Bulk Bag Handling Equipment
Bulk bag equipment is machinery used to hold and move large bags. It’s often used at the start of production to transfer products to conveyors, which then package and prepare them for shipping, or go for the next process.
Bulk bags are large fabric sacks used to store and transport dry materials like sand, grain, fertilizer, and plastic pellets.
Bulk bag equipment is utilized across various settings, including greenhouses, industrial manufacturing plants, commercial agriculture operations, food distribution centres, pharmaceutical production facilities, and more.
What is Material Handling Equipment?
Material handling equipment in the supply chain is categorized based on its purpose and placement. These categories include:
- Transportation: Moving materials from one location to another.
- Placement: Positioning materials in the correct spot.
- Load Formation: Creating manageable loads for transport.
- Retrieval: Picking up and collecting materials.
Modern material handling also relies on advanced software systems, which are essential for these processes.
Material Transportation
In material handling, “transportation” involves various equipment and devices used to move items, supplies, and materials efficiently. This includes:
- Hoists, cranes, and conveyors: These transport goods within a facility, helping move items between processing areas, production zones, and packing or assembly stations.
- Forklifts, dollies, hand trucks, and pallet jacks: These tools have direct contact with materials and assist in moving them around.
The speed at which raw materials are fed into the processing location greatly affects the quality of the assembly or manufacturing process.
The way components are transported depends on the type of product being made and where the components need to go.
Modern production often uses advanced technology, like automated robots and different types of feeders, to precisely place components into the product.
Shipping and Receiving Equipment
When people think of material handling, they often picture the shipping and receiving department,
where products are managed and prepared for distribution. This crucial area uses various tools, machinery, and equipment to streamline the process.
Key equipment includes:
- Side-loaders
- Pallet trucks
- Walkie stackers
- Order pickers
- Locators
- Platform vehicles like dollies and hand trucks
Mobile roller conveyors are especially useful for loading and unloading trucks, as they can be moved and adjusted to different locations.
What are the different types of bulk bag handling equipment?
- There are several types of bulk bag machinery, including:
• Bulk Bag Fillers
• Bulk Bag Unloaders (or Dischargers)
• Bulk Bag Conditioners - Bulk Bag Unloaders (or Dischargers)
Bulk bag unloaders release powders or dry materials from storage bags. They are crucial for handling large bags and ensuring safety during material handling.
These unloaders are especially useful for tightly packed materials that are hard to unload manually. - Components of Bulk Bag Unloaders:
• Frame
• Hopper
• Bag support
• Suspension loops
• Outlet chute - Types of Bulk Bag Unloaders:
• Forklift-style: Forklifts place bags into the unloader.
• Chain hoist-style: Uses a hoist to lift and position bags.
• Crane-style: Similar to forklift models but less common. - Food and Pharmaceutical Bulk Bag Unloaders
These unloaders are designed for hygiene and efficiency in food and pharmaceutical industries.
They use automation and advanced computing to ensure a contamination-free environment, improving production speed and reducing costs. - Rail Car Unloading
Rail car unloading systems move materials from rail cars to their use points.
They use a vacuum filter, vacuum blower, and rotary valve to transfer products.
These systems need to be cost-effective and efficient due to high operating costs. - Bulk Bag Filler Systems
These machines are used to weigh and fill bulk bags. They can include features like vibratory bases to compact materials better.
To improve material flow, they can also have conveyors, pallet dispensers, and automatic bag removal systems. - Key Features:
• Designed for optimal performance within specific capacity ranges while keeping costs low.
• Suitable for medium to high-capacity applications.
• Fill head positioned near the operator at floor level for quicker, safer, and more convenient bag connections.
Customization:
• Each design can be tailored to meet specific bulk bag filling needs.
• Options range from simple, budget-friendly models to advanced, high-capacity automated systems.
The 5 things to know when choosing your big bag unloading system
Criterion 1: How do I position my big bag on the unloading station?
- Handling big bags safely is crucial due to their weight (usually between 800 and 1,500 kg).
- Here are four main options:
1. Forklift with a handling cross: Use a forklift to position the bag.
2. Electric hoist: Attach an electric hoist to the structure of the unloading station.
3. Workshop crane with a handling cross: Use your workshop crane to position the bag.
4. Handling cage: Place the bulk bag in a handling cage.
Criterion 2: Big bag with or without discharge sleeve?
- There are two main types of big bags:
1. With discharge sleeve: These bags have a spout for easy discharge.
2. Full-bleed bags: These bags do not have a discharge spout. - For bags with a discharge spout, you have several options (see Criterion 3). For full-bleed bags, it’s essential to have a puncture blade on your emptying station.
- This blade cuts the bag open when it’s positioned on the station. The puncture blade must be sharp and pointed to ensure a clean cut and smooth flow of materials.
Criterion 3: How to open the cuff of the big bag?
- Untie Box:
• Offers great ergonomics and works with all cuff types.
• Positioned at operator height for easy access.
• Allows the product to flow into a containment tube once the cuff is released. - Glove Box:
• Prevents operator exposure to materials, ideal for toxic substances.
• Provides total containment but reduces dexterity.
• Requires good lighting and ergonomic access. - Telescopic Clamping Tube:
• Ensures a clean drain without contact with the outside atmosphere.
• Needs specific big bags with long enough cuffs for connection.
• Popular for its cleanliness and ergonomic benefits.
Each method affects operator ergonomics and safety, so choosing the right one depends on your specific needs and constraints.
Criterion 4: Is my product fluid, flowing, arching, cohesive?
- Here are some options to help facilitate product flow:
• Vibrating Plate:
• Helps extract powders by vibrating the big bag.
• Agitates the material and collapses any arches that form.
• Pneumatic or Hydraulic Massage Systems:
• Use cylinders to penetrate the big bag and apply strong mechanical action.
• Ideal for powders with difficult flow properties.
• Can be configured with two or four jacks depending on the bag size and powder compaction. - These systems ensure smooth flow of cohesive powders, making the handling process more efficient.
Criterion 5: Generation of Dust
- Opening a big bag can create dust. To manage this, consider adding a filter, a dedusting ring, or enclosing the entire station.
• Light Density Powder: Connect your emptying station to a centralized dust collector to capture fine particles. This connection should have multiple collection points with adjustable suction flow rates.
• High Emptying Rate: For installations that empty large volumes quickly, a station enclosure might be the best option. This helps manage the large air and dust exchanges that occur during rapid discharge. - The Palamatic big bag emptying solution, model EF500, offers a full enclosure with a connection to a centralized dust collector and even compacts the emptied bags, making it a popular choice for handling dust.