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Latest questions

What information do you have about toasting soybeans and suitable equipment? The aim is to lower the levels of urease and TIA in the soybean to make the product better adapted to poultry and pigs.
I am currently in the process of designing a dust collector. One of the first steps involves specifying the correct minimum conveying/pickup velocity at the inlet of the hood. It is to be used in the baking industry and can see anything from different flours, sugar, salt, seeds, whole buns, etc. After a couple hours of research I’ve realized it...
A pneumatic conveying system can’t function without the combination of chutes and hoppers – they are integral and critical components that are inseparable because they act as a giant funnel that helps to get your material into your system.
Saltation velocity is the speed below which particles being conveyed through a pneumatic conveying system lose suspension and begin to deposit at the bottom of horizontal pipelines.
When working with materials that can hold water, it is always important to know how much water is contained inside it. Depending on the size of the particles, storage method, temperature, and many other factors, some materials can hold more water than others.

Our experts

David Hyer has led Thayer Scale as President and General Manager since 2016, overseeing all aspects of daily operations and long-term strategic direction. He originally joined the company in 1985 as a college student writing machine-level code for the PI-164 instrument, returning in 2013 after a successful career in senior leadership at Teradyne and two venture-backed technology ventures. Prior to rejoining Thayer Scale, David served as Division Manager for Teradyne’s circuit-board test and inspection business, where he was responsible for P&L and led global sales, engineering, and service teams. His broader background includes senior roles in sales, business development, and product strategy across high-growth technology companies. David brings deep expertise in the design and manufacture of precision conveyor belt scales and gravimetric feeders. Under his leadership, Thayer Scale has strengthened its focus on product specialization, engineering excellence, and rigorous quality, delivering solutions tailored to the demanding needs of the Food, Energy & Building Products, and Chemical & Industrial markets. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University. David and his wife have three children, and he enjoys tennis, golf, and spending time on the water.
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Chris Harrison began his career by studying Mechanical Engineering and Computing at college before joining Trantec Solids Handling Ltd, where he has now built over 10 years of hands-on technical experience within the bulk solids handling industry. Working in a technical role, Chris provides customer support, product trials, machine design and system development, supporting customers across a wide range of powder and bulk handling applications. His expertise centres on metering and feeding systems, including gravimetric and volumetric feeders, flexible screw conveyors and micro-dosing solutions, delivering reliable and hygienic handling solutions tailored to specific process requirements. Chris has extensive experience in the handling of troublesome and difficult-flowing powders, as well as the design and specification of batch weighing systems and weighed processes. He also provides specialist support for ATEX applications and hazardous area requirements, ensuring systems are designed and implemented in line with current safety standards. With strong knowledge of PLC systems and their integration into materials handling equipment, Chris supports the development of automated and efficient feeding and weighing solutions. By combining engineering knowledge with real-world materials handling experience, Chris delivers practical, cost-effective and fully optimised solutions that improve reliability, accuracy and long-term performance for customers across multiple industries.
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Jeff Lucke graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh with a degree in International Business. Jeff subsequently obtained a post college degree from Anoka Technical College in Import/Export. Jeff joined Solimar Pneumatics as their sole sales person in 1991. Along with a staff of engineers that have 20+ years of experience in powder handling, Jeff and Solimar Pneumatics are now widely known as leading experts in the industry. Through the years the company expanded their international presence through trade shows, travel, and advertising. Solimar now sells to over 75 countries worldwide. In 2019 Jeff and two partners became the owners of Solimar Pneumatics.
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Gerard van Schoten is Managing Director at HETHON, a globally active specialist in powder dosing systems. With a strong technical background and hands-on experience throughout the company, Gerard combines strategic leadership with deep process knowledge in dry bulk handling. He is widely regarded for his expertise in handling and dosing poorly flowing powders, particularly in industries requiring high precision and reliability under challenging conditions such as ATEX environments. Gerard works closely with international customers, engineers, and agents to translate complex process challenges into custom-engineered, long-term solutions. Having grown within the company from a technical role into leadership, Gerard brings a unique combination of technical credibility and commercial insight. He remains actively involved in advising on system configurations, control integration, and customer-specific adaptations—ensuring that every solution HETHON delivers is both technically sound and practically applicable. Gerard regularly supports agents and customers worldwide and is a trusted point of contact for clients seeking high-performance dosing technology for demanding industrial applications.
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