By Greg Washburn and Joshua Belisle · Edited by Dana Gardner
Published August 3, 2024 · Reviewed by Greg Washburn · August 3, 2026
Summary
What is a lance or pickup wand for vacuum conveying?
A lance, also called a pickup wand, is a tube used to empty material from a Gaylord, barrel or even a bag. It attaches to a length of flexible hose that connects to a self-contained vacuum loader, or to a receiver when a central system is pulling material from Gaylords. Lances range from 1.5″ to 4″ in diameter and include an airflow adjustment.
Lances
Lances — or pickup wands — are use to empty material from a Gaylord or barrel or even a bag of materiel. It is attached to a length of flexible hose which is connected to a self-contained vacuum loader or a receiver (if a central system is pulling material from gaylords). Lances may be 1.5″ to 4″ in diameter and they include an airflow adjustment.
Learn More About Pickup Wands and Other Conveying Accessories for Plastic Materials
Frequently Asked Questions
What sizes do pickup wands come in?
Lances are available from 1.5″ to 4″ in diameter. Each one includes an airflow adjustment. The lance attaches to a length of flexible hose, which connects either to a self-contained vacuum loader or to a receiver when a central conveying system is drawing material from Gaylords.
Can a lance be used with a central vacuum conveying system?
Yes. A lance works with either a self-contained vacuum loader or a central system. With a central system, the flexible hose from the lance connects to a vacuum receiver that is pulling material from the Gaylord. The same lance can also empty barrels or bags of material, not only Gaylords.
About the Authors
Vice President of Operations, Novatec
Greg Washburn is Vice President of Operations at Novatec and has been with the company for more than three decades. He is involved in all phases of engineering design and product manufacturing, giving him a broad perspective on how resin drying and conveying equipment moves from engineering concept through production and into real-world processing environments.
Greg holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland. He is a member of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), reflecting his professional involvement in both plastics processing and mechanical engineering.
Technology Manager, Novatec
Joshua Belisle is Technology Manager at Novatec, with a focus on simulation and advanced engineering tools used to better understand the science of resin drying. Since joining Novatec in 2023, he has applied new simulation capabilities to investigate aspects of the drying process that were previously difficult to measure directly, helping turn complex process behavior into useful engineering insight.
Joshua earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Business from the University of Virginia in 2023. He is a member of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), connecting his work in advanced simulation and engineering analysis with the broader plastics and mechanical engineering communities.
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