01 · Precision orientation
Vibratory bowl feeders
Purpose-designed tracks separate, reject and orient bulk components for a repeatable machine hand-off.
Explore bowl feeding
Feeding & sorting systems for automated production
Feed components reliably.Keep your line moving.
We design and supply bowl, centrifugal, step and flexible feeders that present your parts in the right orientation, at the rate your line needs.
Feed and orient parts reliably for your next automated process.
Talk through your component and target output: 01844 617223
Matched to your componentPart shape, finish and required orientation drive the choice
Trialled before manufactureWhere required, we test with representative production parts
Designed to fit your lineControls, guarding and the connection to your machine are included in the scope
Bulk component loadingReliable singulationCorrect orientationVision verificationControlled bufferingOne-part releaseRobot-ready presentationProduction-line integrationBulk component loadingReliable singulationCorrect orientationVision verificationControlled bufferingOne-part releaseRobot-ready presentationProduction-line integration
How we help
Turn loose parts into a steady, controlled feed.
We provide the complete feed path—from bulk storage and orientation to sensing, buffering and the final release to your machine.
A clear starting point
Tell us the component, required orientation and target rate. We will recommend the most suitable feeding approach. The solution may combine a bowl, centrifugal, step or flexible feeder with hoppers, tracks, sensors, vision, escapements, controls and guarding.
Your recommendation is based on how the real part behaves, the condition needed at discharge and the way your downstream machine calls for each component.
- Less manual handling
- Consistent orientation
- Controlled flow to the next machine
- One defined system interface
Find the right feeder
What do you need to feed?
Choose the closest part type for a starting recommendation. We will confirm the final design against your samples and line requirements.
Component familyChoose one
Fasteners and fixings
Dedicated orientation with controlled, on-demand release.
Screws, nuts, washers and inserts are commonly assessed for vibratory bowl or step feeding. The deciding factors are tangling, centre of gravity, cosmetic risk and the required presentation to the screwdriver, press or assembly station.
This is a starting recommendation. We confirm the final design using your parts, required rate and machine interface.
Feeding systems
Compare all systemsChoose a feeder that suits the part and the job.
Compare bowl, centrifugal, step, flexible, denesting, vision and pick-and-place options.
02 · Rotary presentation
Centrifugal feeders
Controlled rotary motion for suitable caps, closures and robust moulded components.
Explore centrifugal feeding
03 · Low-vibration elevation
Step feeders
Quiet, controlled lifting for parts that benefit from lower contact and reduced bowl vibration.
Explore step feeding
04 · Vision-guided picking
Flexible feeders
Programmable part presentation for multiple variants, delicate parts and challenging geometries.
Explore flexible feeding
05 · Inspect and classify
Vision sorting
Check orientation, presence, colour, geometry or selected features before accepted output.
Explore vision inspection
06 · Bulk supply and buffering
Hoppers, elevators and complete feed paths
Metered replenishment, linear accumulation, sensors and escapements connect the feeder to the real production cycle.
Explore bulk infeed systems
07 · Automatic release
Denesters
Separate nested trays, cups, pots and containers, then place one item at a time onto the line.
Explore denesting systems
08 · Controlled transfer
Pick-and-place feeders
Combine component presentation, vision, robot motion and end tooling for accurate loading, assembly or packaging.
Explore pick-and-place feedingHow the full system works
From bulk loading to one controlled part at the machine.
Each stage keeps parts available, correctly oriented and ready when the next machine calls for them.
ILLUSTRATIVE FLOW · your system is configured around the component, required checks and machine interface.
Bulk load
Safe, ergonomic storage and metered replenishment.
Separate
Control part depth and remove clusters or overlaps.
Orient
Reject incorrect attitudes and retain the required datum.
Inspect
Verify selected features with sensors or machine vision.
Buffer
Maintain availability while controlling queue pressure.
Present
Release one accepted part in the exact machine condition.
Built around your production line
A feeder that works with the rest of your process.
Your system must manage part variation, replenishment, short stops, queue pressure and the exact presentation needed by the next machine—not simply move parts around a bowl.
We define these requirements with you, assess representative components and agree how performance will be checked before final approval.
- Component
- Geometry, finish, mass and variants
- Presentation
- Orientation, datum, pitch and height
- Output
- Sustained accepted parts at hand-off
- Integration
- Buffer, sensors, controls and safety
Where feeding systems are used
Browse all applicationsSystems for the parts your production line depends on.
Browse common applications, then send us your part so we can assess handling, orientation and output.
01
Automotive
Clips, connectors, seals, fasteners and moulded parts.
02Electronics
Housings, terminals, contacts and precision connectors.
03Medical & pharmaceutical
Controlled-contact parts with cleanability and validation needs.
04Packaging
Closures, fitments, scoops and packaging-line components.
05Cosmetics
Decorated and surface-sensitive personal-care components.
