base and 2-bolt rectangular base designs. The 2-bolt design is more common, and the slotted bolt holes of the 1200 VMR (impacting piston) or 1200 VMRAC (non-impacting piston) cover a wide range of new or existing bolt patterns. Also, if there is no oiler or lubricator on the truck itself, we offer coated casted bodies that can operate with or without lubricant. Adding lubricant will help the longevity of the vibrator, but it is not necessary.
If you’re interested to learn more about the piston vibrators on hopper trailers, please see our application report with Truck Equipment out of Lincoln, NE.
Turbine Style Vibrator
The Cleveland Vibrator Turbomite Pneumatic Turbine Vibrators can also be used on mobile equipment. The turbine-style vibrator is lube-free by design due to the permanently sealed and greased bearing inside the unit, quiet when in operation, and very good on air consumption. These turbine vibrators also come with exhaust port protection to keep contaminants outside of the body of the vibrator. This protected exhaust port helps extend the life of the vibratory component itself. The wide range of mounting styles of the Cleveland Vibrator Turbomite pneumatic turbine vibrators allows for various bolting options as well as portable clamp-on options. To learn more about our pneumatic turbine vibrators, click here, or to read about field applications, review this application report with Cattle Empire.
Vacuum Mounted Vibrator
Another portable air-powered option available is the vacuum-mounted vibrator. These units have a VMSAC model, non-impacting Vibra-Might air piston, vibrator bolted to a vacuum pad. The Cleveland Vibrator Vacuum Mounted Vibrators come as complete assemblies. In other words, the vibrator, the vacuum cup, the vacuum generator, the vacuum controls, the air pressure regulator for the vibrator, the safety cable, and independent airline plumbing are all included with the Vacuum Mount vibrator kit. The vacuum cup sticks to the side of the hopper bottom or underside of the belly or end dump trailer to break up bridging, rat-holing, or clogged material.
Electric Options
On the other hand, if air-powered is not your thing, we have a full range of 12V DC vibrators that can operate directly off the truck’s battery. Depending on the application, there are different sized DC vibrators available. For example, here are a few models suited for various sized equipment:
| Cleveland Vibrator Model | Hopper or Trailer Capacity | Duty Cycle of Vibrator |
| DC-Z-80 | 1 cubic yard hopper (800 lbs max) | Continuous Duty |
| DC-Z-200 | 2 cubic yard hopper (2,000 lbs max) | Intermittent Duty |
| MG-400-12 | 2-4 cubic yard hopper (4,550 lbs max) | Continuous Duty |
| MG-800-12 | 7-10 cubic yard hopper (8,450 lbs max) | Continuous Duty |
| MG-1200-12 | 6-12 cubic yard bed (11,930 lbs max) | Continuous Duty |
| MG-3500-12 | 12+ cubic yard bed (35,000 lbs max) | Intermittent Duty |
*The MG-400, MG-800, and MG-1200 are also available in 24V DC.
Who has time for carry back’s these days? Depending on the application, we have a durable solution to help. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please feel free to contact our team at any time. We are here to help keep you moving!
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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