Bulk Bag Unloaders Use RFID to Automate Batching and Weighing Process
Bulk bag unloaders are typically not the first things to come to mind when the topic of radio frequency identification (RFID) is considered. Most commonly associated with warehouse management, RFID has found increased favor in other industries due the reduced costs for the required equipment and tags, and its improved reliability (now near 99.9%). Industries quickly adopting RFID technology include healthcare, medical device, financial services, and now, bulk material handling.
This fully integrated bulk bag unloader system uses RFID-driven process communications to automate simultaneous batching of multiple, and varied, chemical mixtures during a single process operation.
The bulk bag unloading process begins when an empty bulk tote is introduced to the system; RFID recognizes the tote and communicates to the system the specific batch recipe assigned to that tote. The primary ingredient is dispensed from a surge hopper into the bulk tote. As the first tote advances to its next batching location, a second tote enters the system. Each tote advances to one, or both, of two subsequent batching stations where secondary ingredients are added based on the RFID recognition of the bulk tote. Each secondary bulk bag unloader batching station consists of four bulk bag unloaders each with integrated material conditioning to ensure consistent bulk material supply is sent to a station-specific gravimetric feeder that provides accurate and repeatable secondary ingredient supply into the bulk tote.
The processor's previous manual measuring and weighing batching system produced one complete batch cycle every 20 minutes. With the fully automated, RFID-driven bulk bag unloader system, the processor now produces one complete batch every three minutes. In addition to the increased process rate, the producer's batch accuracies have increased, material waste is virtually eliminated; labor requirements are reduced; and the automated process efficiency and new equipment construction have enabled the producer to pursue new markets where cGMP-adherent processes are a requirement for entry.