In bulk material handling, screw flights are one of the most critical components in keeping material moving. Whether used in conveyors, feeders, mixers, or augers, the choice between Helicoid and Sectional Flights directly impacts equipment strength, longevity, and maintenance needs.
At ISC Manufacturing, we fabricate both helicoid and sectional flights—individually or as complete augers—ensuring our customers get the right solution for their material and operating conditions. Here’s how the two compare.
What Are Helicoid Flights?
Helicoid flights are formed by rolling a continuous strip of steel into a helical shape, then welding it to a central shaft or pipe. This process creates a smooth, uniform surface with no joints along the flight.
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Advantages:
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Smooth, continuous surface promotes efficient material flow.
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Lower cost for light-to-medium duty applications.
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Quick to produce in standard sizes.
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Best Uses:
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Free-flowing materials like grains, pellets, powders, or meal.
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Standard conveyors and augers handling relatively uniform loads.
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Limitations:
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Not ideal for highly abrasive or heavy-duty service.
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Limited customization in thickness, pitch, or special geometries.
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Typically used only in shafted screws, not shaftless designs.
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What Are Sectional Flights?
Sectional flights are cut from plate steel, then formed and welded one by one around a shaft—or built as a continuous helix for shaftless screws. Their flexibility makes them the go-to choice for heavy-duty and custom applications.
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Advantages:
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Stronger and more durable, especially for abrasive or high-load materials.
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Fully customizable in pitch, diameter, thickness, or geometry.
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Can be fabricated in abrasion-resistant steels AR400/500, stainless steel, or with hardfacing steel.
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Suitable for shafted and shaftless screws—sectional is the standard for shaftless due to its strength.
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Unique Benefit: Sectional Flights can be precision line grinded, where the outer edges are machined down to a perfectly flat, concentric surface. This process removes any uneven or “proud” edges left from forming, giving the screw a true diameter that runs smoother, wears evenly, and lasts longer.
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Best Uses:
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Abrasive materials such as aggregates, clinker, ash, and cement.
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Large-diameter or heavy-duty augers.
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Specialty designs like ribbon, paddle, or variable-pitch flights.
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Limitations:
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Higher upfront cost than helicoid flights.
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Heavier, sometimes requiring stronger drives when assembled into augers.
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Helicoid vs. Sectional: Which Should You Choose?
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If you need standard, cost-effective flighting for lighter-duty service, Helicoid Flights are often the most practical choice.
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If you need custom, heavy-duty, or abrasion-resistant solutions, Sectional Flights are the clear winner.
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For applications that demand longer service life or a precisely flat edge, Sectional Flights can be line grinded before use for truer alignment, smoother operation, and to extend wear life.
ISC’s Flighting Capabilities
At ISC, we don’t just build complete conveyors—we also manufacture individual flights, augers, and replacement components. Whether you need helicoid flights for efficiency, sectional flights for durability, or specialty alloys for abrasive or corrosive service, we’ll deliver parts engineered for your application.
Options include:
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AR400/500 or Hardox sectional flights for abrasive materials.
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Stainless steel (304, 316) flights for corrosive or sanitary processes.
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Weld-on hardfacing for extreme wear zones.
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Custom designs: ribbon, cut, folded, or paddle flights.
By sourcing your flighting directly from ISC, you get durable components built with precision and backed by decades of experience in bulk material handling.
📞 Need replacement flights or a custom auger? Contact ISC today for engineered flighting built to your specs.
🌐 www.iscmfg.com
