Food & Drink Processing & Packaging Issue 49 2023 | Page 39

We produce a product that is sustainable , not only for the planet , but for the people growing it as well .
bag , allowing an operator to slide the bag ’ s four lifting straps into Z- CLIP™ strap holders , and the forklift to lift the frame – with suspended bag – into receiving cups atop the discharger ’ s frame posts .
The discharger housed a bulk bag spout interface chute with an integral access door . With the bulk bag in position , the operator opened this door to gain access to the bulk bag spout tie . Once the spout was untied , the access door was closed while roasted beans were discharged from the bulk bag .
Conveying of whole and ground beans
The beans flowed from the bulk bag into a 226 L floor hopper , which charged a 4.57 m model 1350 flexible screw conveyor inclined at 45 ° to feed the grinder . The 90 mm diameter enclosed conveyor tube prevents product and plant contamination . The inner screw is the only moving part contacting material and is driven by an electric motor positioned beyond the point at which coffee beans exit the conveyor , preventing material contact with seals .
From the grinder , ground coffee gravity discharged into a 113 L floor hopper that charged a second 4.6 m , 90 mm diameter flexible screw conveyor which was equipped with a spiral , designed to efficiently propel the fine-ground material to a Flexicon model BFB bulk bag filler .
A palletised open-top bulk bag was placed inside the filler frame , which can be adjusted to accommodate bulk bags ranging from 914 to 1,828 mm high . Strap hooks , mounted on each of the four corners of the fill head , held the bag open and stabilised it during filling .
Feeding the packaging line Filled bulk bags were forklifted into a second discharger which unloaded coffee into a 226 L floor hopper charging a 4.7 m long , 51 mm diameter flexible screw conveyor to feed the packaging line .
Low- and high-level sensors on the packaging machine hopper signaled the system ’ s PLC when to start and stop the conveyor .
Dall says the bulk handling system improved productivity and plant cleanliness . “ Flexicon provided a solution that fit within our space limitations , allowed immediate packaging , and provided for future production expansion .”
www . flexicon . co . uk
FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk 39