Description
This was the third screw flight project completed for our long-term New Zealand customer. In the first two orders, the customer purchased similar conical screw flights with a thickness of 50 mm and was satisfied with the finished quality and dimensional control.
For this repeat order, the customer required a thinner 40 mm flight while keeping the same maximum outside diameter of 1.2 m. The complete conical geometry was manufactured according to the customer’s drawing and confirmed dimensions.
For related custom flight designs, you can also explore our screw conveyor components for sectional, tapered, continuous and other special screw flight configurations.
Production Process
The screw flight in this project used a conical design in which both the inner and outer diameters changed gradually from large to small. Compared with standard screw flights, this geometry is much more difficult to manufacture because the outside diameter, inside diameter, pitch and plate thickness all fall outside normal production ranges.
The maximum outside diameter was 1.2 m, while the minimum outside diameter was 430 mm. Because both the inner and outer profiles changed continuously, maintaining concentricity during forming and welding was one of the main manufacturing challenges.
This order was a trial project for one complete screw flight. Based on the production experience gained from the customer’s previous two orders, we were able to complete the flight successfully in one production run.
For large-diameter and thick-flight applications like this one, our Sectional Screw Conveyor Flight is the closest related product type, especially for heavy-duty designs where standard continuous cold-rolled flights are not suitable.
Material
The screw flight in this project was manufactured from carbon steel. Depending on operating conditions and customer requirements, other material options are also available, including stainless steel, low-alloy steel and wear-resistant steel. Material selection can be adjusted according to load, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and the conveyed material.
Tooling
Because of the large diameter, heavy plate thickness and continuously changing conical profile, we developed dedicated tooling specifically for this project. The tooling helped control the flight geometry and maintain concentricity during forming and welding.
Final welding was completed based on the fixed tooling position, helping improve dimensional consistency and overall product accuracy.
More Product Photos
The following photos show the finished large-diameter conical screw flight, including the formed profile, welded structure and overall geometry after production.
Related link
For large-diameter, thick and heavy-duty screw flight applications, see our Sectional Screw Conveyor Flight product page. You can also browse our complete Screw Conveyor Components range or explore our Screw Conveyor Components solution for sectional, tapered, continuous and custom screw flight designs.
For additional technical examples involving customized screw flight manufacturing, you can also read our article on Bühler Screw Conveyor Components, which covers custom screw flight and shaft solutions manufactured according to drawings and replacement requirements.
