Description

Complete solution across 5 production levels

The system design ranges over 5 levels and covers the whole production process: from the storage of raw materials in outdoor silos, the transport to the daily silos, their filling, dosing, weighing and the mixing process through to the discharge in IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers).

All processes run completely automated and meet the highest standards in regard to quality, performance and flexibility. With this customized concept design the requirements for a plant capacity of 80t/day in a 2 shift operation (16h/day) can be easily fulfilled. Given the large number of orders with a small batch size and a large number of components, this represents an outstanding achievement. In addition, the plant encompasses the contamination-free changeover of a variety of recipes which consist of a wide range of different component weights.

8 daily silos (large components) are fed by external silos, another 30 daily silos (medium components) are loaded by bag dump- or big bag intake stations. Below the daily silos, 20 scales are installed which are assigned to the daily silos according to the product characteristics.

Corresponding to the specifications of the final product, one scale can be loaded from one up to four daily silos. The system ensures an accuracy of ± 50 g, based on a net weighing range of 500 kg. Due to the weighing accuracy, components with more than 5 kg are weighed automatically. Components with less than 5 kg or which require a higher precision are stored and managed in an automatic storage and retrieval system for small and micro components.

In accordance with the job control, components are retrieved automatically from the automatic storage and retrieval system and are then fed to the manual dosing station. These individual components are weighed operator-controlled into a trough with barcode-identification. Subsequently, the order-specific troughs return to the automatic storage and retrieval system for interim storage.

The IBCs in DCHD (Daxner Container Hygienic Design) are fed by 3 intake stations. There the prepared, palletized complete bags (bag commodity, buckets, cartons) are retrieved and order-related loaded.

Innovative Container transport system DCS

The key to higher efficiency of the plant design can be seen in the IBC transport system. Profound arguments for Daxner Container Systems DCS in conjunction with an Automatic Guided Vehicle system (AGV) are the following:

• higher number of batches
• maximum flexibility
• prevention of contaminations

In total, 60 IBCs are used which are transported by the Automatic Guided Vehicle through the whole plant. The empty IBCs are taken out from the conveying system and are positioned automatically below the corresponding scale by the AGV. These can be controlled via laser and positioned accurately at the discharge points to within ± 15 mm. For filling, the IBCs are lifted, afterwards docked by the Daxner Container Docking Station DCSC and finally filled.

After weighing the components in the weighing bin, the filling of the IBCs can start with high performance. Subsequently the automatically dosed components are collected, whereupon the IBC is positioned underneath the manual intake stations. There all small components are dumped as complete bags and/or as a subset from the automatic storage and retrieval system. Once the manual components are added, the IBCs are picked up by the AGV system, then conveyed with a lifting device to the level above the mixing lines and finally positioned with an electric fork lift truck on the Daxner Container discharge stations which are equipped with an IBC discharge frame including a flexible connection socket. A discharge aid with a dockable vibrating motor enables a residue-free discharge of the IBCs.

The production expansion also includes three new ploughshare blenders combined with the existing vertical- and ribbon blenders and the new mixing lines. The finished spice blends are finally filled in big bags and carried to the corresponding packing station.