As a young engineer about to graduate from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Scott Schmid was ready to leave the state. But then he discovered well-paying career opportunities in his hometown of York, Nebraska. Now, he’s CEO of Cyclonaire.  

As a 2017 Nebraska Developing Youth Talent Initiative grant winner Cyclonaire will be working closely with York Public Schools to inform students, much like Schmid, interested in pursuing careers in manufacturing and IT of career opportunities right in their hometown.

The Nebraska Developing Youth Talent Initiative was started by Gov. Pete Ricketts in 2015 to foster partnerships between public schools and companies to promote hands-on career opportunities for students in 7th and 8th grade.

Cyclonaire is proud to be one of three Nebraska companies alongside Aulick Industries of Scottsbluff and Becton Dickinson of Broken Bow to partner with public schools to introduce and excite the next generation of workers.

The program will begin in the upcoming school year, and will provide York Middle School students with hands-on opportunities in manufacturing design and production concepts. Next to parental influence, hands-on experience largely determines a child’s career path. And with manufacturing the second-largest industry in Nebraska behind agriculture, there are many job opportunities waiting.

The program is intended to spark interest in students who are unaware of local, let alone any career opportunities in the manufacturing and IT career fields.

Through the help of the grant, Cyclonaire can increase the next wave of workers with Midwestern roots and provide them with quality opportunities right here at home.

Read the press release here.

When you are looking into a major purchase or system upgrade, having as much valuable information at hand is important. From basic solutions to complex material handling systems, understanding all available options and researching those options is the first step.

To make the process simple, we have a variety of resources available within our Product Information Library and Case Study Library.

• Product Information Library
  Our Product Information Library contains product brochures and industry guides, in order to provide visitors with a clear overview of Cyclonaire's wide range of capabilities and solutions. 
  
  
• Case Study Library
  We encourage you to explore our Case Study Library to learn more about Cyclonaire's unique solutions for a wide range of challenging material handling problems. Each of our case studies provide an in-depth overview of a company's situation and the problem at hand, the solution we provided, and how that company benefited from working with Cyclonaire. 

At Cyclonaire, we pride ourselves on providing our customers with all the information they need to make the best material handling decisions.  For over 50 years, the Cyclonaire product lines and solutions have been moving, mixing, and conveying materials for all types of industries.

Our work is never ending and our resources are continually updated. For the information you need to make the best decisions for your company, read through the resources we have available. If there is additional information or any questions on any of our products or services, please contact us to speak with one of our material handling engineers.

Whether you're looking for connectors to maintain leak-resistant seals, or aerators to speed the discharge of non free-flowing materials, Cyclonaire's full product line of cement and concrete solutions has you covered.

To provide you with a better understanding of how our solutions can fit your application, Cyclonaire has created a Product Guide for Cement & Concrete Applications.

The guide provides an overview of our top quality cement industry solutions, including:

• Blower Packages: Cyclonaire's custom-built intermediate pressure blower packages power both vacuum loading and pressure conveying applications.
• Bag Dump Stations: Our bag dump stations feature self-contained fan and self-cleaning pulse jet-style filtration dust traps for recycling.
• C&C Dust Reclaim System: The automated C&C Dust Reclaim System preserves air quality and conserves valuable material by capturing dust from silo filling operations and automatically returning it directly to the source silo.

From railcar and silo conveying to cement blending — to convey systems and portable conveying systems — Cyclonaire has a solution for your cement and concrete application. To find the solution that fits your need, download a copy of our free product guide.

The prestigious bulk solids industry magazine highlights pneumatic conveying and dust collecting capabilities.

Cyclonaire is proud to be featured in the latest issue of Powder and Bulk Engineering magazine. The monthly publication is a technical authority in the bulk solids industry, providing hands-on, practical information for readers to use for processing and handling applications when handling dry bulk solids.

Focus on Cyclonaire

In addition to our pneumatic systems for dense phase, semi-dense phase, and dilute phase conveying, as well as our capabilities with automation installation, components, and parts, the magazine featured our materials testing facility.

This 5,000 square feet indoor facility allows us to inform our customers with everything they need to know before making the most informed decision on the best conveying equipment for their application and project.

Titled “Test Center Finds Powder Conveying Solutions,” the article discusses our work with one of our customers, Premier Magnesia, a company that processes numerous chemical compounds such as products made of magnesium hydroxide and magnesium oxide.

