National Bulk Equipment has built this automated bulk material-handling and packaging system on its integrated construction and controls infrastructure. The complete process sequence — including pallet/base supply, slipsheet pick-and-placement, bulk material infeed, packaged contents isolated densification, NTEP-certified weighing and finished-package accumulation conveyance — operates on paired, process-specific structural framework chassis with all automation and control functions centralized to a single, menu-driven HMI to enable standardized and system-wide data reporting. Moreover, the company says that this system grants:
- A reduced total cost of ownership, relative to the common systems integration concept of bolt-together, divergent islands of equipment, while also improving process performance and the accuracy of production data shared throughout the enterprise.
- An automatic pallet dispenser that eliminates manual handling of pallets, so a pallet stack, which is delivered by forklift, is conveyed into the dispenser where the stack is automatically formed and each pallet is aligned and staged to advance into the slipsheet dispenser.
- A slipsheet dispenser magazine that can hold up to 2,500 pounds of sheet.
- Sensors and automated controls to guide the dispenser lift carriage along horizontal- and vertical-flanged cam rollers to accurately pick and place up to 30 slipsheets per hour.
- A bulk bag filling stage that uses a cantilevered fill head/bag hanger carriage design with pneumatic actions to bring the fill head and rear bag hooks to well within the operator’s reach, thus eliminating the need for the operator to step or lean into the equipment, and maintaining optimal operator posture for safe and efficient operation.
- An 8-GPM hydraulic lift carriage to easily and safely lift bag capacities up to 4,500 pounds, far exceeding the lift speed and capacity of ball screw designs.
- An NTEP-certified (Cert. No. 07-108) hang-weigh system for valid, accurate and repeatable weighing of the bulk bags to an accuracy of ±0.05 percent of the 4,500-pound bag weight.
- A bulk bag densification platform that uses 3 Gs of high-speed, low-intensity vibration to settle material in the bag to a dense, stable and safe load.
- Vibratory action isolated from the deck and focused on the bulk package to ensure precise package weight accuracy.
- Conformance to the regulated processes and practices of the Class II, Div. 2, process area, including Type Z purge.