Filling bulk bags with fish meal

Processed product: Fish meal

Packaging process optimization

Our client is one of the largest manufacturers of fish meal for the animal feed industry. They have a vertical manufacturing process from fishing to processing, storage and resale. They produce the fish meal in two formats: pellets and meal.

Objectives and challenges:

Our client wanted to optimize their super sack packaging process by increasing the production rate (50 super sacks/hour). They were previously using a time consuming and labor-intensive filling method. The bulk bags were placed manually, by the operator, on the fill chute and held in place by a forklift.
The other challenges involved are avoiding excessive levels of dust, preventing poor flow of the product and establishing better safety and ergonomics in their filling process.
 

Palamatic Process equipment:

Pre-dosing before filling

In order to achieve the desired rate of 50 bulk bags per hour, two filling stations were installed with each capable of 25 bulk bags per hour. Prior to the filling station, the required amount of material for a full bulk bag is loaded into buffer hoppers.
Given the high fat content and poor flow properties of fishmeal, two hoppers are positioned in parallel for each station. The work is done in hidden time: while one is filling up, the other is emptying.

Biulk bag packaging line

After the buffer hopper preparation stage, the line consists of a Flowmatic® 03 semi-automatic bulk bag filling station. The operation cycle is as follows:

• The operator positions the bulk bag manually on the station
• The spout seal inflates for a dust tight connection
• The flow control valve releases the bulk material flow
• The bulk bag is lowered automatically via the pneumatic cylinder
• The target weight is reached and the material flow shuts off
• The seal deflates and the spout closing is done automatically without operator intervention
• A rotating head achieves a centering point on the big bag and an metal clamp is placed using a magnetic arm
• The bulk bag is released by the automatic hook system
• A conveyor belt automatically sends the big bags to the forklift collection point
• Quality monitoring is provided via the automatic bulk bag identification drop-off station
   

Dust collection system

A dust filter device is integrated into the bulk bag filling line to prevent dust escaping at the level of the weighing hoppers and filling station. This system also can reclaim some of the material from the filters via the reverse pulse jet cleaning, which allows the fishmeal to fall back into the dust collection hopper.

Results:

The installation made it possible to achieve the initial objectives:

• Increase production rates
• Improve the safety and ergonomics of operator stations
• Avoid any emissions of dust

Discover the installation in video: