A Step Feeder gets the same part to the same place in the same orientation, thousands of times without jamming. This page covers the Step Feeder configured with a bowl feeder with orientation tooling and supplied to pharmaceutical packaging lines: mechanical handling with guided part presentation and jam detection. The headline figure is low level sensing and auto refill, and the rest of the page explains what it means in daily use.
In practice the difficulty is rarely the nominal size. ±0.2 mm is held on the features that locate the part in the assembly, and the process is set up so that the first piece and the five hundredth measure the same way.
Specification
| Process | Mechanical handling with guided part presentation and jam detection |
|---|---|
| Material / configuration | a bowl feeder with orientation tooling |
| Size / capacity | low level sensing and auto refill |
| Tolerance | ±0.2 mm |
| Surface finish | stainless or anodised aluminium construction |
| Application | step feeder for pharmaceutical packaging lines |
| Inspection | Dimensional report, material certificate, first article report on request |
| Lead time | 7–15 working days for samples, 3–4 weeks for production |
| Minimum order | 1 piece for prototypes, from 50 pieces for production pricing |
Manufacturing process
Production begins with a drawing and material review. Stock is certified, the operation sequence is fixed, and mechanical handling with guided part presentation and jam detection is carried out on equipment maintained to hold ±0.2 mm over a full shift, not just on a first piece.
Material is purchased against a certificate and checked on receipt, so the composition is known before any cutting starts. Work in progress is identified by part number and operation, and the finished parts are deburred, cleaned and protected before they leave the machine area.
Typical applications
Most of the work supplied in this category falls into the following examples.
- Presenting blanks to a press.
- Feeding bar stock to a lathe.
- Orienting small turned parts.
- Moving parts between machining operations.
- Accumulating finished parts for packing.
Quality control and documentation
Inspection is not a final formality. Dimensions are checked during the cycle and again at the end, so drift is corrected while there is still stock to remove.
Material certificates to EN 10204 3.1, dimensional reports and first article inspection reports are issued with the shipment where the application requires them. Calibration dates and measurement uncertainty are recorded alongside every result.
Ordering, lead time and packaging
Orders start from a single piece. Samples are quoted from the 3D model, and production pricing follows once quantity, finishing and inspection are agreed.
Frequently asked questions
Why does feeding fail more often than the machine it serves?
Because orientation is geometry dependent. Parts that nest or tangle need escapements, orientation features or vision, and that is designed from the part model rather than bought in.
Can one feeder handle several part numbers?
Yes, with quick change tooling or a flexible vision feeder. Dedicated bowl tooling is cheaper per part at volume, so the choice depends on mix and quantity.
How long does delivery take?
Sample parts are typically shipped in 7 to 15 working days after drawing approval. Production batches run 3 to 4 weeks depending on quantity, finishing and inspection requirements.
Send the drawing or the 3D model for a quotation. Include material, quantity, tolerance and finish, and a detailed quote with lead time is returned within one working day.
