An electromagnetic vibrating feeder is a device for the smooth feeding and dosing of bulk and lump materials, where the tray's motion comes from an electromagnetic drive with no rotating parts — not from a motor with an eccentric or unbalanced weight. Five main components make it up: the tray, the VEM drive, an elastic block between them, rubber vibration mounts anchoring it to the frame, and a control unit (ШУВ or БУВ), without which the drive cannot be wired to mains at all. Below: how these parts work together, how the PEV/PEVU/PEVF/PEVVF series differ, and how to choose a feeder for a given job.
What a vibrating feeder is built from: tray, drive, elastic block, mounts
The tray carries the material stream and sets its geometry — width, length and side height — sized to the material's lump size and the required capacity. The VEM drive is bolted to the tray and generates vibration through an electromagnet, with no bearings and no eccentric shaft, which is why it statistically fails less often than mechanical drives built around motor-vibrators (see our detailed comparison in "PEV or motor-vibrator"). Between the drive and the tray sits the elastic block — rubber elastic elements that limit the armature's travel and return the tray to its starting position on the return stroke. The whole tray-and-drive assembly rests on the support frame through rubber vibration mounts, which damp vibration transfer into the surrounding structure rather than take part in the working stroke itself.
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Tray | carries and directs the material stream; sized by lump size and required capacity |
| VEM drive | generates vibration through an electromagnet, with no rotating parts |
| Elastic block (rubber elastic elements) | limits the armature's travel and sets the direction of the tray's motion |
| Vibration mounts | anchor the tray to the support frame and damp vibration transfer into the structure |
| Control unit (ШУВ or БУВ) | regulates coil voltage, sets output, and protects the drive by current |
How the electromagnet drives the tray
The control unit feeds the drive coil a regulated pulsed voltage; the coil pulls the armature toward the electromagnet's core, and on the return stroke the elastic block returns the armature and tray to their starting position. As a result the tray doesn't rotate or swing through an arc — it oscillates directionally along its axis, and that directional, micro-throw motion is what moves material along the tray. The coil voltage directly sets the oscillation amplitude and, with it, the feeder's output — smoothly, from zero to maximum, with no intermediate mechanics and no variable-frequency drive, which a motor-vibrator would need for comparably smooth control. The gap between the armature and the core is a working parameter of the drive: it grows as the elastic elements wear, and as the gap grows, output visibly drops at the same control-unit settings.
Open vs. covered trays, light and heavy series: PEV/PEVU/PEVF/PEVVF
By tray design, vibrating feeders split into open and covered. An open tray is the standard, most economical choice for most jobs. A covered tray (marked with a "У" in the series code) closes the material stream under a lid, protecting against dust and precipitation and providing a sealed enclosure — needed for cement, flour and toxic materials.
By duty and output, series split into light and heavy. Light feeders PEV and PEVU are built for precise dosing of small-lump materials at 4–25 m³/h and are fitted with VEM-L drives (sizes L1–L4, maximum assembly mass from 10 to 200 kg). Heavy hopper feeders PEVF and PEVVF are built to receive material directly from a hopper, at 60–300 m³/h, with VEM-T drives (sizes T1–T4, from 550 to 1050 kg). On a PEVF the drive sits below the tray — the base configuration; on a PEVVF it sits above, for cases where space beneath the tray is limited. For a detailed walkthrough of choosing between PEVF and PEVVF for a specific hopper, see our article on hopper feeders.
