Bags, Bagging, & Packaging 1717

Bulk Bag
The patent-pending MegaBase has the stability of a baffle bag but has no baffles. By eliminating the internal baffles, the MegaBase eliminates the filling, cleanliness, and leakage issues typically associated with baffle bags. The bulk bag can use standard low-cost liners to improve cleanliness for food and other sensitive applications. The bag has fewer sew-lines which significantly reduces the opportunities for sifting. Because there are no internal baffles that create empty top corners, the bag stacks more stably than baffle bags. MegaBase will fit existing fill and discharge equipment without any alterations. AmeriGlobe LLC, Lafayette, LA 866-264-5623 www.ameriglobe-fibc.com

High-Lift Box/Container Dumper
The Tip-Tite high-lift box/container dumper discharges dust-free into vessels 6 to 10 ft above the plant floor. The dumper allows boxes and other containers to be loaded at floor level, sealed against a discharge hood, elevated and tipped, mating the hood outlet to a gasketted inlet port fitted to any receiving vessel. The dumper accommodates Gaylords and other boxes from 36 to 48 in. on a side and 39 to 44 in. overall height. The container platform is raised by a single hydraulic cylinder, creating a dust-tight seal between the top edge of the container and the underside of the discharge hood. A second hydraulic cylinder raises the platform-hood assembly vertically, before tipping it to a motion-dampened stop at 60 degrees beyond horizontal, causing the vertically-oriented hood outlet to mate with the receiving vessel’s horizontally-oriented inlet port. Flexicon Corp., Bethlehem, PA 888-353-9426 www.flexicon.com

Pallet Dispenser
The Model 601 pallet dispenser has a side-clamp design that grips and lifts the entire stack to allow the bottom pallet to feed independently from the stack to the palletizing station. This dispenser runs pallets with protruding nails or loose boards, while minimizing further pallet damage and eliminating handling concerns during warehousing and shipping. This dispenser operates with any packaging machine requiring automatic pallet feed, including case, bag, and robotic palletizers, large tote and super sack fillers. It can also operate as an empty pallet stacker/accumulator at the outfeed of case or bulk depalletizers. It is designed to fit all palletizers and depalletizer styles.A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp., Tarpon Springs, FL 727-937-5144 www.abcpackaging.com

Band Sealer
As an entry level machine, the B-550 band sealer is available in a full range of styles and options that allow the user to configure it to meet specific requirements. The sealer is available in both vertical and horizontal formats and in two feed directions. The technology features a wide selection of standard options including emboss or ink coders, integrated conveyors, bagtop trimmers, bag counters, and stainless steel construction. The sealer’s fast and reliable heat sealing makes it ideal for a wide range of applications. Several features reduce downtime. The use of fiberglass sealing bands provides superior seals and reduces machine wear. When bands are worn, they can be changed in minutes without tools by simply moving a lever. Bosch Packaging Technology Inc., New Richmond, WI 715-243-2503 www.boschpackaging.com

Gross Weigh Bagging Scale
Ideal for hand-bagging seeds, feed, fertilizer, dry sand, or any other free-flowing product, the Model 100GW is a new design featuring a unique dual load cell system. This design innovation provides better weighing accuracy and faster processing speeds. Now bagging rates up to 16 bags/min can be attained on a compact gross weigh scale. The all-steel design is powder-coated for long life in demanding industrial applications. The bag clamp features an exclusive bag position window so operators don’t have to guess if the bag is in position before releasing product. The scale is also available in stainless steel. Hamer LLC, Plymouth, MN 800-927-4674 www.hamerinc.com

Bulk Bag Unloaders
BulkBuster bulk bag unloaders empty large bulk bags and get material where it needs to be in the process. Safety is always a primary concern when handling and maneuvering extremely heavy and cumbersome bulk bags. Every precaution is taken to ensure a safe and dust-free operation. A heavy-duty framework provides stability and operator safety. Operator efficiency is also maximized due to the simplicity of the designs and ease of operation when lifting, positioning, and emptying every bulk bag. Dynamic Air Inc., St. Paul, MN 651-484-2900 www.dynamicair.com

Presswood Pallets
Inca presswood pallets are molded from wood fiber and are commonly used for domestic and export transport packaging. The pallets are a complement to corporate sustainability initiatives because they are Cradle to Cradle (SM) certified. They are IPPC-ISPM 15 compliant and approved for export without further treatment and stamping. They are accepted anywhere in the world without import delays and related costs. The pallets are nestable, saving handling costs and freeing up valuable space. At 50 pallets per stack, it takes half the amount of time to unload a trailer or supply work stations. The pallets are free of chemicals that are a concern to food, produce, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, including TBP, TCP, and TCA, and will not promote the growth of mold. Litco International Inc., Vienna, OH 877-504-7954 www.litco.com

Electronic Air Pressure Valve Packer
The Model A1000 electronic air pressure packer utilizes a load cell and a user-friendly Model IDS440HS digital weigh indicator/controller for bagging fine, medium, and coarse dry materials. This packer offers production rates of 4 to 8+ bags/min with weight accuracy of +/- 3 to 5 oz, at proper fluidization and uniform control of head pressure. It features heavy-duty construction with simple operation, has a full bottom chamber cover for easy clean out, dual filling speeds (bulk & dribble), a dust collection connection, and is coupled with a quiet low-pressure blower. The packer provides accurate weighing to eliminate give-away, lower maintenance costs, and increase production. VIC Systems International Inc., Shawnee Mission, KS 800-255-0445 www.vicsystemsintl.com

