Machine Overview
| Machine type | Z-type bucket elevator (Z bucket conveyor) |
| Carries | Granular products and loose pieces: rice, sugar, nuts, cereals, coffee beans, snacks, wrapped sweets and dried meat pieces |
| Feeds | Multihead weighers and measuring cups, on vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS), pre-made pouch and semi-automatic lines |
| Weighers fed | 4-head, 10-head and 14-head on lines we have supplied |
| Buckets | 3 L on lines we have supplied |
| Capacity | 7,200 L an hour on lines we have supplied |
| Build | Closed all the way; 304 stainless steel |
| Options | Silo vibrator, working platform, controls to serve two packing machines |
| Not for | Powders, which go on an auger feeder (screw conveyor) |
Configurations
A Z-type bucket elevator lifts granular products in buckets from a loading hopper at floor level to the weigher or filler at the top of the line. Which layout you need comes down to the weigher it feeds and the packing machine below it. For powders, which are never lifted on an elevator, see our screw conveyor.
01
A Z-type bucket elevator lifts the product to a 14-head multihead weigher on a working platform above a VFFS machine, which forms, fills and seals each bag. On a roasted chickpea line we have supplied, 3 L buckets carry 7,200 L an hour, with a vibrator on the silo to keep the product flowing. The same elevator and weigher set-up fills 100 g to 1 kg zipper doypacks on a pre-made pouch line.
Best for
•Snacks, nuts and wrapped sweets
•Coffee beans
•Bags from 5 g to 1 kg
Benefits
7,200 L an hour
Silo vibrator keeps product flowing
Closed all the way
02
Best for
•Rice and grains
•Sugar
•Bags from 100 g to 2 kg
Benefits
Matched to the weigher
Working platform for the weigher
Finished-bag conveyor
03
On a semi-automatic line, the Z-type elevator is the feeding configuration of the machine: it keeps a 4-head weigher supplied while the operator places each pouch or tub. On a dried ostrich line we have supplied, the elevator feeds a 4-head weigher that weighs 50 g to 500 g portions at 30 to 40 bags a minute, and its controls are set up to serve two packing machines. See semi-automatic filling machines for the weigher.
Best for
•Dried meat and irregular pieces
•Granola and cereals
•Pre-made pouches and tubs
Benefits
Feeds a semi-automatic weigher
Serves two packing machines
3 L buckets
Applications
Snacks and sweets. Light and irregular pieces lifted to a multihead weigher:
Snacks, nuts and roasted chickpeas
Wrapped sweets
Grains and beans. Free-flowing granular products lifted to a weigher or measuring cup:
Dried meat. Pieces lifted to a semi-automatic 4-head weigher:
Dried meat pieces
Portions from 50 g to 500 g
Pre-made pouches
Other granular products. Send us a sample and tell us which weigher or filler the elevator will feed, and we will check how it flows. Powders do not go on an elevator, because they spill and dose less accurately; they are fed by an auger feeder instead.
The Z-type bucket elevator feeds the multihead weigher that weighs the product; powders are fed by a screw conveyor instead.
Specifications
A Z-type bucket elevator is specified by the product, the weigher or filler it feeds, and how high that machine’s inlet sits. On the lines we have supplied, 3 L buckets carry 7,200 L an hour.
The weight that moves in an hour depends on the bulk density of the product: a bucket of light snacks weighs less than a bucket of rice. Real figures are confirmed on a trial with your product.
| Line | Buckets | Capacity | Feeds | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roasted chickpea snack line, Cape Town | 3 L | 7,200 L/h | 14-head multihead weigher on a VFFS, 5 g to 1 kg bags | Silo vibrator; SUS304 working platform |
| Dried ostrich portion line, Cape Town | 3 L | 7,200 L/h | 4-head weigher, 50 g to 500 g, 30 to 40 bags/min | Silo vibrator; controls set to serve two packing machines |
| Extruded maize snack line | 3 L | 7,200 L/h | 14-head multihead weigher on a VFFS | Confirmed at quotation |
| Rice line | Confirmed at quotation | Confirmed at quotation | 10-head multihead weigher on a VFFS, 100 g to 2 kg pillow bags, 10 to 60 bags/min | Working platform; finished-bag conveyor |
| Coffee lines | Confirmed at quotation | Confirmed at quotation | 10-head or 14-head multihead weigher, 250 g to 1 kg gusseted bags | Conveyor and accumulation table |
Bucket elevators on our bag lines are built in 304 stainless steel. Not sure which elevator your product needs? Send us a sample and tell us which weigher it will feed.
ABOUT THE MACHINE
A Z-type bucket elevator, also called a Z bucket conveyor, is a closed conveyor that lifts granular products in buckets. It is named after the path the buckets follow: along the bottom from the loading hopper, up the column, and across the top to tip the product into the weigher. It is closed all the way, so the product stays contained from hopper to weigher.
Also known as
The product moves through these steps:
Because the buckets carry the product rather than pushing it, a Z-type elevator lifts light, irregular pieces such as roasted chickpeas and dried meat gently to the weigher.
One elevator can serve more than one machine: on a dried ostrich line we have supplied, the elevator controls are set up to feed two packing machines.
See it running in our snack weighing and bagging line video and our weighing and bagging system video, which follow the product from the elevator to the finished bags.
Powders are not lifted on an elevator, because they spill, product is lost and the dose is less accurate. Powders are fed by a screw conveyor (auger feeder) instead.
