In modern industrial production, especially in industries such as plastic processing, food manufacturing, and chemical engineering that require extremely high precision and efficiency in material supply, the traditional decentralized feeding mode has gradually exposed drawbacks such as low efficiency, large errors, and complex management. As an advanced material handling solution, the centralized feeding system integrates the storage, metering, feeding, and conveying functions of various raw materials. Through automation and intelligent technology, it achieves precise distribution and efficient transmission of materials, providing strong support for enterprises to improve production stability and reduce costs. The following will provide a comprehensive and in-depth introduction to the centralized feeding system from the aspects of system composition, working principle, core advantages, application scenarios, and development trends.

1、 System core composition architecture

The centralized feeding system mainly consists of five modules: storage bin unit, metering unit, conveying unit, central control unit, and auxiliary unit. Each part is closely coordinated to form a complete intelligent material supply system.

（1） Storage bin unit

The storage bin unit is the foundation for storing materials in the system, and different types of storage bins are used according to the characteristics of the raw materials (powder, particle, block, liquid, etc.) and production needs. Common types include closed steel silos, plastic storage tanks, and three-dimensional silos. Each storage bin is equipped with a level sensor to monitor the material inventory in real-time. When the material falls below the set value, an automatic alarm is triggered to prompt the operator to replenish the raw materials; For materials that are prone to moisture absorption or sensitive to the environment, the storage bin is also equipped with dehumidification and nitrogen protection devices to ensure stable material quality. In addition, the storage bins for different raw materials are independently partitioned to avoid cross contamination, and some systems also support quick switching of storage bins to meet the production needs of multiple varieties.

（2） Measurement unit

The measuring unit is the core of achieving precise feeding, ensuring accurate proportioning of different raw materials through various measuring methods. For granular materials, weight loss measuring scales and spiral measuring scales are commonly used, which use weighing sensors to monitor real-time changes in material weight. Combined with the speed control of the spiral feeder, the measurement accuracy can reach ± 0.5%; Powdered materials often use volumetric measuring devices or air flow measuring equipment to achieve precise measurement by controlling the volume or flow rate of the material; For liquid raw materials, mass flow meters, volumetric metering pumps, etc. are used, and the error can be controlled within ± 0.1%. The measuring unit can automatically adjust the measuring parameters according to the production formula to ensure the accuracy and consistency of each feeding.

（3） Conveyor unit

The conveying unit is responsible for safely and efficiently transporting the measured materials to the production equipment. According to the characteristics of the material and the conveying distance, different conveying methods are adopted: powdered materials are mostly conveyed by pneumatic conveying or vacuum feeding systems, transported through closed pipelines to prevent dust leakage; Granular materials are transported using belt conveyors, chain plate conveyors, or pipe chain conveyors; Liquid raw materials are pumped through corrosion-resistant pipelines and metering pumps. During the transportation process, metal detection and foreign object interception devices are installed to prevent impurities from entering the production process, and the pipeline adopts a quick disassembly design for easy cleaning and maintenance.

（4） Central control unit

Using PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or industrial computer as the core, combined with customized centralized feeding control software and human-machine interaction interface (HMI). The operator inputs the production formula through HMI, including parameters such as raw material type, ratio, feeding sequence, and time. The system automatically controls the discharge of the storage bin, the start and stop of the metering unit, and the operation of the conveying unit according to the preset program. During operation, real-time collection of sensor data from various links (such as material level, weight, flow rate, pressure, etc.) is carried out, and the actual values are compared with the set values. Once there is a deviation, the equipment parameters are automatically adjusted to achieve closed-loop control. In addition, the control system also has fault diagnosis, alarm prompts, data recording, and remote monitoring functions, which facilitate production management and equipment maintenance.

（5） Auxiliary unit

The auxiliary unit includes a dust removal system, an automatic cleaning device, drying and dehumidification equipment, and safety protection facilities. The dust removal system is equipped with dust collection ports in the material storage, metering, and conveying processes, which are combined with efficient dust collectors to reduce the concentration of dust in the workshop; The automatic cleaning device regularly cleans the conveying pipeline and measuring equipment to prevent material residue and cross contamination; Drying and dehumidification equipment can pre treat moisture absorbing materials to ensure stable material performance; Safety protection facilities such as emergency stop buttons, overload protection devices, leakage monitoring devices, etc., comprehensively ensure the safety of equipment and personnel.

