5 Things to Know Before Buying screw feeder

Aug. 18, 2025

10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Selecting a Screw Feeder System

Selecting a screw feeder system for your robotic screwdriving application can be a daunting task. There are various factors to consider, such the specifications of your screws and the required speed of delivery.

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It is important to choose the correct screw feeder system as your choice can significantly affect the productivity of your entire application.

There are a few questions you can ask yourself to make your life easier up front.

By answering these key questions, you can narrow down your search and find the perfect screw feeder system for your specific needs.

Here are 10 good questions to ask yourself:

1. What are the benefits of using a screw feeder system in a robotic application?

Before you even think about which screw feeder to use, you might wonder why you would need one at all.

There are several benefits of using a screw feeder with robotic screwdriving. The most obvious benefit is that it improves the productivity and efficiency of your entire application by delivering screws at a constant rate.

Screw feeders are simple and cost-effective, and you can apply them to a wide range of tasks.

2. What components do I need in a robotic screw feeder?

A screw feeder works by delivering screws to your robot at a constant rate. You simply pour the screws into the hopper and the screw feeder does the rest of the work.

Usually, screw feeders come as stand-alone units that include everything you will need. Components include a screw hopper to hold the screws, a system to align and queue screws ready for presentation, and a space for the robot to grab the screw.

For robotic screwdriving, the most important property is that the screw feeder is easily to integrate with your robotic system. Using a screwdriving application kit is a great way to ensure compatibility.

3. What size of screws will I use?

The size of screws you need for your application will dictate what type of screw feeder you can use. Larger screws will naturally require a larger screw feeder.

Look at both the width and length of the screws you will be using. It's better to be cautious up front than end up with a screw feeder that doesn't support your screws!

For instance, the Robotiq Screw Feeder supports screws between M2.5 and M5.

4. What type(s) of screws will I use?

As well as the size, you will also need to consider what types of screws you will need. There are many types of screws including ones made from different materials, with various head patterns, and designed for specific purposes.

For example, if your screws aren't ferromagnetic, they won't be compatible with screw feeders or robotic systems that rely on magnets to handle the screws.

5. What object am I screwing into and is it relevant?

It may be important to consider the properties of your workpiece. For instance, certain materials may require specialized screws or fasteners that don't match the more common screw types.

In such cases, it may be necessary to use a more specialized screw feeder system or adapt your chosen system to accommodate your requirements.

In other situations, the properties of the workpiece won't be relevant. But you won't know either way until you check.

6. How fast does the robot need to deliver the screws?

The speed you need to deliver screws will also play a role in determining which screw feeder you need. Your robot can only deliver screws at the correct rate if the screw feeder delivers them to the robot at that rate.

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This property will depend on the overall productivity requirement of your screwdriving application. For example, if you are looking for a super high-speed application, a collaborative robotic solution might provide insufficient speed.

7. How will the screw feeder integrate with my robotic system?

When selecting any component for a robotic application, it's important to consider how easy it is to integrate with the robotic system.

Most screw feeders will be usable for a robotic application. The question is how much integration and programming work you want to do. Some screw feeders — like the one in our Screwdriving Solution — work out-of-the-box. Others will require more advanced robotic integration skills.

8. Does my process require any non-standard fasteners?

If your application requires any non-standard fasteners, you will need to consider this early in your robotic deployment. You might need to use a specialized screw feeder that can handle these types of fasteners, or find other ways to incorporate those fasteners into your application.

Robots are very flexible so they can handle a wide range of non-standard screws and fasteners. But you may have to adapt your robotic setup to support them.

9. Are there additional costs associated with the system?

When selecting any robotic solution, it's important to ask if there will be any additional costs associated with the system.

The most obvious cost is the purchasing price. Additional costs associated with some systems might include maintenance and operating costs, licensing for software, integration costs, and other third-party costs that are not immediately obvious. Try to get as clear a costing as possible before you commit to a particular system.

