Delaere semi-automatic bigbag and octabin filling line for PMMA
Delaere semi-automatic bigbag and octabin filling line for PMMA
Delaere supplied a semi-automatic bigbag and octabin filling line for a producer of PMMA pellets in the Far East. One of the customer requests is to fill single, double and triple stacked bigbags. Pre-built octabins are also to be filled on the line. To ergonomically and safely place these octabins on the line, an automatic infeed system was added next to the pallet dispenser.
To avoid any cross contamination, the inflating system to inflate the liner in the bigbag or octabin before filling starts is equipped with an H13 air filter which removes 99.95% of all particles in the air measuring 0.2 microns in diameter. A metal detector with reject system is integrated in the product way. Contaminated product is pushed out of the product way and collected in a reject bin.
The bigbag and octabin filling line is connected to a stretch hood machine supplied by a third party. Both the Delaere filling line and the FFS filling line + palletizer are connected to this stretch hood zone. The Delaere filling line is equipped with an intermediate infeed station. The function of this infeed station is double. Half-filled bigbags or octabins can be transported back to the filling station and a pallet with FFS bags filled on another line can be send to the stretch hood zone where these pallets receive their protective “hood”
Challenge
A first major challenge was the request to enable the filling of double and triple stacked bigbags. Delaere installed a EV2SR type filling station which is a gross weighing filling system with height adjustable roller conveyor. Regardless of the height of the bags to be filled, the operator always stands at the same ergonomic height towards the filling tube of the filling station. The first filled bigbag will be considered as tare weight before the filling of the second bigbag starts.
Due to the various type of packages and the required output of 25 ton per hour, Delaere also installed a lifting system on the closing position next to the filling station. Both the lifting system in the filling station and closing position were equipped with an electrical spindle system. Compared to a hydraulic lifting system, there is almost no risk of oil spillage and the noise emission level is significantly lower.
For ergonomic and safety reasons, the customer did not want to place the octabins directly on the line. Delaere designed a custom-made system where the empty octabin is transferred from the floor level to an empty pallet on the line, dispensed by the pallet dispenser. This octabin infeed system is a combination of “pneumatic hands” and a motor driven axle to tilt and transfer the empty octabin on the line.
The complex configuration of the line and the connection to a third party stretch hood area required a high level of automation and split in different safety zones. Necessary safeties and selection buttons were installed to tell the line which type of pallet is to be transported to which direction and for which function.
Result
The result is a high performant semi-automatic bigbag and octabin filling line able to fill double and triple stacked bigbags. The inflation line with H13 filter system and metal detector with reject system make sure that there is no contamination in the filled bigbags and octabins which is crucial for the quality of the PMMA product.
The various features like the octabin infeed system and lift on the closing system not only increase the capacity of the line but also the ergonomics for the operators.