2、 Working principle and process

After the operator inputs the production task in the central control unit, the system first starts the discharge device of the corresponding storage bin according to the formula requirements, and transports the material to the measuring unit. The measuring unit accurately weighs or measures the material according to the preset measurement value, and stops feeding when the set amount is reached. For example, for granular materials, the weight loss measuring scale monitors the weight changes of the silo in real time. When the reduced weight reaches the set value, the spiral feeder stops feeding.

After the measurement is completed, the conveying unit transports different raw materials to the target production equipment in the set order and time, such as injection molding machines, extruders, mixers, etc. During the conveying process, the central control unit continuously monitors the data of each link to ensure the accuracy and stability of material conveying. If there is an abnormal situation (such as excessive measurement deviation, conveying blockage, low material level, etc.), the system will immediately issue an alarm signal and automatically take corresponding measures, such as suspending feeding, starting the backup conveying line, or notifying the operator to handle it.

After a batch of production tasks is completed, the system can start an automatic cleaning program as needed to clean the conveying pipelines and measuring equipment, preparing for the next production. At the same time, the system automatically records the relevant data of this feeding, including raw material usage, feeding time, equipment operating parameters, etc., providing a basis for production management and cost accounting.

3、 Core technological advantages

（1） High precision feeding and stable production

Through advanced measurement technology and intelligent control systems, high-precision proportioning and stable supply of various raw materials are achieved, effectively improving product quality consistency. In the application of plastic processing industry, the use of centralized feeding system can reduce the defect rate of products by 30% -50%.

（2） Efficient and automated operation

Replace traditional manual feeding mode, achieve fully automated operation from raw material storage, measurement to transportation, significantly shorten feeding time, and improve production efficiency. The system can seamlessly integrate with production equipment, achieving 24-hour continuous production and reducing labor costs and intensity.

（3） Flexible formula management and production adaptation

Supports the storage and quick switching of hundreds of production formulas, allowing operators to call different formulas at any time according to order requirements, meeting the production mode of multiple varieties and small batches. At the same time, the system can flexibly adjust the feeding parameters and conveying methods according to the different needs of production equipment, adapting to diverse production scenarios.

（4） Intelligent management and data traceability

Automatically record the entire production process data and generate detailed production reports. Enterprises can optimize feeding processes, predict equipment maintenance cycles, evaluate production costs, and achieve intelligent production management through data analysis. In addition, complete data recording facilitates product quality traceability and improves enterprise management level.

4、 Application scenarios

（1） Plastic processing industry

In plastic molding production such as injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, etc., the centralized feeding system precisely controls the ratio and transportation of plastic particles, masterbatch, additives and other raw materials to ensure the stable quality of plastic products. It is widely used in the production fields of automotive parts, home appliance shells, packaging products, etc.

（2） Food and beverage industry

In the process of food processing, precise measurement and dust-free transportation of powdered and granular raw materials such as flour, sugar, salt, and additives are achieved to ensure food safety and product quality. It is commonly used in production enterprises such as biscuits, bread, and seasonings.

（3） Chemical industry

In the production of chemical products such as coatings, inks, adhesives, etc., precise proportioning and safe transportation of various raw materials such as resins, solvents, pigments, etc. are carried out to avoid material leakage and cross contamination, improve product performance and production safety.

（4） Other industries

In industries such as electronic manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and building materials, centralized feeding systems also play an important role. For example, the supply of materials such as plastic pellets and solder paste in the electronics industry, the precise measurement and transportation of pharmaceutical raw materials in the pharmaceutical industry, and the centralized supply of raw materials such as cement and sand in the building materials industry.

5、 Development Trends

In the future, centralized feeding systems will develop towards intelligence, integration, and greening. In terms of intelligence, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are introduced to enable the system to have self-learning and adaptive capabilities, and to automatically optimize feeding parameters based on production data; In terms of integration, it deeply integrates with the enterprise's ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and MES (Manufacturing Execution System) to achieve collaborative management of production planning, material inventory, and feeding operations; Greening is reflected in reducing equipment energy consumption, reducing dust emissions, and using environmentally friendly materials. By optimizing system design and operating modes, it promotes sustainable development in the industry. Meanwhile, with the development of industrial Internet of Things technology, centralized feeding systems will achieve more remote and real-time monitoring and management, further enhancing the production efficiency and competitiveness of enterprises.