FEATURE Supply chain, packaging & logistics
Improving supply chain effi ciency with bulk materials
Stephen Harding, Managing Director of Gough Engineering, explores the importance of bulk material handling and how it can help manufacturers address various obstacles in their supply chains
B
ulk material handling is the process of moving and managing large quantities of materials – powders, grains, liquids, solids, and others – but it extends beyond basic transfer operations. It plays a vital role in maintaining the quality and value of products throughout the supply chain. For instance, bulk material handling systems are vital in the sugar industry. They facilitate effi cient transfer and management of sugar, ensuring a smooth material fl ow, meeting customer demands promptly, increasing productivity, improving supply chain performance and maintaining product quality. However, to achieve these gains, bulk handling relies on specialised equipment and systems that can effi ciently transfer, store and distribute these materials within various stages of the supply chain.
Big bag dischargers
One type specialised equipment are the big bag dischargers. They seamlessly move materials by transferring products from contained or suspended bulk bags, restoring them to their original refi ned or processed state, ready for the customer’s production. The bags are discharged with hoists, hooks, motor drives, pendants, or forklifts, depending on the manufacturing process.
An important variable here is to determine the geometry and capacity characteristics of the physical bags, and analysing the product and its behaviour within that bag.
Gough Engineering’s material-handling systems integrate value-added processes, like product screening and in-line metal detection, for improved quality control. By assessing the delivered contents of big bags for oversized or undersized materials, manufacturers can ensure the consistency and integrity of their products as feedstock to their processes. This is particularly crucial in sugar manufacturing, where screening and metal detection are essential, before transferring sugar to other stages of production in order to guarantee fi nished
30 February 2024 | Automation
product quality for sale to the end user.
Efficient product transfer A UK-based sugar beet supply company, processing approximately eight million tonnes of sugar products annually, sought a turnkey solution for its logistics and operations functions. Gough Engineering was approached for a comprehensive solution that would incorporate the necessary integrated quality control measures. To ensure effi cient product transfer rates, the system needed to handle a throughput of 15 tonnes per hour, with controlled product fl ow. Variable bag sizes were to be handled with forklifts and secured in a big bag discharger frame, allowing bags to be untied or re-tied as required. Quality control measures included the removal of oversized or agglomerate particles and the elimination of ferrous metals from the product. Additionally, an elevating system was required to transfer the product into road tankers whilst adhering to safety standards and environmental considerations.
Gough Engineering’s resulting system met its client’s objectives. This consisted of a twin big-bag discharger unit, operator access features, agitator paddles for optimal product fl ow, an untie chamber, pneumatic valves for fl ow control, Gough Vibrafl o GVF6 vibratory screens for particle separation and the Floveyor F4
aero-mechanical solution for elevation, and an automatic detection and separation unit for ferrous metal removal.
The modular design allowed for the
reliable and safe fl ow of 30 tonnes per hour, per tanker – a massive improvement for the customer. The system also included complex electrical controls measuring and monitoring the system, as well as pneumatic process management.
Real-time supply chain execution Eff ectively designed and built material- handling systems provide manufacturers with the confi dence to meet customer audits and industry standards. Experts off ering bulk material handling systems are critical for customers within the manufacturing of supply-chain management. By using specialised equipment suitably engineered to provide required delivery performance, manufacturers can streamline their operations, ensure product integrity and meet customer requirements. As the importance of bulk material handling continues to grow, businesses must invest in these solutions as part of their integrated supply chain. In addition, as Gartner summerised in a recent report, these technologies can help manufacturers drive commercial growth through key supplier partnerships within their supply chain, to enhance their overall real-time supply chain execution.
automationmagazine.co.uk
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