The hoe has been replaced by a button. Automated dosing from big bags is safer

Big bag 4x larger than container? It was necessary to solve the dosing

A global manufacturer of aluminum castings wanted to innovate the technology of dosing aluminum material. A large-volume bag needed to be emptied into a shipping container, but since the contents of the big bag were 4 times larger than the contents of the container, we had to solve the dosing issue. In designing the solution, we were inspired by systems from the foundry industry. Overhead cranes with a magnet or grab fill large steel containers with various metals, and a vibrating feeder is used to dose the material into shipping containers for melting.

The biggest challenge was safely emptying the tank

The solution to hanging and transporting the big bag above the tank was technically simple. The real challenge was to ensure its safe emptying. Usually, the big bag is filled with a loose mixture, so it is enough to tear it above the tank with a spike and cut the bottom. However, we were working with 1000 kg of compacted aluminum material of a large fraction.

Unfortunately, the big bag manufacturer does not have a mechanical opening solution, so the operator had to handle the emptying manually - by pulling the string or using a hoe. This was neither safe nor very convenient.

We therefore designed a machine for emptying the big bag with the help of just one operator, which accelerated and automated the entire process. Before starting production, we carried out a provisional test and after successful testing, we started the implementation straight away.

No puncturing. Our solution works smoothly without destroying the big bags

We have designed a suspension device that lifts the big bag and transports it over a storage container with a vibrating feeder. The big bag is then lowered to a specified height and then lifted again. During this, the side eyes engage with the hooks of the container, so that the Velcro on the bottom of the bag is unfastened, the material is pressed to the bottom and the container is emptied. When opened, the eyes are released from the hook again and the empty container then returns to the loading/removal position.

The operator is safe and the material is safe too

The storage container above the vibrating feeder holds the contents of two big bags. The worker watches the filling process through industrial mirrors. After filling, the operator places the transport container under the feeder, activates it with a button and dumps the required amount. The entire facility is fenced and access to the interior is provided by a high-speed door. The operator has access to the big bag loading or unloading position only when the suspended equipment is lowered into the loading position.

If the door is not closed, the big bag cannot move. This keeps workers safe at all times.

Would you need a similar solution? Contact us and we will be happy to prepare a device tailored to your company. Or see other examples of our work:

• We designed a transfer cart for a foundry that made sorting easier.
• We supplied an automated pickling line to a thermal technology manufacturer.
• Our new repackaging workplace has withstood the demanding conditions of the pharmaceutical industry.