For how the weigher combines portions once the elevator delivers the product, see multihead weigher.
Case Studies
Weighing lines we have supplied with a Z-type bucket elevator.
“Highly recommended! Excellent customer service, great prices, and they always go above and beyond.”
Ratings and reviews are published on our Google Business Profile, where they can be read in full and in context.
PackMan purchased an Automatic 6-Lane, 4-Side Seal Vinegar Packaging Machine, and it has been performing reliably since installation. The machine delivers consistent packaging quality, operates efficiently, and has met our production expectations.
SA Packaging Machinery delivered a solution that has met our expectations. The equipment has been reliable in daily production, and we’re pleased with its performance. We found the team knowledgeable, professional, and willing to assist whenever required.
We’ve been very happy with the equipment supplied by SA Packaging Machinery. It’s straightforward to use, performs consistently, and has helped us improve our production process. The team was easy to work with and made the entire experience smooth.
Comparison
A Z-type bucket elevator, an incline elevator and an auger feeder each carry product to the packing machine, and the product decides which one you need. A Z-type bucket elevator and an incline elevator lift granular products in buckets; an auger feeder pushes powder along a closed tube.
| Z-type bucket elevator | Incline elevator | Auger feeder (screw conveyor) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carries | Granular products and loose pieces: rice, nuts, cereals, snacks | Granular products | Powders |
| Enclosed | Closed all the way | Usually open; can be closed | Closed tube |
| Feeds | Multihead weighers and measuring cups | Multihead weighers and measuring cups | Auger fillers and dosers, bag fillers and any of our semi-automatic fillers |
| Figures from our lines and quotations | 3 L buckets, 7,200 L an hour | 4 L buckets, IP65, supplied to feed salad leaves to a 14-head weigher | 114 or 115 mm tube; 500 to 1,500 kg an hour |
Choose a Z-type elevator for granular products you want closed in all the way, an incline elevator where an open conveyor suits the product, and an auger feeder for powder. See screw conveyor for the auger feeder.
On a semi-automatic line, the Z-type elevator keeps a 4-head weigher supplied while the operator places each pack. On an automatic line, it feeds a 10-head or 14-head weigher on a working platform above a VFFS or pre-made pouch machine. In both, it keeps the weigher full without anyone lifting product by hand.
Advantages
Choose a Z-type bucket elevator when your product is granular and the weigher sits above the packing machine. It lifts rice, nuts, snacks and coffee beans from a low hopper to the top of the line in a closed path, so the product stays contained, and the buckets carry light, irregular pieces gently rather than pushing them. One elevator can be set up to serve two packing machines.
Quotation
Every Z-type bucket elevator is quoted to your product and line rather than from a list price, usually together with the weigher and packing machine it feeds. Send us a sample and we will specify the elevator to suit. For what shapes the figure on any machine quotation, see the packaging machine cost guide.
Why us
Every Z-type bucket elevator we supply is set up and handed over by our own technicians, together with the weigher it feeds.
Installation and commissioning.
We position the elevator at your weigher, connect the power, set it to keep the weigher supplied and hand over once product is arriving steadily.
Operator training.
Your operators learn to load the hopper, run the elevator with the weigher, and clean the buckets and hopper between products.
Service, spares and support.
Spares are held in Johannesburg, and our technicians support the line in person and remotely once you are running.
Choosing the right Z-type elevator starts with the product, the machine it feeds and how high it has to lift.
You might also like
Browse the full range
Filling MachinesSealing MachinesFlow WrapHorizontal Fill-SealHorizontal Form-Fill-SealCartoningCup Fill and SealTube Fill and SealLabellingShrink Sleeve LabellingShrink TunnelSleeve Sealer and Shrink TunnelL-Bar SealerSide Bar SealerBlister and ClamshellBottle Filler-Capper-LabellerCan Fill-SeamWrapping MachinesPiston FillerAuger FillerScrew ConveyorVacuum PackagingPallet Wrapping
SA Packaging Machinery supplies Z-type bucket elevators across South Africa and Southern Africa, usually as part of a weighing and packing line. Send us your product and tell us about your line, and we will specify the elevator and quote it.
Questions
Yes. Z-type bucket elevator, Z bucket conveyor and Z elevator are names for the same machine: buckets that lift product along a Z-shaped path, from a loading hopper at the bottom to the weigher at the top.
A Z-type bucket elevator carries granular products and loose pieces such as rice, sugar, nuts, cereals, coffee beans, snacks, wrapped sweets, roasted chickpeas and dried meat pieces.
No. On an elevator, powder spills, product is lost and the dose is less accurate. Powders are fed by an auger feeder, also called a screw conveyor, instead.
A Z-type bucket elevator feeds multihead weighers and measuring cups. On lines we have supplied, it feeds 4-head weighers on semi-automatic lines, and 10-head and 14-head weighers above VFFS and pre-made pouch machines.
On the lines we have supplied, 3 L buckets carry 7,200 L an hour. The weight that moves depends on the bulk density of your product, so it is confirmed on a trial.
Yes. On a dried ostrich line we have supplied, the Z-type elevator controls are set up to serve two packing machines.
Both lift granular products in buckets. A Z-type elevator is closed all the way and follows a Z-shaped path to the weigher; an incline elevator rises at an angle and is usually open, though it can be closed.
