Screw Conveyors: Helicoid Flighting vs. Sectional Flighting

Screw Conveyors: Helicoid Flighting vs. Sectional Flighting

From moving lightweight material to handling heavier, more abrasive material, screw conveyors can be configured in several ways, depending on the needs of a given application. With conveyor flighting, a common question often arises when determining whether an application needs helicoid flighting or sectional flighting. In this piece, we’ll help walk you through the main differences and considerations for choosing between the two and provide a useful rule of thumb for when one should be chosen over the other for a certain application.

Helicoid FlightingScrew Conveyor - Helicoid Flighting

Helicoid flighting is an option that comes in one continuous length and is cold rolled from special steel. This method is very cost effective, as it cuts down on required labor and can be produced more quickly. The rolling process for helicoid flighting also creates very little scrap, as the continuous helix is cut to the exact screw length, which maximizes material usage. Helicoid flighting is also available in left- and right-hand constructions.

With helicoid flighting, you’ll notice that it is thicker at the inside edge and then tapers towards the outside edge. During the manufacturing process of helicoid screws, the edge of the flight is hardened to help with handling abrasive products. If you’re looking for specific materials or design customizations; however, then it may not be possible to achieve with helicoid flighting, as this method is limited to standard CEMA sizes for diameter, and thickness and pitch requirements are limited due to the helicoid rolling machines. Helicoid screws are manufactured by mounting helicoid flighting on a center pipe and standard skip welds.

When it comes to application, helicoid flights and screws can typically be made in lightweight and heavyweight options. Lightweight is great for moving things such as grains, ice, or pellets, whereas heavyweight helicoid flights can take on some heavier loads, such as cement or fertilizer.

Sectional FlightingScrew Conveyor - Sectional Flighting

Unlike helicoid flighting, sectional flighting is welded in one rotation per piece onto a center pipe and formed into a helix from manufactured steel plate. Sectional flighting requires more labor and specialty skills during the manufacturing process, as each piece needs to be welded and fastened, which makes it more expensive. Similar to helicoid flighting, sectional flighting is also available in left- and right-hand constructions.

Sectional flighting features uniform thickness from their inner edge to outer edge. While it might not be as cost-effective as helicoid flighting, sectional flighting does allow for variations and customizations throughout the design process, as well as the thickness and type of material used. This creates several opportunities for catering to unique needs and applications.

Due to the heavier thickness offered in sectional flighting, it can handle more abrasive materials in heavy industrial applications. While sectional flighting can handle the heavy loads, it can also be used for just about any application, including lightweight material handling.

More: Selecting the Best Shaftless Screw Conveyor for Your Application 

Get Premium Material Handling Solutions from Conveyors, Inc.

Conveyors, Inc. offers a wide variety of customizable screw conveyors for bulk material processing for numerous industries. Providing helicoid and sectional screws and flighting, Conveyors,Helicoid Flighting Inc. has you covered on cost-effective and versatile conveying solutions that can be constructed out of the following materials:

  • Mild steel
  • Abrasion-resistant plate – 200, 400 and 500 
  • Galvanized steel
  • Stainless steel
  •  Aluminum
  •  Hastalloy
  • Monel
  •  Inconel
  • And many other alloys

Find Your Screw Conveyor Solutions at IBT

IBT’s screw  conveying systems experts are here to help you understand what materials, designs, and customizations will optimize your system’s efficiency and best meet the needs of your application. With decades of experience in conveying systems and components, you can count on our dedicated team at IBT to help you get it right, right away.

Contact Jim Boatright, the IBT Conveying Systems Business Group Director, at (913) 261-2116 or fill out our inquiry form today to learn more. 

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