Category Archive: Company News

Standard AirSweep or AirSweep Straight Shooter: Which Should You Get?

When managing bulk materials in industrial settings, ensuring consistent material flow from storage vessels is crucial. Without the right system, you could face costly delays, material waste, and equipment damage due to blockages or inconsistent discharge.

AirSweep’s two primary models, the Standard AirSweep and the AirSweep Straight Shooter, are designed to solve these challenges. By understanding the key differences between these models, you can choose the best option to optimize your operations.

Standard AirSweep: Broad and Reliable Coverage

The Standard AirSweep is engineered for versatility and reliability. This model uses high-pressure, high-volume bursts of compressed air that radiate in a 360-degree pattern. These powerful bursts break material bonds, lift stubborn particles off vessel walls, and sweep them back into the flow stream. The key features are:

• Wide Application Range: The Standard AirSweep is effective across a variety of materials, from fine powders like flour or cement to coarse substances such as grains or aggregates.
• Multi-Equipment Compatibility: Whether installed in silos, hoppers, bins, or mixers, this model adapts to your equipment needs.
• 360-Degree Effectiveness: Its broad activation area ensures that material flow is maintained across the entire vessel.

If your goal is to eliminate material flow issues in large vessels or systems with uniform material distribution, the Standard AirSweep is a dependable choice. It ensures that even materials prone to bridging, ratholing, or clinging to walls can flow freely.

AirSweep Straight Shooter: Precision and Targeted Power

The AirSweep Straight Shooter offers a specialized approach for scenarios where precision is critical. Unlike the Standard model, the Straight Shooter delivers compressed air in a focused, linear column, resembling a fire hose’s stream. This design is ideal for applications requiring pinpoint accuracy or where structural constraints make 360-degree coverage unnecessary. The key features are:

• Targeted Air Bursts: The linear air pulse breaks material buildup in confined or hard-to-reach areas.
• Flexible Installation: The Straight Shooter can be mounted at different angles using standard pipe elbows or fittings, allowing you to direct the air exactly where it’s needed.
• Specialized Applications: Perfect for cleaning specific vessel sections or addressing material buildup in equipment with complex geometries.

If you’re working with materials that tend to clog in specific areas or have limited access points in your vessel, the Straight Shooter’s focused performance can resolve these challenges efficiently.

Watch the AirSweep Straight Shooter USDA 135 in action. The model is also built to meet USDA sanitary requirements, and is ideal for food and pharmaceutical industries.

Key Differences Between the Standard and Straight Shooter Models

To make the best decision, it’s important to weigh the differences between these two models:

Air Pulse Pattern:

• Standard AirSweep: Distributes a 360-degree air burst to activate material flow broadly across the vessel.
• Straight Shooter: Emits a linear column of air for precise, concentrated activation.

Applications:

• Standard AirSweep: Best for general use where wide-area activation is necessary.
• Straight Shooter: Ideal for targeted cleaning or activating materials in confined spaces.

Installation Flexibility:

• Standard AirSweep: Typically mounted on vessel walls, covering large areas.
• Straight Shooter: Can be installed at various angles, offering flexibility to target specific problem spots.

Material Characteristics:

• Standard AirSweep: Handles a wide range of materials effectively, particularly those prone to uniform clogging.
• Straight Shooter: Excels in dislodging stubborn buildups in concentrated areas or specialized equipment.

How to Choose the Right AirSweep for Your Needs

Selecting between the Standard AirSweep and the AirSweep Straight Shooter depends on your unique requirements. Here’s how to decide:

Evaluate Your Material Characteristics

• Are your materials prone to bridging or ratholing across the vessel? The Standard AirSweep’s 360-degree coverage is likely your best bet.
• Do you encounter localized blockages or material buildup in specific spots? Opt for the Straight Shooter to address these targeted issues.

Consider Your Vessel Design

• Large, open vessels benefit from the Standard AirSweep’s broad coverage.
• Equipment with structural constraints or complex geometries calls for the Straight Shooter’s focused air bursts.

Review Process Requirements

• If your operations require frequent cleaning between batches or involve sticky materials, the Straight Shooter provides precise cleaning where it’s needed most.
• For continuous flow in standard systems, the Standard AirSweep offers consistent performance.

Optimize Material Flow with the Right AirSweep

Both the Standard AirSweep and the AirSweep Straight Shooter are designed to tackle material flow challenges, but their unique strengths make them suited to different applications. The Standard AirSweep ensures comprehensive coverage for a variety of materials and vessel types, while the Straight Shooter offers pinpoint precision for specialized needs.

By assessing your material characteristics, vessel design, and operational requirements, you can select the model that’s perfect for your setup. For expert guidance, consult with AirSweep engineers—their expertise can help you maximize efficiency, minimize downtime, and keep your materials moving effortlessly.

5 Food Industry Trends for 2025

The food processing industry has undergoing significant transformations, driven by factors such as changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, economic conditions, regulatory policies, and environmental concerns. Learn about food industry trends that can affect plant operations and production goals.

