Flexicon found solutions to those challenges while staying on budget to get the equipment manufacturing completed on schedule .
adjacent room , preventing contamination of the plant environment .
Flow-Flexer™ bag activator plates raise and lower opposite bottom edges of the bags on timed cycles , ultimately forming a steep “ V ” shape that promotes total discharge . Both are also equipped with a Power-Cincher™ flow control valve in which contoured stainless steel rods cinch the bag spout concentrically , allowing dustfree retying of partially empty bags .
When a batch is initiated , the rotary airlock of either discharger begins metering material into a common pneumatic conveying line leading to a Flexicon filter receiver suspended on load cells . Weight gain information is transmitted to the system controller that runs the airlock valve at high speed , then at dribble feed rate which , together with programmatic compensation for material in-flight , achieves precise batch weight accuracy .
Once major ingredients are batched in sequence from bulk bags , pre-weighed sacks of low-volume ingredients are positioned using a 25 kg vacuum sack lifter ,
and dumped manually through a Flexicon bag tip station with integral dust collector and rotary airlock valve feeding the same pneumatic conveying line . A chute through the sidewall of the bag dump hood leads to a Flexicon bag compactor with pneumatic ram that compresses up to 150 bags into a plastic lined container for dust-free disposal .
The batch accumulated in the filter receiver is then gravity discharged into a paddle mixer . Blended batches are discharged into a Flexicon buffer hopper that is sized to provide a continuous supply of material to the downstream process through a second pneumatic conveying system and filter receiver .
In a separate batch process , a Flexicon bag tip station – also with integral dust collector , compactor chute , and rotary airlock valve – is dedicated to manual additions of preweighed , pre-mixed inclusion ingredients . Positioned adjacent to the first bag tip station , it shares the same bag compactor , but meters material into a third pneumatic conveying system and filter receiver .
The second and third filter receivers are suspended on load cells that signal the system controller when to convey additional blended material from the buffer hopper , and from the second bag dump station respectively . These rotary airlock valves provide material on an as-needed basis to a pair of loss-in-weight ( LIW ) gravimetric feeders , which allow rapid changing of screws to suit material flow characteristics , at throughputs from 4 to 400 kg / hr ( 8.8 to 880 lb / hr ). The overall arrangement allows the LIW feeders to provide an uninterrupted supply of material to a new continuous mixer at precise ratios and rates , completing the powder handling and blending portion of the new Oven Baked potato chips line .
MANAGING LOCKDOWNS AND LOGISTICS
Flexicon ’ s Project Engineering Division recommended equipment specifications , coordinated multiple equipment manufacturers , and developed a controls and automation package for the bulk handling system that integrates with Smith ’ s overall process control system . For parts to be imported , the supplier obtained special exemptions to COVID-19 restrictions on crossing state borders .
“ We had an aggressive schedule to get the new production line installed and commissioned on time and we ran into numerous challenges as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic ,” says Nayantha Abeysiri , PepsiCo project manager . “ However , Flexicon found solutions to those challenges while staying on budget to get the equipment manufacturing completed on schedule .
“ The equipment design is efficient , hygienic , simple , and meets all EHS requirements and food safety standards ,” he says , adding that Flexicon is in the design phase for another project .
Flexicon ( Europe ) Ltd + 44 1227 374710 sales @ flexicon . co . uk www . flexicon . co . uk
FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk 5