Abstract: A general purpose part feeder is disclosed based on a modified conventional bowl feeder, the modifications including the lining of the bowl spiral trough with a fiber material which upon induced vibratory motion causes advancement of the parts in a particular direction dependent on the orientation of the material with respect to the trough and also including an intermittent mode of operation. The fiber material is disposed in the trough in segments oriented such that the part velocity varies in different sections of the trough so that the parts are separated in the last trough section proximate the feeder outlet. Parts are fed out of the bowl feeder singly by means of a photodetector-timer relay control which causes the bowl feeder to be operated in intervals so as to advance a part to the exit point whereat the photodetector detects its presence and causes the bowl to be shut off.