| Series | Class | Output | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEV | light, open tray | 4–25 m³/h | VEM-L1–L4 (10–200 kg) |
| PEVU | light, covered tray | 4–25 m³/h | VEM-L1–L4 (10–200 kg) |
| PEVF | heavy, hopper, drive below | 60–300 m³/h | VEM-T1–T4 (550–1050 kg) |
| PEVVF | heavy, hopper, drive above | 60–300 m³/h | VEM-T1–T4 (550–1050 kg) |
The role of ШУВ and БУВ control units
An electromagnetic drive is never wired directly to mains — a control unit, either a ШУВ cabinet or a БУВ module, always sits between the drive and the power supply. Both types perform the same two functions — regulating the coil voltage (and with it, output from zero to maximum) and protecting the drive by current — but differ in form factor. ШУВ is a standalone cabinet rated IP54, built for shop-floor conditions with dust and splashes. БУВ is a compact module rated IP20, meant to be mounted inside an existing automation cabinet or switchgear enclosure when a separate housing isn't needed. Versions marked with a "-Д" index add a vibration sensor on the tray — feedback that keeps the amplitude constant as the material's bulk density or moisture changes, without the operator adjusting it by hand. For a closer comparison of ШУВ and БУВ and how to choose between them, see our article "ШУВ or БУВ".
Where electromagnetic vibrating feeders are used
Electromagnetic vibrating feeders are used wherever bulk or lump material needs smooth, easily adjustable feeding: at mining and processing plants — for ore and abrasive aggregates; in metallurgy — for charge materials and additives; in building-materials production — for crushed stone, sand and cement; in grain and food processing — for grain and bulk food ingredients; in the chemical industry — for bulk feedstock and reagents. What these jobs share isn't a specific industry — it's the need for smooth, repeatable dosing without intermediate mechanical linkages.
How to choose a vibrating feeder for your job
To pick the right series and size without guesswork, nail down a few parameters before contacting a supplier:
- Material lump size and character — lumpy, granular, abrasive, sticky, dusty.
- Required output, m³/h — determines whether you need a light series (PEV/PEVU) or a heavy hopper series (PEVF/PEVVF).
- How material is received — from a hopper under a full load, or metered feed from a smaller vessel.
- Sealing requirements — an open tray for most jobs, or a covered tray for dusty, moist or toxic materials.
- Installation space constraints — whether there's room under the tray for a bottom-mounted drive (PEVF), or whether a top-mounted drive is needed (PEVVF).
- Control mode — manual adjustment or operation under a process control system, and whether amplitude stabilization via a vibration sensor is needed for materials with variable properties.
For a detailed step-by-step walkthrough of these criteria, see our article "How to choose a vibrating feeder". If your parameters are already known, send the material, lump size, required output and installation conditions via our request form — we'll match the series, size and control-unit configuration to your job.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an electromagnetic vibrating feeder and a motor-vibrator feeder?
An electromagnetic drive has no rotating parts — no rotor, no bearings — and output is adjusted smoothly, from zero to maximum, by coil voltage through a ШУВ cabinet or БУВ unit, with no variable-frequency drive needed. A motor-vibrator is adjusted in steps or by frequency and needs a VFD for smooth control, but it wins on stability with materials whose moisture and particle size vary widely, thanks to above-resonance operation. See our detailed comparison in "PEV or motor-vibrator".
Does an electromagnetic vibrating feeder need a variable-frequency drive?
No. Output is set by changing the voltage on the electromagnet's coil through a ШУВ cabinet or БУВ unit, both supplied with the feeder. A variable-frequency drive is what a motor-vibrator feeder needs for smooth control instead.
What's the difference between an open and a covered tray?
An open tray is the standard, most economical choice for most jobs. A covered tray (marked "У" in the series code) is closed under a lid, protecting against dust and precipitation and providing a sealed enclosure — it's chosen for cement, flour and toxic materials.
Can the drive be wired directly to mains without a ШУВ or БУВ?
No. The control unit is a required part of the system, not an option: it regulates coil voltage and protects the drive by current. Without it the drive either won't start, or will run in a single unregulated mode with no overload protection.
When is a vibration sensor (the "-Д" version) needed?
A vibration sensor on the tray is needed when the material's properties — bulk density or moisture — change noticeably during operation: it holds the oscillation amplitude constant automatically, without the operator adjusting it by hand. For a stable material at a steady feed rate, a sensor usually isn't required.