Project Scope

Automated Emptying of 600 Palletized Bags per Hour Ensures Uninterrupted Material Supply to Downstream Process Operations

The manual method of opening and emptying palletized multiwall bags used by this processing operation had continued to present increased risk of injury to operators and had prevented the project owner from meeting newly required increases in process run rates. Due to process requirements of the project, it is necessary that the palleted bag opening and emptying operations occur out of doors.

Project-Specific Engineering:

To achieve the new run rate targets the project owner had planned to install addition manual bag breaks stations. However, in collaborating with the project owner and the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firm, NBE conducted a proactive application analysis. The analysis, together with the resulting process flow diagrams and 3D process modeling, were brought to the project owner by the AEC and NBE to support an automated palletized bag emptying project recommendation. The project owner accepted the new project recommendation. The NBE automated palletized bag emptying project was engineered-to-application (ETA) based on the newly determined project-specific performance requirements. Filled multiwall bags are conveyed into the bag emptier enclosure at, or above designed rate, depending on downstream process requirements. Within the bag opening enclosure dual, high-speed, beveled blades make precision cuts through the length of the multiwall bag. The opened bags enter the rotary separator where the rotating action removes the contents from the bags. The emptied contents fall into the staging hopper. From the staging hopper a rotary valve meters the process material for downstream supply via pneumatic conveying. The sections of emptied multiwall bags are automatically removed from the product stream to be compacted and recycled.

Project Performance:

The automated palletized bag emptier project from NBE produces for the project owner a continuous process run rate of 600 bags per hour; well suited for the project owner’s continued expectations for increasing rates. In addition to the processing rate gains, the automated and enclosed bag opening and emptying sequence has improved operator safety. Operators are no longer subject to the same repetitive motion injuries or the material dust associated with manual bag opening. The high-speed, rotating blade opening method eliminates ripping and tearing of the bag material and the resulting production contaminants caused by manual opening methods. NBE engineering and materials of construction specifications ensure the project infrastructure, component assemblies, and automation are performance-built to provide optimal effectiveness regardless of the harsh outdoor process environment at the project owner location.