Silicone Dust Caps: Uses for the Hanningfield Uni-Cap

Silicone dust caps are the perfect solution to achieving containment in processing – and they are probably more affordable than you think!

The Uni-Cap is a flexible silicone rubber seal which provides a cost-effective method for the dust-tight transfer or containment of powders. Caps can be easily fitted or retro-fitted to any process and they can be used for the contained charging of mills, tablet presses, vessels, drums and IBCs etc. The cap (with hole) can be replaced with a cap (without hole) to seal off the inlet after the charging process.

Dust Tight Milling

Commonly when milling, there will be a receiving drum placed on the outlet of the mill to capture all of the milled product.  Rarely will any product not create some amount of dust during the milling process, and without a hermetic connection between the outlet and the receiving drum, the product dust will simply escape into the process room.  Using a Hanningfield silicone dust cap can provide a solution to this problem, whereby a Uni-Cap is fitted to the drum lid, and the outlet of the mill pierces through a specified size hole cut into the cap.  This creates a quick and easy method of containing dust.  Hanningfield can supply a bespoke design lid, including mounting flange for the Uni-Cap, and also breather arrangement to prevent over-pressure within the receiving drum. 

Dust Tight Vacuum Transfer

When using vacuum transfer as a method of transporting material from A to B, the Hanningfield Uni-Vac will always mount above a receiving vessel which is to receive the sucked powder.  Similarly to milling, when the Uni-Vac discharges powder into the receiving container, there is a creation of dust which again can emit into the process room.  This can be particularly problematic should the material be hazardous to operators.  By using a Uni-Cap on the receiving container, when the Uni-Vac discharges the powder is contained within the drum, with the breather sock preventing over-pressure from the sudden displacement of air from the mass of discharged powder. 

Powder Transportation

The Uni-Cap can also act simply as a reliable, FDA compliant and cheap solution to keeping product contained, often during transportation of drums, containers etc.