REDUCE AVOIDABLE IMPACT
Loading height, direction changes and discharge conditions influence wear. Control how abrasive particles enter, travel through and leave the conveyor.
Abrasive Materials
RELIABLE CONVEYING FOR ABRASIVE MATERIALS
Protect uptime by matching material movement and component selection to the duty.
Abrasive materials demand attention to particle contact, impact and operating duty. UniTrak selects the conveying method and application-specific components around those conditions. Controlled material movement, suitable contact surfaces and well-designed loading and discharge arrangements help reduce avoidable wear while meeting the required conveying rate.
Materials
WHEN MOVING THE MATERIAL WEARS OUT THE EQUIPMENT
MATCH COMPONENTS TO THE DUTY
Particle hardness, shape, bulk density and operating hours inform product-contact material and component selection.
PROTECT PRODUCTION CONTINUITY
Select a conveying arrangement that meets throughput requirements while keeping inspection and access practical.
Materials
ABRASIVE MATERIALS COME IN MANY FORMS
Hardness, particle shape and process conditions determine how aggressively a material wears equipment.
These are representative material families only. Suitability requires application review.
Abrasive materials are characterized by the wear they can create through impact, sliding contact or mechanical interaction. Heavy and dense materials primarily create equipment-loading demands. A product may be both abrasive and dense; the two characteristics should be assessed separately.
SAND, SILICA & HARD MINERAL GRANULES
Hard particles can create concentrated wear wherever material changes direction or impacts equipment.
Sand and similar mineral products may flow easily but can be highly abrasive to conveying components.
Particle size, shape, hardness and conveying velocity should all be considered when selecting equipment.
Examples may include:
- Sand
- Silica-based materials
- Hard mineral granules
- Foundry materials
- Selected aggregate products
Common concerns: Wear • Impact • Dust • Component Life • Maintenance
SILICON CARBIDE & OTHER HARD INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS
Extremely hard particles demand careful equipment selection.
Products such as silicon carbide can create substantial wear when repeatedly contacting conveying surfaces.
The conveying method should minimize unnecessary velocity, impact and mechanical interaction while still meeting the required conveying rate.
Examples may include:
- Silicon carbide
- Hard ceramic materials
- Abrasive industrial granules
- Hard crystalline products
Common concerns: High Abrasion • Component Wear • Impact • Maintenance • Material Testing
MINERAL & ORE PRODUCTS
Dense, angular particles can combine abrasion with significant mechanical loading.
Processed mineral and ore products may create wear through both particle hardness and the mass of material being moved.
Where materials are both abrasive and dense, equipment selection should consider the combined effect rather than treating either characteristic in isolation.
Examples may include:
- Mineral concentrates
- Crushed mineral products
- Ore-derived granules
- Processed mineral powders
- Selected mining products
Common concerns: Abrasion • Bulk Density • Impact • Dust • Equipment Loading
METAL & METAL-CONTAINING MATERIALS
Hard metal particles and powders can create demanding wear conditions.
Certain metal powders, granules and metal-containing materials may be abrasive as well as dense, dusty or combustible.
Where additional hazards exist, those requirements must be considered separately from abrasion.
Examples may include:
- Selected metal powders
- Metal granules
- Metal-containing blends
- Battery-material ingredients
- Recycled metal-containing materials
Common concerns: Abrasion • Density • Dust • Material Value • Application Hazards
FERTILIZERS, SALTS & CRYSTALLINE PRODUCTS
Crystalline particles can wear equipment even when they appear relatively easy to handle.
Some fertilizer granules, salts and crystalline materials can be abrasive because of particle hardness or angular shape.
They may also present corrosion, moisture or caking considerations depending on the product.
Examples may include:
- Selected fertilizer granules
- Salts
- Crystalline chemicals
- Hard agricultural granules
- Other compatible crystalline bulk solids
Common concerns: Abrasion • Particle Integrity • Moisture • Corrosion Considerations • Maintenance
RECYCLED & PROCESSED MATERIALS
Variable particle composition can make wear difficult to predict.
Recycled or recovered materials may contain particles of different hardness, shape and density.
That variability can create inconsistent wear patterns and make actual material evaluation especially useful.
Examples may include:
- Recovered mineral products
- Recycled process materials
- Mixed industrial granules
- Selected environmental materials
Common concerns: Variable Abrasion • Particle Shape • Density • Contamination • Testing
Materials
CHOOSE THE CONVEYING METHOD AROUND HOW WEAR IS CREATED
The best solution is not simply the conveyor that can move the material — it is the one that manages the application without creating unnecessary wear.