1. Green Food Processing

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword; it’s a mandate. Consumers and regulators alike demand eco-friendly practices that minimize environmental impact. This shift compels manufacturers to adopt renewable energy sources, reduce waste, and implement sustainable methods throughout production. Embracing green food processing not only meets regulatory requirements but also appeals to the growing segment of eco-conscious consumers.

2. Food Waste Management

With global food waste contributing significantly to environmental degradation, the industry is under pressure to enhance resource utilization. Innovations in processing techniques and supply chain management are being developed to address this issue. Efficient utilization of resources, improved storage solutions, and advanced inventory management systems are among the strategies employed to minimize waste. By tackling food waste, manufacturers can enhance profitability and contribute to food security.

Flow aids can help minimize material waste caused by inconsistent flow. A food company threw away 40 pounds of mixture a day, and even had to pay to have it hauled away, until they installed AirSweep. Watch how AirSweep can be used to promote first-in/first-out flow for all types of food materials.

3. Alternative Proteins

The rise of plant-based and lab-grown proteins is transforming the food landscape. These alternatives cater to health-conscious consumers and address environmental concerns associated with traditional meat production. Incorporating alternative proteins into product lines allows manufacturers to diversify offerings and meet the evolving preferences of consumers seeking sustainable and ethical food choices.

4. Enhanced Food Safety Measures

Advancements in technology are leading to improved food safety protocols. The implementation of early warning systems, real-time analytics, and AI-driven solutions helps in the proactive detection and prevention of foodborne illnesses. By prioritizing food safety, manufacturers can protect public health, comply with stringent regulations, and maintain consumer trust.

5. Personalized Nutrition

With the rise of personalized nutrition, food safety is becoming more tailored to individual dietary needs. Technologies that track dietary preferences, allergens, and nutritional requirements are driving the development of personalized food products. This trend enables manufacturers to offer customized solutions, enhancing customer satisfaction and opening new market opportunities.

Keep up with Food Industry Trends with a Smarter Flow Aid

AirSweep can help food manufacturers align with industry trends such as sustainability, waste reduction, and enhanced food safety. The system’s efficiency contributes to greener processing by minimizing material waste and reducing energy consumption associated with manual cleaning and maintenance. It also provides consistent and powerful material flow, even for challenging materials like alternative protein products. Find out more about how AirSweep is used in the food industry and why it is more effective than other flow aids.

Feed & Grain Features AirSweep Success Story

Feed & Grain magazine, which serves feed manufacturers and firms involved in handling and processing grain commodities, featured AirSweep in its latest blog.

The article AirSweep Keeps The System Flowing tackled a common issue among food manufacturers: clumping of ingredients that tend to hold moisture. A global food and agribusiness company was using hammers, but needed a more efficient flow aid to keep up with factory expansion.

Read about why they chose AirSweep, and how it improved their material flow, work environment, and their bottom line.

You can also view our case study right here on the Control Concepts USA website.

New Product: Announcing the ROTOGUARD® IV Speed Switches

Control Concepts, Inc. announced today the new RotoGuard® IV speed switches, an electronic speed switch device for sensing the reduction, increase, or loss in rotational motion associated with many types of moving equipment.

The RotoGuard IV is designed with an optical encoder and multi-toothed interrupter wheel to transform the rotation of the input shaft to voltage pulses. The unit can detect changes in motion between 1 and 400 RPM and provide a change of state, or alarm, when a variation in operating speed occurs. The RotoGuard IV may be directly coupled to another shaft or driven with a belt or chain.

“If one machine malfunctions, the RotoGuard switches can shut off the system to prevent further damage and delays that can cost thousands or even millions of dollars,” said Henry Tiffany III, president of Control Concepts, Inc.

The new RotoGuard IV features:

• Solid state electronics
• Universal Voltage Input
• Startup delay (0-120 seconds)
• Alarm delay (0-60 seconds)
• Models available with NEMA 4/5 Rating (weatherproof and dust tight) or NEMA 7/9 Rating (Explosion Proof [EP models cannot exceed 100 RPM.])
• UL Listed
• Made in the USA

The RotoGuard® IV is available in four models ranging in price from $700 – $900. With a warranty of three years, these speed switches have one of the longest guarantees in the industry. See more about the new product here.

About Us:

Since 1951, Control Concepts Inc. has helped solve material flow issues in plants around the world. We have tens of thousands of systems installed worldwide, and clients that include both S&P companies and SMEs. Our patented technologies are used in every industry because they are reliable, cost-effective, and have an amazing track record. We also have the longest warranties in the industry.

When you install a Control Concepts product, you can walk away and focus on other parts of the plant. Our AirSweep® bulk material activation system ensures on-demand material flow, AcoustiClean® Sonic Horns replaces manual material clearing, and DAZIC® and RotoGuard® Speed Switches prevent expensive equipment pileup.