Premier Magnesia partnered with us to help them with their pneumatic conveying and dust collecting applications. Cyclonaire’s testing facility and engineering expertise allowed the company to test their materials and see which ones conveyed without degradation.

Cyclonaire was able to determine that one material would not work, and further reviewed and evaluated the conveying project. In the end, we determined a material from an outside supplier would complete the job best. At Cyclonaire, we're far more interested in finding solutions than selling equipment.

The full article is available as a free PDF on Powder Bulk's website. To discover how we at Cyclonaire can design and test equipment systems for your applications, learn about the services we provide today!

We live in a connected world. With a few keystrokes, almost any bit of information can be found, from an old friend to a new one. Although online connections are resourceful, talking with people on the web is no substitute for face-to-face networking.

Attending a trade show isn’t just about getting out of the office for a few days (although that is a great bonus), it’s about making connections with peers in the industry. At a trade show, all the interests are the same and the people have a common bond. Being able to share ideas and solutions directly related to your business offers prospective customers and exhibitors a wealth of knowledge they might not have gotten elsewhere. The bonus is being able to bring the right services and products to the right customers.

At Cyclonaire, we know the importance of connecting with our customers; that’s why we hope that you will visit us at this year’s American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) event. Held in Orlando, FL, this event brings together leaders from short line and regional railroads, industry experts, and manufacturers for education, exhibition, and networking.

The ASLRRA 2015 Connections event is the only exhibition in America that is dedicated to the short line and regional railroad industry. The exhibition hall is open from Sunday afternoon to Monday evening (March 29-30).

As a leading manufacturer of top-quality pneumatic conveying equipment and systems, our company partners with each customer to maximize their operations and meet all their needs. We have extensive experience and products that serve the railroad industry for a variety of applications.

At ASLRRA 2015, Cyclonaire will be exhibiting material handling products such as:

• Bulk containers
• Railcar loading and unloading
• Fueling platforms
• Traction control for locomotive sanding

Our booth number is 804, and we hope you will stop by and see all of our outstanding products. Feel free to ask Dan Otoupal and John Byrne any questions—our team loves a challenge and solving new problems.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. If you would like to learn more about our railroad sanding products, please click here or select the link below.

Having material stored in bulk bags is an efficient and productive way to keep operations running smoothly. However, bulk materials and bags are naturally bulky, and can often be difficult to unload or move from one part of a plant or facility to another.

At Cyclonaire, we fully understand the problems, challenges, and difficulties of material transfer, we are always designing and engineering new systems to make the process of material handling easier.

To that end, we would like to present the PortoVeyor™ Bulk Bag Transfer System. It is a portable option for unloading bulk material bags, designed to make the process far easier.

The PortoVeyor™ features a unique and efficient design that eliminates spills, captures nuisance dust, and can be easily moved from one place to another. The versatility and dependability of this system surpasses any other portable system and can be customized to meet a variety of transfer applications.

It is suitable for use as a backup during supply interruptions of bulk truck or rail service or as the main bulk transfer system in applications that require mobile transfer options.

Our new eBook, titled, Deliver Bagged Materials Faster, Easier & Cleaner with PortoVeyor™ Bulk Bag Transfer Systems explains in detail the full features and benefits of this portable system.  This publication expands on dust collection technology, system parts, optional equipment, and efficiency and safety features.

The Portoveyor™ is a material handling solution that assures productivity and efficiency especially during bulk truck or rail service interruptions. It is also an ideal main bulk transfer system in operation requiring mobile transfer options. Self-contained units are customizable to meet the demands of any industry or application.

To learn more, download our free eBook, Deliver Bagged Materials Faster, Easier & Cleaner with PortoVeyor™ Bulk Bag Transfer Systems today.

Will you reach your desired convey rate? One of the reasons Cyclonaire is so successful is because we can answer this question for you. Our company has more than 50 years of experience designing, engineering and manufacturing pneumatic conveying systems for plants and facilities throughout a wide range of industries.

Throughout our years of service, we have tested and analyzed a multitude of materials in our material testing facility to determine the maximum convey rate of your material.

You can learn more about our CycloTech Technology Demonstration and System Proving Facility in our new guide, The Benefits of Material Testing with Cyclonaire.

