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The screw conveyor is a direct descendant of the Archimedes screw. However, while the Archimedes screw lifts fluids trapped within cavities formed by its inclined blades, the screw conveyor propels dry bulk materials (powders, pellets, flakes, crystals, granules, grains, etc.) through the pushing action of its rotating blades. Also, most screw conveyers in use today have a single blade, while modern Archimedes screws typically have two or three blades.

Below are figures and excerpts from the Web catalogs of five manufacturers of screw conveyors. These Web catalogs appear on the Web site of the Thomas Register of American Manufacturers, a database of over 155,000 American companies, available online and in print form. For further information about the companies listed below, you can register (for free) at the Thomas Register Web site and perform a search by the company name. Or you can search under the product heading "conveyor: screw" to find a list of over 200 companies dealing with screw conveyors.








FMC Corporation
Tupelo, Mississippi, USA
Link-Belt ® Screw Conveyors and Screw Feeders
Quality Bulk Handling Equipment that Pays Its Way

Greek mathematician and physicist Archimedes is acknowledged as the inventor of the screw conveyor in 235-240 B.C., and essentially his design has not changed since then.

FMC and Link-Belt added the new and innovative applications which make the Archimedean screw the indispensable tool it is. Plus, FMC's conveyor equipment specialists improved materials and fabrication techniques and added electricity as a power source in the 125 years we have specialized in manufacturing screw and conveyor components.

To the basic Archimedean screw Link Belt and FMC added conveyor systems and screw feeders, designed them for every conceivable application and manufactured them so well we have become the standard for the industry.

Screw conveyors are one of the oldest and simplest methods for moving bulk materials and consist primarily of a conveyor screw rotating in a stationary trough. Material placed in the trough is moved along its length by rotation of the screw which is supported by hanger bearings. Inlets, outlets, gates and other accessories control the material and its disposition.

Screw conveyors are compact, easily adapted to congested locations and can be mounted horizontal, vertical, and in inclined configurations. Their supports are simple and easily installed.

These versatile conveyors can be used to control the flow of material in processing operations which depend upon accurate batching . . . or as a mixer, agitator or stirrer to mix and blend dry or fluid ingredients, provide crystallization or coagulant action, or maintain solutions in suspension.

Screw conveyors can be effectively sealed to prevent dust or fumes from escaping or dirt or moisture from entering. They can be jacketed to serve as a dryer or cooler, or furnished in a wide variety of materials to resist corrosion, abrasion or heat.

Screw conveyors are used as earth augers to dig post holes or to bore under highways for installation of culverts. They are also used extensively on combines, threshing machines, hay balers, fodder blowers and many other farm machines.


Thomas Conveyor Company
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Shafted Screw Conveyors

Thomas Conveyor manufactures standard and custom built shafted screw conveyor systems. Complete systems can be designed using stock components for fast delivery.


Norcon Systems Inc.
Rome, Georgia, USA
Screw Conveyor

Designed for efficient performance, these conveyors are ideally suited for the distribution and reclamation of an exceptionally wide range of bulk materials. Standardly produced from carbon steel, they are also available in stainless steel or hot dipped galvanize for operation under corrosive conditions. A partial listing of materials and products which may be handled with our screw conveyors are: alfalfa meal, cement, cereals, charcoal, chemicals, coffee, cork, cotton seed, feeds, flour, grains, lime, soy beans, paper pulp, peanuts, pepper, salt, saw dust, sugar.


Flexicon Corporation
Phillipsburg, New Jersey, USA
Flexible Screw Conveyors

Move powders, granules, grains, pellets and other bulk materials throughout your plant with Flexicon® equipment.

Move virtually any bulk solid material with Flexicon® equipment, from large pellets to sub-micron powders, including non-flowing, moist, oily, or fatty products which pack, cake, seize, or smear. Flexicon® equipment is also gentle with materials and prevents the separation of blends.

The only internal part in a Flexicon® Flexible Screw Conveyor is the inner spiral which is directly driven by an electric motor. As the spiral rotates, it propels material and self-centers within the tube, providing constant clearance between the spiral and the tube wall.

This simple design not only provides the benefits of low cost and trouble-free operation, but more importantly it delivers a level of performance that surpasses more complex and more costly units. By contrast, rigid auger-type Screw Conveyors require internal bearings, while bucket elevators have hundreds of moving parts, all of which result in added maintenance, cleaning time, and cost.


Hapman Conveyors
Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
Flexible Screw Conveyors (Hapman HelixTM)

In the size and auger style to move your powders, crystals, flakes and granules at the rate you require. Only one moving part / simple to operate. Easy to Clean, USDA approved materials of construction. Reliable and low cost. Some models ready to ship in 24 hours.