10. Does the supplier have excellent customer service?

Customer service and support can make or break a robotic solution deployment. When you find a company that offers excellent customer support, they will make your life a lot easier.

At Robotiq, we offer a dedicated customer support service for anyone using our solutions and components, even if you purchase them from one of our distributors or partner integrators. This gives you double support for any issues you might encounter.

Selecting the right screw feeder system can be a daunting task. But, by asking yourself the questions we've listed above, you can make a more informed decision about which system will best suit your needs.

By narrowing down your search and getting clarity up front, it's much easier to find the perfect screw feeder system for your specific screwdriving application.

Choosing the Best Automatic Screw Feeder Suppliers: A Side-By ...

As a production engineer, you have first-hand knowledge of the importance of the manufacturing process. You know that it is just as valuable to design an effective process for manufacturing your signature goods as it is to produce a top-selling product. While the customer only sees the end result—a sleek new model of a consumer electronic or greater miniaturization of an internal medical device, for example—these aren’t the only aspects of your product that will determine financial success for your company. What must also be considered is whether or not you can produce the quantities of your popular products necessary to achieve a solvent profit margin.

The efficiency of your manufacturing process will greatly impact how healthy your profit margins are. This is equally true for third-party manufacturers that produce products for other companies as it is for businesses that manufacture their goods in-house. The more efficiently product orders can be fulfilled, whether for another company or for consumers, the more orders your company will be able to viably accept—and the higher your profit margins are likely to become.

The best way to ensure your product, and thereby your company’s, success, then, is to develop the most effective factory setup possible. As most operations work with screws or other fasteners, this includes choosing the right automatic screw feeding system to ensure your assembly process can meet your production quotas in a timely manner, in full, every time. In order to determine the best automatic screw feeding system for your operation, it’s necessary to take a close look at the options available from the top suppliers.

As the old engineering adage goes: If you’re asked to build a doghouse, the first question you ask isn’t, “Pine or oak?” Or, “Would you like it painted pink or purple?” It’s, “How big is the dog?”

When choosing a screw feeding system to suit the needs of your manufacturing process, the sentiment behind the old adage holds true: The most important aspects to consider are the basic ones. For example: How big are your screws? Do you need to supply an automatic screw feeding system or is a human operator necessary? How will you handle maintenance and repairs?

With these questions in mind, here are the four most critical factors to consider when selecting a screw feeder supplier:

#2: Screw coating (or other special needs)

Some screws are more delicate than others. For instance, some may be coated with sensitive materials which can be easily abraded or destroyed by passage through a screw feeding system. There are also screws on the market made of plastic or other lightweight materials that can be more easily bent, deformed, or destroyed than steel and other alloys. When working with these types of screws, it’s important to choose a screw feeder that takes careful handling into consideration.

#3: Automation level

A single-cell or small-line assembly operation will naturally have vastly different screw feeding needs than a large, fully automated assembly plant. It may be enticing for small outfits to consider going fully automatic, investing in a high-speed, high-volume screw supply system. However, if they don’t have the capacity in other areas to make these efficiency gains worthwhile, the expensive automatic screw feeder system may end up costing more than it ever realizes in returns. Conversely, a large operation looking to save money by investing in a more basic screw supply system may find that the reduced efficiency also reduces their margins to below a sustainable level. When choosing a screw supply system, it’s essential to realistically assess your needs, and then choose a semi- or fully automatic system accordingly based on anticipated ROI.

#4: Supplier location

It may seem a little quaint to value supplier proximity in today’s world of delivery drones and global supply chains. However, it still requires more resources to get to San Diego from Boston than it does from Los Angeles—that’s simply a fact. This consideration is especially important when it comes to the repair and maintenance aspect of assembly operations. Your factory relies on your screw feeding system to stay up and running. If the feeding system goes down, so does production. When you’re relying on the equipment manufacturer’s technicians for repair and maintenance services, their location matters. Nearby suppliers will be able to help you with unplanned system downtime more rapidly than distant options, reducing idle hours and increasing production ability.

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