06Assembly automation
Screws, nuts, washers, pins and inserts for automated fixing.
07Inspection & classification
Orientation checks, feature verification and reject handling.
08Robotic handling
Vision-guided pick, reorientation and controlled placement.
Typical application
Reliably present fasteners to an automated assembly station.
Small fasteners can interlock, arrive in the wrong attitude or double-feed. A correctly configured system keeps one accepted component available at the assembly point when it is needed.
- Your challenge
- Bulk-loaded fasteners that can interlock, overlap or arrive in more than one orientation.
- Recommended approach
- Metered hopper, dedicated bowl tooling, linear buffer and sensor-controlled one-part release.
- How we confirm it
- Representative production parts, agreed accepted orientation and a sustained output trial.
- Connection to your line
- Part-present sensing, tool access, fault recovery and the required machine or PLC signals.
Practical selection guides
View all guidesCompare your options before you request a quote.
Use the guides to understand the main feeding technologies, the information needed for selection and the factors that affect achievable output.
How to choose a component feeder
Compare rate, part behaviour, surface sensitivity, changeovers and the downstream interface.
Read the guideBowl feeder or centrifugal feeder?
Understand where dedicated vibratory tooling and high-flow rotary feeding differ.
Compare the systemsWhat to send for an accurate recommendation
Capture the component, variants, required orientation, target output and receiving machine.
Open the checklistFrequently asked questions
View all questionsAnswers to common feeding and sorting questions.
Which feeder type is best for my component?
The decision depends on geometry, centre of gravity, friction, nesting or tangling, surface sensitivity, required orientation, sustained accepted rate, format range and the downstream hand-off. Representative samples are the safest basis for selection.
How is feeder output defined?
Output should be defined as sustained accepted parts at the agreed discharge condition, over a stated test period, with normal replenishment and clearly defined interventions—not as an internal theoretical peak.
Can a system integrate with an existing machine or robot?
Yes. The scope can include mechanical interface, line handshakes, sensors, PLC or robot signals, buffer logic, guarding and commissioning, subject to a site and controls review.
What should I send for an initial assessment?
Send photographs or drawings, representative parts, dimensions, material and finish, required orientation, target sustained rate, all expected variants, available space and details of the machine receiving the component.
Ask us to review your part
Send us your component. Get a clear starting recommendation.
Share photographs, drawings, representative samples, required orientation, target output and the machine receiving the part. We will identify the most suitable next step.
More useful routes
Find the right route for your component.
Explore newly added system, component and project-planning pages designed around the questions production teams ask before requesting a feeder quotation.
Do you need a feeder, a sorter or both?
Feeding establishes controlled presentation. Sorting makes a decision about the presented item and sends it to the required destination. Define those tasks separately before selecting a combined system.
Orientation without a quality decision
Where all supplied components are acceptable and the task is to orient them, compare bowl feeding, step feeding and other suitable presentation routes using the required final datum, rate and part condition.
Inspecting or separating variants
If the line must verify a visible feature or distinguish part types, specify the observable difference and the destination for each result. Vision inspection and sorting requires good, bad and marginal samples, controlled presentation and a defined response to uncertain results.
Variable parts and robot presentation
Compare flexible feeding or bin picking when the justified part range changes or dedicated tracks are unsuitable. Include overlaps, inaccessible picks and replenishment in the comparison, not just a successful pick from a favourable sample.
Buffers and receiving-machine demand
Size the feed path around the production pattern and accepted hand-off. A fast feeder cannot compensate for a receiving tool that is unavailable, and a large uncontrolled queue can create damage or jams. Define full, empty, ready and fault behaviour between the stages.
Measure the result where it is used
Count components delivered in the correct condition at the next process. Record wrong orientation, damage, uncertain inspection and manual intervention separately. Use the feeder trial process and application checklist to agree the trial before comparing quotations.
Count accepted components at the receiving point
Define the counted event
A feeder can circulate a component several times before it reaches the receiving machine. State whether the output counter measures internal passes, released parts or confirmed accepted handovers. Use the same definition when comparing alternatives so recirculation and retries do not inflate the apparent production rate.
Describe the condition of an accepted part
Record the required orientation, spacing, visible condition and any inspection decision at handover. A part present at the end of a track is not necessarily available to the next tool if it is doubled, unstable or incorrectly oriented. Keep these outcomes separate from an empty-feed condition in the trial record.
Include replenishment and reject handling
Observe the effect of normal hopper refills, declining stock level and rejected or uncertain parts. Define where rejected components go and whether any return to the feed path is permitted by the process. Record operator interventions so a demonstration does not count manual assistance as unattended output.
Test the receiving-machine demand pattern
Compare steady demand with pauses and bursts representative of the real machine. Confirm the response to a full buffer, missing component and an interrupted release. Use the feeder trial process and application checklist to agree accepted delivery rather than choosing a system from its internal peak rate.