Hoosier Feeder Company’s custom plastic cap feeding system was featured in the April 2025 episode of ASSEMBLY News Now, highlighting a vibratory feeder designed to handle and orient two sizes of plastic caps.
The system demonstrates how custom feeder tooling and changeover capabilities can accommodate different part sizes while maintaining the required discharge orientation.
A Closer Look at the Plastic Cap Feeding System
The featured system uses a vibratory feeder bowl designed to handle two sizes of plastic caps at a rate of 30 parts per minute (PPM).
Both cap sizes are discharged in a vertical hanging orientation. To achieve this presentation, the feeder uses an open slot in the cap’s geometry as part of the orientation process.
An external hopper supplies additional caps to the bowl, helping maintain the appropriate part level during operation.
The system also allows operators to switch between the two cap sizes, providing flexibility for applications that require multiple part variations.
Custom Feeding Solutions for Different Part Requirements
Part geometry, orientation, and production requirements all influence how a vibratory feeding system is designed.
In this application, the cap’s existing features provide a way to control orientation, while the feeder’s configuration accommodates two different part sizes.
This is one example of how custom tooling and equipment design can support specific feeding and downstream presentation requirements.
Watch the ASSEMBLY News Now Feature
The system was highlighted in ASSEMBLY News Now and featured in the April 15, 2025 article, “A Vibratory Bowl Feeds Caps in Two Sizes,” by Jennifer Pierce.
Read the original article in ASSEMBLY Magazine.
Watch the full April 2025 ASSEMBLY News Now episode.
To learn more about feeding and orienting equipment for different part geometries, explore Hoosier Feeder’s custom vibratory feeder systems.