The Secret to Handling the “Unfeedable” Part

In custom automation, overall system performance depends on many elements working together. One of the most critical is part feeding, because when parts don’t reliably move, even the most sophisticated robotic cell can quickly become a bottleneck on the production floor.

At QSI Automation, we take pride in solving the challenges of feeding difficult parts that other companies walk away from. While many off-the-shelf solutions work well for standard fasteners or symmetrical components, our customers often come to us with parts that don’t behave as expected:

  • Top-Heavy Parts: When a part has a high center of gravity, vibration and transitions can cause it to tip, leading to jams and downtime.
  • Sensitive Surface Finishes: High-polish or coated parts may have low friction and slide unpredictably, or they may be so delicate that standard track materials can deface the surface.
  • Intricate Geometries: Some parts have no obvious “heavy side,” making it difficult for a standard bowl to consistently orient them.

A Parts Journey Through a Vibratory Feeder Bowl

To understand why feeder bowls succeed or struggle with difficult parts, it helps to look at the process from the part’s point of view. From the moment a component enters the bowl, it begins a carefully controlled journey.

Every interaction along the path matters. Subtle changes in vibration, surface contact, or transition points can determine whether a part advances smoothly or becomes unstable. That’s why a vibratory feeder bowl isn’t a single component, but a system made up of several key elements, each contributing to how parts move, orient, and exit the bowl reliably.

  • Base and base mounting plate: The structural foundation that supports the entire feeder system. Though QSI can provide both, some customers prefer to build their own bases, so we provide a mounting plate to accommodate their base.
  • Drive unit: This drives the rotational vibration to the feeder bowl. It is precisely sprung and balanced to drive the allotted weight of the bowl.
  • Controller: The brains of the feed system. We prefer high-quality REO Vibratory controllers because they provide the highest resolution, reliability, and adaptability to integrate into any automation application or as standalone units. REO controllers come standard with accelerometers that automatically fine tune the feed rate regardless of the weight of the parts in the system.
  • Feeder Bowl: The bowl is the main component of the system. It is responsible for feeding and orienting parts, and in some cases, sorting, storage and separation. At QSI, skilled bowl builders with years of experience build each bowl by hand to uniquely serve the part it is feeding.
  • Inline track: This component is responsible for maintaining the orientation of the part achieved by the feeder bowl and/or transferring away from the feeder bowl, so the part is in an appropriate position to be transferred to the automation or application.
  • Escapement: Responsible for presenting the part to its supporting equipment to be delivered to its destination in the feeding process. The escapement can be as simple as a pocket, also known as a dead nest, or can include several movements provided by pneumatic cylinders or by servo motors/slides.

Rather than relying on adjustable rails that can flex or shift over time, QSI often takes a purpose-built approach. Our Engineering and Fabrication teams design rigid, custom stainless-steel tracks that allow us to precisely control how a part is supported, guided, and constrained throughout its path. This level of control is especially important for parts that are inherently unstable or sensitive to minor changes in motion.

To support this level of precision and long‑term reliability, material selection matters. In most projects, QSI uses high‑grade 304 stainless steel in complex feeding systems for several key reasons:

  • Durability: In high-speed environments, tracks see constant wear. Stainless steel holds up in 24/7 operation without gradually losing its “true” path.
  • Precision Geometry: We hand‑fit tracks to trap, cradle, or guide difficult parts. That precision allows us to maintain part orientation even when the center of gravity works against us.
  • Surface Integrity: We can specify track finishes that help parts smoothly move without scratching, sticking, or scuffing, which is critical for components with sensitive coatings or high-polish finishes.

A Partnership Approach to Problem Solving

While precision tooling and material selection are critical, long‑term success in difficult feeding applications depends just as much on how the problem is approached. At QSI, we view part feeding as an integrated element of a larger automation strategy – one that benefits from close collaboration and engineering insight.

That’s why we don’t just sell equipment, we solve bottlenecks. For difficult parts, our process typically includes:

  1. Feasibility Analysis: We review your part’s CAD data and physical samples to identify the characteristics working against reliable feeding.
  2. Innovative Tooling: We design custom track features that use the part’s own geometry to guide and lock it into the correct position.
  3. Seamless Integration: Whether it’s a vibratory inline or gravity-fed track, we design the transition to the assembly station to minimize shingling, tipping, and other disruptions.

Solving Your Toughest Feeding Challenge

If you have a part that’s been deemed “unfeedable,” we want to see it. With decades of hands-on experience in vibratory feeder bowls and custom track design, our team takes the time to truly understand the part, its challenges, and how it behaves in motion – because solving tough feeding problems requires more than a quick yes or no.

 

Author: Abe Stangland, Project Manager & Automation Sales

Abe brings a diverse background in automation, engineering, and manufacturing to QSI. He has four years of experience assembling custom automation, specializing in robotics and feeder bowl systems, and two years as a Junior Industrial Engineer, focusing on controls, process development, and job launch.

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Abe served 4+ years as an Aircraft Ordinance Technician, including one year as a Quality Assurance Safety Observer. He was honorably discharged at the rank of Seargeant (E5) and carries with him the discipline, precision, and problem-solving skills instilled by his military service.