UniTrak manufactures multiple conveying technologies, allowing us to consider how abrasive material interacts with each system.
TIPTRAK® BUCKET ELEVATOR
TipTrak carries material in buckets at low speed, reducing high-velocity impacts. Wear-resistant bucket and drive-component options address abrasive applications, while controlled feeding and discharge help limit concentrated wear.
EXPLORE TIPTRAK
KLEANTRAK SANITARY BELT CONVEYOR
KleanTrak supports material on an accessible belt. For compatible abrasive products, review belt selection and loading and discharge conditions against the required operating duty.
EXPLORE KLEANTRAK
POWDERFLIGHT AEROMECHANICAL CONVEYOR
Powderflight provides enclosed aeromechanical transfer for compatible powders and granules. Abrasive contact with the discs and conveying tube makes material characteristics and operating duty important selection factors.
EXPLORE POWDERFLIGHT
UNIFLEX FLEXIBLE SCREW CONVEYOR
UniFlex provides compact screw conveying for compatible materials. Abrasiveness and operating duty determine whether continuous contact with the screw and tube is appropriate.
EXPLORE UNIFLEX
BAGSTANDER BULK BAG HANDLING
Bagstander connects bulk bag receiving with the conveying process. Select hopper, outlet and transfer components around the material’s abrasiveness, density and discharge behaviour.
EXPLORE BAGSTANDERWhere product purity is also a priority, explore our contamination-sensitive material conveying guidance.
Materials
WHERE ABRASIVE MATERIALS CAUSE THE MOST WEAR
Wear is rarely distributed evenly through a system.
VELOCITY
Wear can increase when hard particles strike equipment at higher speed.The same material may create very different equipment life depending on how it moves through the system.
Controlling unnecessary particle velocity and impact can help reduce aggressive wear while still achieving the required conveying rate.
The objective is controlled movement, not reduced production capacity.
Consider: Material Velocity • Impact Energy • Conveying Rate • Duty Cycle • Equipment Life
DIRECTION CHANGES
Bends and transitions can concentrate material impact.Whenever abrasive material changes direction, particles may strike surfaces rather than simply travel with the conveying path.
These locations can become predictable wear points and should be considered during layout development.
Consider: Bends • Transitions • Discharge Geometry • Impact Zones
MECHANICAL CONTACT
Continuous rubbing can be just as important as impact.A conveying technology that repeatedly drags, screws or propels abrasive particles against equipment surfaces can create a different wear mechanism from one that primarily carries the material.
Understanding how the product contacts the machine is therefore central to equipment selection.
Consider: Sliding Contact • Rotating Components • Internal Surfaces • Wear Mechanism
INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE
Wear is easier to manage when it can be identified before failure.Abrasive applications should be evaluated with maintenance in mind.
Accessibility, inspection points, replaceable wear components where applicable and expected maintenance requirements can all influence the practical lifecycle of the system.
Consider: Inspection • Accessibility • Preventive Maintenance • Component Replacement • Downtime
MANAGE THE WEAR MECHANISM — NOT JUST THE MATERIAL
Abrasive products cannot always be made non-abrasive.
The opportunity is to understand where wear will occur and avoid creating more abrasion than the process requires.
UniTrak evaluates the material, conveying method, layout and operating duty together to determine the most appropriate approach.
Materials
ABRASIVE-MATERIAL CONVEYING GUIDANCE
BUCKET CONVEYING FOR ABRASIVE MATERIALS
UniTrak’s abrasive-material guidance explains how loading, operating speed, spillage control and wear-resistant components influence bucket-conveyor performance. It describes TipTrak experience with refractory materials, metal powders and other abrasive products.
READ ABRASIVE CONVEYING GUIDANCE
BATTERY-MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Battery ingredients can combine abrasion with high material value and contamination concerns. Review particle characteristics, conveying contact and product-contact materials together when selecting the equipment.
READ BATTERY MATERIAL GUIDANCEMaterials
ASSESS HOW THE MATERIAL MOVES THROUGH THE EQUIPMENT
Material trials help assess conveying behaviour, discharge and equipment fit. Combine these observations with abrasiveness, operating duty and component selection when developing the conveying solution.
