DES MOINES — Recently Sukup Manufacturing released a new product to its commercial line that will allow for zero entry into a bin during the unloading process.

Randy Marcks, material handling sales director for Sukup Manufacturing, said its new paddle sweep became available with the commercial grain handling marketplace last November.

The new paddle sweep, he said, is rated to move 10,000 bushels per hour, but is run with a variable frequency drive which allows the sweep to slow that speed down to move 5,000 bushel per hour and speed back up again to handle specific needs.

The paddle sweep is made for 60- to 156-foot diameter bins, but Marcks said the company can build a custom unit.

The paddle sweep works best for installation into new bins due to the center sump that is cast into the concrete. However, Marcks said the unit has been retrofitted into existing bins, but this process will require cutting into the concrete to ensure the paddle sweep has the proper fit inside the bin.

One of the biggest benefits to Sukup Manufacturing’s new paddle sweep, Marcks said, is that it does not require anyone to be in the bin during the unloading process.

“It’s made of paddles, not an auger, so those paddles rub across the floor and even eliminates the need to have to enter the bin and use a broom it takes all of the grain away.”

In addition to rubber paddles, the paddle sweep also features UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight) plastic paddles on every 10-foot section.

These heavy-duty paddles, Marcks said, will help break up any hard or crusted areas the rubber paddles may not be able to break up and move.

The paddle sweep features exterior touch screen control.

According to Sukup, the zero-entry automatic touch controls allow the pushers’ start and stop points to be user programmed on the touch screen to keep the paddles running efficiently based on a particular situation.

In automatic mode, the controller senses chain load and advances the sweep without overloading the chain motor, preventing spinning of the pusher tires, which can cause extra wear. The sweep control also have a manual mode that allows the operator to control sweep advancement.

Marcks said the paddle sweep is built to withstand the weight of grain that comes with larger commercial bins.