[Explanatory Material] Causes and Countermeasures for Powder Clogging in Stainless Steel Hoppers

"Are stainless steel containers related to the RoHS Directive?" You may have heard the terms "RoHS Directive" and "RoHS-compliant products" at least once. We sometimes receive inquiries such as, "Are stainless steel containers compliant with the RoHS Directive?" "Is there a certificate available?" What exactly is the RoHS Directive, and what is its relationship with stainless steel containers? "What is a non-applicability certificate for stainless steel containers?" A non-applicability certificate is one of the documents submitted to customs when exporting industrial products overseas. It is not a document that is always required for exports, but in many cases, it seems to be requested. Here is a brief summary of the non-applicability certificate.

A valve refers to a device that regulates the flow of liquids or powders through piping. In stainless steel containers, it is common to use valves to adjust the flow rate when transferring mixed liquids or powders to another location. There are various types of valves with different characteristics, and by selecting the most suitable valve for the application, it is possible to reduce production costs and the risk of foreign material contamination. When selecting a valve, it is important to consider whether you will be handling liquids or powders. This document will introduce valves that are commonly used in conjunction with stainless steel containers, categorized by their application to liquids and powders.

Powder mixers are essential in the production processes of food and pharmaceuticals. Our stainless steel containers also play a role as part of equipment such as receiving containers. Mixing powders is not as simple as just preparing a stirrer like you would for liquids. Since powders do not move fluidly, specialized machinery is necessary to achieve uniform mixing. In this document, we will introduce several common types of powder mixers from the many available.

Why does powder get clogged? We will explain basic terms related to powder and introduce methods to resolve powder clogs from the perspective of the containers used to hold the powder! "Powder clogging" is a common issue when discharging powder from containers. It can lead to variations in product quality due to prolonged discharge times or complete stoppages. But why does the powder flow poorly (get clogged) in the first place? Here, we summarize the causes of powder clogging and the specifications of containers and peripheral equipment to resolve these issues.