Foundry and metal processing lines deal with some of the harshest material handling conditions in manufacturing. Castings come off the line at high temperatures, sand systems carry fines that contaminate the mould mix, and scrap separation has to happen reliably without slowing the line down. At Spiral Elevator Limited, we build vibratory handling systems specified for these exact conditions, engineered around your material and your process rather than adapted from something designed for a gentler environment.
Challenges We Solve for Metals & Foundry Manufacturers
Castings that are too hot to handle after shakeout
Fresh castings retain significant heat and need to cool before they can be inspected or moved into finishing. Without a dedicated cooling stage in the conveying path the only options are slower line speeds or manual handling delays that nobody can afford.
Sand contaminated with fines and metal debris
Used foundry sand carries broken-down fines, metal fragments, and casting debris that degrade mould quality if they go back into the system uncleaned. Contaminated sand is one of the most consistent contributors to increased casting scrap rates.
Mixed scrap that needs separating before it can be processed
Scrap streams coming off casting and machining lines contain different sizes, weights, and materials that have to be separated before they can be sold or reprocessed. Without an inline separation step that work either falls to manual sorting or the scrap goes out unsorted at a lower value.
Equipment that wears out too quickly
Castings, sand, and metal scrap are dense, abrasive, and often still carrying heat when they hit the conveying equipment. Standard vibratory machines built for lighter applications accumulate wear quickly in foundry environments and become a maintenance burden within months of installation.
Dust and fines that cannot be handled in the open
Sand processing and metal grinding generate airborne fines that are a health risk for operators and in certain metal powder applications present a dust explosion risk. Open conveying is not acceptable where those conditions apply.
Dust generation from open powder conveying:
Open troughs carrying fine chemical powders create fugitive dust that is a safety risk, a product loss, and in some chemical processing environments, a classified explosion hazard. Containment cannot be an afterthought.
Hoppers and bunkers that block at the start of the shift
sand, metal granules, and bulk scrap compact overnight in storage and bridge across hopper outlets when the line starts up in the morning. Manual clearing slows the start of every shift and introduces a safety risk at the hopper.
Key Products for Metals & Foundry Applications
Air Cooling Spiral Elevator
Most foundry lines cannot afford to hold back speed while castings cool down after shakeout. The Air Cooling Spiral Elevator combines vertical conveying with controlled air cooling so castings arrive at the handling and inspection stage at the right temperature without the line having to wait for them.
Screening Spiral Elevator
Sand that goes back into the mould mix carrying metal fragments and broken-down fines causes defects in the next pour and nobody finds out until it is too late to do anything about it. The Screening Spiral Elevator removes that contamination during elevation so what goes back into the system is clean and usable.
Recirculation Spiral Elevator
Not every casting will reach a safe handling temperature on the first pass and sending parts forward before they are ready creates problems further down the line. The Recirculation Spiral Elevator loops them back through the cooling stage automatically so inspection and finishing only ever see parts that are actually ready.
Decline Spiral Elevator
Letting castings drop freely from shakeout or cooling equipment to floor level causes surface damage, marking, and a sand dust problem that is difficult to manage. The Decline Spiral Elevator brings castings down to shot blast and finishing lines in a controlled descent that keeps parts intact and the transfer point manageable.
Vibrating Feeders
Shot blast machines and finishing lines run best when the feed coming into them is steady. Vibrating Feeders deliver castings, metal granules, and bulk scrap at a consistent, adjustable rate matched to whatever is running downstream so the equipment can do its job without surges or gaps throwing it off.
Vibrating Screens and Sieves
Whether the job is cleaning reclaimed foundry sand before it goes back into the mould system or grading scrap by size before it goes to processing or sale, Vibrating Screens and Sieves handle it inline without a manual sorting operation running alongside the line.
Vibratory Hopper Discharges
Sand and metal granules that have sat in a hopper overnight compact and bridge across the outlet when the line starts up. Vibratory Hopper Discharges sort that out before the shift loses time to it, restoring consistent flow at the outlet without anyone needing to go near the hopper to clear it manually.
Vibrating Tube Feeders
Fine metal powders and grinding dust cannot go on an open trough where dust exposure and explosion risk are a concern. The Vibrating Tube Feeder keeps that material fully contained from inlet to discharge with no open transfer points along the way.
Vibrating Compaction Tables
Where metal granules or fine scrap are being packed into drums or bulk containers, the Vibrating Compaction Table settles the fill before the container is sealed so every pack goes out at the correct weight without overfilling to compensate for aeration.
How Spiral Elevator Limited Integrates Into Your Process
Cooling during conveying, not instead of it
Rather than holding back line speed to allow passive cooling after shakeout, our air cooling spiral elevators bring casting temperature down as the parts are elevated. Cooling happens during the conveying step so the line does not have to wait for it.
Sand cleaning before it goes back into the mix
Our vibrating screens and screening spiral elevators remove fines, metal fragments, and oversize debris from reclaimed sand inline. What goes back into the mould system is consistent and usable, not contaminated with material that causes defects in the next pour.
Scrap grading without manual sorting
Mixed scrap is separated by particle size inline using our vibrating screens, giving you a cleaner, more consistent output at every separation point without a manual sorting operation running alongside the line.
Steady feed into shot blast and finishing equipment
Shot blast machines and finishing lines perform best with a controlled, predictable feed. Our vibrating feeders deliver castings and bulk metal material at a consistent rate matched to the intake speed of whatever is running downstream, across different part sizes and bulk weights.
Moving heavy material between process stages without the downtime
Between shakeout, cooling, finishing, and despatch, material needs to change height multiple times. Our spiral elevators are built from heavy-duty construction specified for abrasive and high-temperature material, without the belt wear, chain failures, and unplanned stoppages that conventional elevators accumulate in foundry environments.
Why Spiral Elevator Limited Is Ideal for Metal & Foundry Industries
Built for the conditions your line actually runs in
Every system for metals and foundry applications is specified from the outset for the weight, temperature, and abrasion levels your material puts through the equipment. We do not rate machines for light industrial use and expect them to cope with foundry conditions.
One machine doing several jobs
A spiral elevator that cools and screens simultaneously means one less machine on the floor, one less drive to maintain, and one less transfer point where material can be damaged or contaminated between process stages.
Built and Supported in the UK
Every system is designed and manufactured in the UK with typical lead times of 6 to 12 weeks from design sign-off. When you need a site visit, a spare part, or a technical conversation you are talking to the people who built the machine, and they can be with you without overseas logistics or time-zone delays getting in the way.
A Decade in the Field
Spiral Elevator Limited have been building vibratory systems for metals, foundry, chemical, plastics, and food manufacturers since 2015. The problems that tend to catch people out during commissioning are ones we have already seen, solved, and built the answer to before your machine leaves the factory.
Everything documented from day one
Every system ships with material certifications, weld inspection records, surface finish reports, and IP ratings as standard, ready for supplier audits and site approval without additional paperwork to chase after installation.