Advantage and Disadvantages of Zig Zag Feeder

A zig zag coil feeder is an upgraded version of a traditional servo feeder, equipped with a left-right shifting function. It performs lateral movement while feeding forward and backward, allowing material to be blanked continuously at different positions. This mechanism is widely used for blanking round parts and irregular shapes. Now, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of a zig zag coil feeder.

Advantages

1. High Material Utilization

（The material is arranged very closely.）

With a conventional feeder, blanks after feeding are usually in a single row or neatly arranged, leaving large empty areas between them. The zig zag motion changes the stamping trajectory, allowing these empty areas to be fully utilized and improving material efficiency.

2. Wide Applicability

The zig zag feeder is suitable for most medium and thin sheet materials, with a thickness range of 0.3–3.2 mm and a maximum width of 1300 mm. It can handle materials such as stainless steel, cold-rolled steel, copper, and aluminum. When high feeding speed is not required, the zig zag function can be turned off, and the feeder can be used as a conventional feeder.

（Zigzag feeding process）

Disadvantages

1. Limited Speed

The zig zag feeder adds a zig-zag motion compared to a regular feeder. To prevent the coil from swinging due to inertia during the zig-zag movement, which can cause feeding deviation or surface creases, the zig-zag speed cannot be too high. Therefore, the feeding speed is generally moderate, making it unsuitable for high-speed production lines.

2. High-Requirement Adjustment

To maximize material utilization while ensuring blanking quality, high accuracy is required. Compared to regular feeders, the setup and adjustment are more demanding.

（Zigzag feeder applied to NC straightener feeder）

Overall, the zig zag feeder offers flexibility and high material utilization, allowing companies to achieve higher returns with limited investment. It is widely used in the cookware, home appliance, and hardware industries. If you are interested in coil feeders or have any questions, you can contact us. Thank you for reading.