Materials
ABRASIVE MATERIAL CONVEYING FAQ
What makes a bulk material abrasive?
An abrasive bulk material contains particles that can wear equipment surfaces through impact, sliding contact or repeated mechanical interaction. Particle hardness, shape, size, density and surface texture can all influence abrasion.
Why are abrasive materials difficult to convey?
A material may move easily while gradually wearing the equipment handling it. This can shorten component life, increase maintenance and eventually cause unexpected downtime or loss of containment.
What is the best conveyor for abrasive materials?
TipTrak is a strong option where low-speed bucket conveying and wear-resistant components suit the application. Loading and discharge design are important alongside particle hardness, shape, density and operating duty. Other conveying methods remain options where their material-contact characteristics match the product.
Can TipTrak handle abrasive materials?
Yes. TipTrak can be considered for suitable abrasive materials. Its deep, continuous buckets carry material with controlled movement at a relatively low belt speed, which can reduce some of the high-velocity impact associated with more aggressive conveying methods. The deep bucket design also allows high conveying rates without requiring high belt speed. Actual suitability depends on the material and application.
How can controlled material movement help with abrasive materials?
Abrasion can become more severe when hard particles repeatedly strike equipment surfaces at higher velocity. Carrying material with controlled movement can reduce unnecessary impact while still achieving the required conveying rate. The objective is not simply to slow the process down, but to move the required volume without creating more aggressive particle interaction than necessary.
Can KleanTrak handle abrasive materials?
KleanTrak can be considered for compatible abrasive products where supported belt conveying is appropriate. Abrasive material can still wear the belt and other components, so the actual material and operating conditions should be evaluated.
Can Powderflight convey abrasive powders?
Potentially. Powderflight can convey compatible powders and granules, but highly abrasive material may increase wear on internal components. Application review and testing may be appropriate where abrasion is significant.
Can a flexible screw conveyor handle abrasive material?
Some abrasive materials can be conveyed by flexible screw equipment, but continuous contact between the material, screw and tube can increase wear. Suitability depends on the severity of the material and expected duty cycle.
Does particle shape affect abrasion?
Yes. Angular or sharp particles can create different wear characteristics from smooth or rounded particles, even when the materials have similar hardness.
Does bulk density matter for abrasive materials?
Yes. Higher-density material can increase the mass being moved and the forces involved during conveying and impact. A material can therefore be both abrasive and mechanically demanding.
Where does abrasive wear usually occur?
Wear is often concentrated where material changes direction, accelerates, impacts a surface or repeatedly contacts moving components. The exact pattern depends on the conveying technology and layout.
Can abrasive wear be eliminated?
Not always. Any material contacting equipment can create some level of wear. The objective is to select and configure the conveying system so unnecessary wear is minimized and maintenance remains manageable.
Are all mineral powders abrasive?
No. Abrasion varies significantly by mineral composition, hardness, particle size, particle shape and process conditions. The actual material should be evaluated.
Can UniTrak test an abrasive material?
Yes. Suitable customer materials can be evaluated by UniTrak using available test equipment. Testing can help assess conveying behavior and equipment suitability before the final solution is selected.
What information should I provide for an abrasive-material application?
Provide the material name, SDS where available, particle size and shape, bulk density, required conveying rate, conveying distance and elevation, operating hours, known abrasion concerns, current equipment problems and relevant upstream and downstream process information.
Materials
ABRASIVE MATERIAL HANDLING RESOURCES
Bucket Conveyors for Abrasive Materials
Review infeed and discharge wear, drop height, impact, spillage and application-specific bucket-conveyor design options.
Read resource
Why Material Testing Should Happen Before You Buy a Conveyor
Understand why actual material properties and operating conditions should be evaluated before final equipment selection.
Read resourceOvercoming Complexities in Conveying Bulk Materials for Battery Production
Review abrasive battery-material handling and the bucket, beltchain and containment considerations discussed for TipTrak.
Read resourceAbrasive Material Handling Solutions
Explore documented abrasive material examples, conveying options and application-specific wear-resistant components.
Read resource
Advantages and Limitations of Flexible Screw Conveyors
Consider flexible-screw material compatibility and the potential for accelerated component wear with coarse abrasive products.
Read resourceDISCUSS YOUR APPLICATION
Tell us about your material and the result you need.
Share your material, required conveying rate, route and current handling problem. UniTrak will review the application and recommend equipment and configuration options around your process.
