KWS Engineering Expertise Solves Screw Feeder Issues at Nestlé Purina PetCare in Denver, CO

General Description

Nestlé Purina PetCare produces over 260,000 tons per year of dry dog and cat food at the Denver, CO facility. Screw conveyors are used throughout the process to convey pet food ingredients and grains. Nestlé experienced persistent issues with an existing inclined screw feeder. Under normal operation, the unit was control-fed by another conveyor through an intermediate inlet, and performance was acceptable. However, when the primary feed conveyor went down, material had to be diverted into a flood-fed hopper at the inlet end of the screw. In this mode, the original design failed.

KWS Screw Feeder Eliminated Costly Production Stoppages

Design Parameters

Product Type: Pet Food Ingredients (Corn, Rice, Oats, Barley, Wheat)
Material Density: 20 to 45 Lbs. per Cubic Foot
System Capacity: 4,444 Cubic Feet per Hour
Duty: Continuous

KWS Advantages

KWS developed a custom engineered screw feeder that eliminated costly production stoppages caused by motor overload and material buildup. The system now operates reliably, ensuring continuous production. The plant reported zero unplanned shutdowns due to feeder issues since installation. By combining advanced engineering analysis with custom fabrication, KWS delivered a robust and permanent solution that improved process reliability and production up time.

KWS Special Features

The new screw feeder design featured a variable-diameter screw with variable pitch to optimize material flow. In addition, the feeder transitioned from a U-trough configuration at the inlet to a tubular housing immediately downstream, improving control and consistency. The redesigned system significantly enhanced conveying efficiency and was built to perform under worst-case operating conditions. All mechanical components, including the drive unit, were engineered to withstand full motor torque without risk of failure.

Customer Testimonial

“The KWS team approached our problem with a level of engineering expertise and urgency that truly impressed us. The redesigned screw feeder solved an issue that had been costing us valuable production time for years. Since installation, the KWS equipment has run flawlessly.”

Reliability Engineer, Nestlé Purina PetCare – Denver, Colorado