State-of-the-Art Material Testing Facility

The Cyclonaire CycloTech Technology Demonstration and System Proving Facility—also known as our “material testing facility”—is a large factor in what makes Cyclonaire able to provide advanced and reliable pneumatic systems in a wide range of industries. Our guide walks you through exactly what to look for when testing materials and all the steps to carry out in your processes.

Before Cyclonaire installs a new pneumatic system at your facility, we consider numerous factors to help you move your dry bulk goods. These include the characteristics of your material, such as the particle size, abrasiveness, moisture content, cohesiveness, friability, static charge, and toxicity.

In our material testing facility, we thoroughly examine how your materials will work in almost every scenario possible within the confines of your plant or facility. Through meticulous and exhaustive trial and error, we foresee any issues well ahead of installation in order to save you errors in real situations, which can be far more disastrous in the field.

Customized Consultation for Your Project

Cyclonaire’s material testing facility is essential in helping us deliver to you the exact solution for your facility.

The facility lets us asses several important factors related to conveying, including vacuum, pressure, or any vacuum-pressure combination. Through real-time data capture and reporting, our CycloTech material testing facility allows us to design the equipment that you need along with the correct protocols to ensure safe and cost-effective handling of your materials.

Download our eBook today to learn more about the capabilities and advantages of testing materials in a controlled environment.

When it comes to dry bulk materials, companies want to use the safest and most cost-effective way to transport and unload their goods. There are two primary methods for accomplishing this critical task, pneumatic and mechanical conveyors. So which one is the right method for you?

To help answer this question, we created a new eBook titled, The Advantages of Pneumatic Conveyors vs. Mechanical. The eBook discusses the differences between pneumatic and mechanical conveyors, and assesses how these two methods compare in a number of areas:

• Simple Routing: The design of pneumatic conveying systems has the ability to simplify the routing of bulk materials.

• A Cleaner Method: Pneumatic conveyors eliminate many opportunities for spillage that occur with mechanical conveyance systems. This means less lost product and safer working conditions

• Less Maintenance: Fewer moving parts means less maintenance for pneumatic conveyors

• Flexibility: Pneumatic conveying systems allow for design changes and upgrades that can be easily and quickly implemented.

• Enhanced Safety: Moving parts don’t just mean more maintenance, it also means more danger. So pneumatic conveyors not only offer safety but less noise, which improves workplace conditions

To learn more, download Cyclonaire’s free eBook, The Advantages of Pneumatic Conveyors vs. Mechanical. 

Pneumatic conveying systems have had a rich history in industrial processes and plants.

Pneumatic systems are constructed of a series of pipelines through which materials are transported by high velocity steams of air. The basic components of a pneumatic conveying system are a primary mover like a fan or a blower, a mechanism for feeding, mixing, and accelerating, a conveying component such as pipes, and a separation mechanism like a bag filter to separate gases and solids. Today, these systems are widely used in a variety of industries, one of which is the railroad industry.

Pneumatic Systems in Railways: Traction Control, Loading and Unloading Rail Cars

The railroad industry has been using pneumatic conveying systems for such actions as traction control as well as loading and unloading rail cars for transporting materials. They were first proposed in the 1880s for their benefits in traction control, and specifically for use in locomotive sanding, a process in which sand is deposited via compressed air into sandboxes. These sandboxes are then placed on rails in front of driving wheels to improve rail adhesion and track safety during wet or slippery conditions. 

Pneumatic systems are also essential in loading and unloading rail cars. These systems are relatively simple, typically involving a vacuum pump to transport materials to multiple receivers. They are also versatile, useful in permanent unloading, where the conveyor is buried beneath the track and protected from the elements, or portable unloading, where an automated, self-propelled unit moves between rail cars. Commonly handled materials in pneumatic systems range from aluminum, corn meal and sugar to diamond ore and titanium oxide.

Comparison with Mechanical Conveying Systems

There are a number of advantages in using pneumatic conveying systems over mechanical conveying systems. Mechanical conveying systems typically run in a straight line, with minimal directional changes. Each directional change in turn requires its own motor and drive. Furthermore, mechanical conveying systems may be open rather than enclosed, which has the potential to generate a prohibitive amount of dust. These systems are also characteristically large, and tend to take up a lot of valuable real estate in a plant. In the railroad industry specifically, mechanical systems invite a range of potential problems that can slow locomotive servicing.  