Air Packers
Model 4210 air packers are designed for gross weighing and filling valve bags with powdered, granular, flaked, or pelleted materials. Filled bag weights can range from 25 to 110 lb, with filling rates up to eight 50-lb bags/min. Standard features include scale beam weighing, air-operated bag clamps, tilting discharge bag chair, dust hood, and manifold. Available options include load cell weighing, bag-in-place switch with automatic fill start, and automatic bag discharge and operator decks. Chantland-MHS, Humboldt, IA 515-332-4045 www.chantland.com

Open-Mouth Bagging Systems
The Star series of open-mouth bagging systems now runs even cleaner, features enhanced bag control, improved changeover time, and increased ability to run and seal most any bag type. An added servo spout opening control and a spout-mounted dust collection system reduce dusting, keeping your facility cleaner, lessening clean-up time, and increasing worker safety. A new servo bag clamp and auto-changeover bag magazine fence provide precision bag loading, ensuring fewer dropped bags. Enhanced system changeover abilities include pneumatic flattener changeover and recipe-driven checkweigh set-up. Thiele Technologies, Minneapolis, MN 612-782-3642 www.thieletech.com

Automated Bag Openers
These bag openers increase production, reduce labor, and improve ergonomics in the workplace. Systems can be provided for all production needs, eliminating the manual method of opening bags in your process. Systems are utilized for batching, blending, or reclaim processes. All bag types and sizes are run on the same system without changeover. Low- or high-volume machines up to 20 bags/min are available. Infeed and take away conveyors are available to complete the system.  Product Saver, Oswego, IL 630-554-7804 www.productsaver.com

Bag Fillers
This line of bag fillers has been designed to accommodate any type of dry powder product being filled into 20- to 100-lb bags. The line of four bag fillers can operate up to 24 hours a day, has a minimal number of moving parts for low maintenance, and has easily adjustable controls and accommodate full management data. The bag fillers include a turbo packer, an impeller packer, a force flow packer, and a screw packer. The dust-free turbo packer (shown) is designed for 25- to 50-kg bags and offers high-speed handling of a variety of material. The filler comes with adjustable weight control with management data and is built for continuous operation. Spiroflow Systems Inc., Monroe, NC 704-291-9595 www.spiroflowsystems.com

Robotic Palletizer
The Kawasaki robot is a simple, user-friendly robot with palletizing rates up to 30 bags/cases per minute (1800 cycles/hr). The palletizer is U.L. listed and approved. It is also C.U.L. listed and approved for installation in Canada. Also available is a CE-listed robot for installations in Europe. The robot uses a simple direct coupled gearbox with AC servo motors and absolute encoders on all axes. With a verified 96,000 hours MTBF and a 10,000-hour average maintenance interval, the unit is virtually maintenance free. Programming a layer/pallet pattern requires simple “block step” teaching. A handheld teach pendant with a large 6.4-in. LCD color display utilizing a menu-driven interface is simple and friendly. Ethernet and RS232 ports are standard, as is collision detection. Conveying Industries, Denver, CO 303-373-2035 www.conveyingindustries.com

Loss-in-Weight Bulk Bag Unloader
This load cell-equipped bulk bag unloader can be used with any conveyor system to create an efficient and accurate batching system. An easily programmable PLC allows recipes or batches to be changed with ease or password protected to ensure that changes can only be made by authorized personnel. A number of flow aids and operator-friendly options are included. Hapman, Kalamazoo, MI 800-427-6260 www.Hapman.com

Integrated Packer
This integrated packer is an entire bagging system controlled and monitored by a single HMI. This HMI can control several bag fillers, bag placers, and bag sealers, depending on customer’s needs and budget. With this HMI, product changeovers can be handled by simply making a single menu selection. You can also have access to a dashboard screen with indicators to provide information to your operations, maintenance, and management personnel. The packer can incorporate air packers, impeller packers, or auger packers that allow you to bag several kinds of products such as starch, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, flour, resins, carbon black, talc gypsum, clay, lime, etc. Premier Tech Chronos, Rivière-du-Loup, QC, Canada 418-868-8324 www.ptchronos.com

Bulk Bag Fillers
These bulk bag fillers combine flexibility with numerous customizing options. Custom features include bag inflation, electronic scales, adjustable height loop support arms, integral dust collection, and bag compaction. Standard units feature a heavy-duty carbon steel rugged box frame, round 10-in. ANSI material flanged inlet, inflatable bag spout seal, fill spout with displaced air venting, and forklift access for palletized bulk bags. Fillers are also available in 304 or 316 stainless steel and NEMA 7/9 controls per customer specifications. Cyclonaire Corp., York, NE  888-593-6241 www.cyclonaire.com

FIBC Filling System
The high-output Material Master FIBC filling system offers patented technology including a horizontal pivoting and rotating bag fill carriage for rapid and ergonomic operator connection of bulk bags. After bag connection, the bulk bag is automatically inflated, filled by weight to a programmed set point, and densified. Once the fill cycle is complete, the bag inlet spout and straps release, the fill head raises, and the filled bag is automatically indexed out of the filling station. Allen-Bradley PLC controls with a color PanelView operator interface provide easy access to system status, recipes, and operational parameters. Systems are custom designed for application requirements.  Material Transfer & Storage Inc., Allegan, MI 800-836-7068 www.materialtransfer.com

Automatic Bagging Machines
The 3CM-5 series automatic bagging machines are specifically designed for tight spaces. The baggers place an empty bag on the spout, fill it (typically 20-50 lb), and close the bag top (heat seal or sewing), all within the confines of the bagger. This system maintains bag-top control through this process in order to achieve a high degree of consistency and deliver maximum throughput. This series includes the 3CM-52, 3CM-55, and 3CM-5U machine models with bagging capacities ranging from a maximum of 350 to 600 bags/hr. American-Newlong Inc., Indianapolis, IN 317-787-9421 www.american-newlong.com