Vaughan Company has a long history of innovation and quality. Jim Vaughan, the founder of Vaughan Company, invented the world's first chopper pump in 1960. The business started in the garage of Jim's gas station in Elma, Washington. Jim repaired the local dairymen's manure pumps, which experienced constant maintenance problems caused by clogging on bedding and twine. After spending many a wasted hour repairing pumps, Jim developed a unique design that effectively became the original chopper pump. Immediately, Jim realized he had invented something worthy of a patent.

The Vaughan Chopper Pump is a centrifugal pump with the unique ability of chopping all incoming solids prior to pumping. This not only protects the pump from clogging, but also provides added benefit to downstream components, processes, and the environment.

All wear components are cast steel and heat treated for maximum impact and wear resistance. Combined together, these heavy duty patented components create the ultimate pump for handling severe solids.

This same basic concept has been used in Vaughan's vertical wet well design for almost a half-century.

Chopping is accomplished by the scissor action of the leading edges of the impeller vanes cutting against the opposing edges of the cutter bar.

All solids are chopped as they enter between the cutter bar and the impeller vanes. The smaller solids are easily pumped by the centrifugal action of the impeller.

The Rotamix system uses fixed nozzle assemblies. Once the nozzle assembly is installed, the nozzles are adjusted to the factory specified angle, and permanently tightened. No additional adjustment is required. Vaughan's chopper pump is the heart of the Rotamix system. Vaughan’s proven technology over the past 45 years provides long-term low maintenance, and the highest reliability of any chopper pump. Continuously chopped solids not only eliminate nozzle clogging, but enhance sludge quality. Digester efficiency is increased by further reducing solids size and increasing surface contact.