A significant risk with mechanical conveyor systems is their potential to create unsafe working conditions. Since these systems are open and exposed to the elements, workers in turn are exposed to machinery. Clothing, jewelry, and long hair can get stuck in open gears or troughs. Chain and roller conveyors are especially hazardous due to their potential for “nip points” when chains contact sprockets and can cause injury to workers in close proximity.

Advantages of Pneumatic Conveying Systems

Pneumatic conveying systems, in comparison, use simple pipelines, smaller in diameter, to transfer material. The pipelines can be tailored in a number of ways, eliminating the need to be perfectly straight, and even being able to bend around existing equipment. This allows the layout to be more flexible and have a relatively small footprint on a plant’s real estate. Each pneumatic system is totally enclosed, and since it is electronically managed, typically has fewer moving parts. This streamlined flexibility leads to greater efficiency, reducing potential spotting or filling problems that can slow down workflow processes.

Parts in pneumatic systems are made of easy-to-connect aluminum vacuum which ensure quick leak-proof connections, and stainless steel and food grade rubber flex hoses mean secure system attachments. These systems are completely scalable, allowing them to minimize or grow along with rail car loading or unloading requirements. The ease of automation reduces the amount of manual attention necessary, and along with streamlined parts, increases the safety of working conditions, protecting workers from exposed gears, chains, and machinery which can trap them and cause serious injuries.

As an industry leader in the engineering and manufacturing of pneumatic conveying equipment, Cyclonaire has years of experience in scaling these systems to your traction control and loading needs.

The proprietary SandMaster Sanding Station, for example, quickly dispenses traction directly into the locomotive sandbox to help rail yards run efficiently and keep service tracks on schedule. Our streamlined and automated processes can be tailored just for you. As a result, costs are reduced, while workflow is made safe and secure.

For more information on Cyclonaire's railroad sanding systems, download our free guide, 6 Reasons to Replace a Sanding Tower with a Cyclonaire Locomotive Sanding System.

There are few efficient and effective ways to transfer dry bulk materials, other than with a pneumatic conveying system. If you choose pneumatic conveying as your means of moving bulk material, there are a number of critical key questions to be answered—one primary question being: Which conveying phase is right for my material and my exact needs?

Cyclonaire understands that this can be a challenging question to answer without the assistance of an expert within the pneumatic conveying industry. That’s why we created a new eBook, Identify the Correct Phase for Your Pneumatic Conveying System: Dense, Semi-Dense or Dilute.

Our unique and informative eBook touches on a number of critical topics to consider when selecting the right conveying phase for your material.  Below is an overview of what you can expect to read about in the document.

• How pneumatic systems work
• Industries that use pneumatic conveying such as foundries, utilities, railroads and general manufacturing
• A look at all the diverse applications, for example fracking, ash handling, rocket fuel and many more
  
  

Three different pneumatic conveying phases:
As the title implies, this section takes a closer look at the three major pneumatic conveying phases: dense, semi-dense, and dilute. While this topic can be confusing, our experts do a great job of simplifying the subject matter and providing a thorough explanation, without losing any accuracy.

Identifying the correct phase for your materials & applications:
This section is at the heart of Cyclonaire’s eBook. We take you through a wide range of factors and considerations you need to review to ensure you select the right phase. Some of these factors include particle size and shape, abrasiveness, bulk density, level of toxicity, and melt point. We also discuss how your plant’s location and environment plays a role in your decision making process.

Testing & phase selection:
After our pneumatic conveying experts make you aware of all the factors and considerations that will go into your choice, it is time to deal with testing and your ultimate phase selection decision.

At Cyclonaire, we have a comprehensive knowledge of and experience in all aspects of pneumatic conveying technology. We utilize our state-of-the-art CycloTech Technology Demonstration and System Proving Facility to verify the conveying selection.In the end, the results provide complete assurance that the equipment you choose will handle the target rate, air usage, pressure, degradation requirements, and more.

If you want to learn more how to identify the correct phase for your pneumatic conveying system, visit our website and download our free eBook, Identify the Correct Phase for Your Pneumatic Conveying System: Dense, Semi-Dense or Dilute.

To discover how Cyclonaire can help make your decision even easier, contact one of our pneumatic conveying system experts today.