Automating big bag decompaction

Our client, a key player in the battery manufacturing sector, aimed to modernise and automate their handling and unloading processes for big bags used to transport and store hygroscopic powders such as metal sulphates. These materials, highly sensitive to moisture, tend to harden during maritime transport, forming compact blocks inside the big bags, which makes unloading and decompaction particularly challenging. Before Palamatic Process’s intervention, these operations required risky and inefficient manual methods, such as the use of forklifts or tools like hammers to break up the lumps of powder.

The client faced several significant challenges. On one hand, the agglomeration of powders into solid blocks slowed production, increased downtime, and exposed operators to high risks during handling. On the other hand, the existing equipment did not allow for full automation of the unloading process, requiring constant human supervision and intervention, which increased operating costs. The main objective was to find a solution that would ensure smooth unloading without manual intervention, while ensuring continuous production and enhanced safety on-site.

The client was looking for a system capable of safely decompacting big bags and automating the handling and unloading process, including feeding the dissolution tanks. The solution also needed to adapt to the specific constraints of the production site, located by the sea in a chemical industrial zone, where the presence of corrosive products required resistant materials and strict dust emission management to ensure a healthy and safe working environment. The client’s ultimate goal was to improve production efficiency while reducing risks to operators and costs related to service interruptions.

To address the challenges faced by the client and meet the project specifications, Palamatic Process designed a bespoke solution incorporating the SmashR® station with an integrated conveyor, a complete automation system for the decompaction and unloading of big bags. This solution combines several cutting-edge technologies and specific adaptations to ensure the safe handling of big bags containing metal sulphates, while optimising production flow and minimising the risks associated with manual interventions.

Automated Decompaction with SmashR®

The heart of the solution lies in the SmashR® station, designed to process big bags containing highly hygroscopic materials that tend to agglomerate and form solid blocks during transport, particularly by sea. To solve this problem, the SmashR® uses a combination of articulated panels equipped with powerful hydraulic cylinders, capable of generating a force of 2 x 10 tonnes. This massaging force breaks up the crystalline blocks formed at the bottom of the big bags, ensuring smooth and complete unloading without the need for manual tools such as hammers, which operators previously used to break up the solid lumps. These manual interventions were time-consuming, increased operator risk, and delayed production.

The massaging process is fully automated, and the station is equipped with laser sensors that measure the exact height of the big bag, as well as its fill level and the shape of its contents. These sensors allow the massaging arms' penetration depth to be adjusted, preventing damage to the bag’s fabric, especially in cases where the bags are unevenly filled or deformed due to the nature of the product. The precision of this measurement is crucial to avoid tearing the big bags while ensuring decompaction. The massaging cycles are pre-programmed and can be adjusted based on the specific characteristics of each product, such as granularity, moisture, and degree of agglomeration.

Integrated Conveyor for Complete Automation

Unlike standard decompaction stations, the SmashR® version with an integrated conveyor includes an automated conveyor system that manages the entire process, from the arrival of the big bags to their decompaction, without human intervention. The big bags are first unloaded from trucks equipped with integrated conveyors, which automatically transport the bags to the conveyor line. The bags are then temporarily stored before being transferred one by one to the SmashR® stations.

The SmashR® is equipped with a rotating lift table, which positions the big bags so that each side is treated by the massaging arms. This mechanism breaks up the agglomerates on all four sides of the big bag, ensuring complete decompaction before unloading. Once the massaging cycle is complete, the big bag is automatically transferred to a buffer storage area, awaiting unloading into the dissolution tanks.

The integrated conveyor not only facilitates the transport of big bags but also allows for quality control. Each big bag is weighed before and after passing through the SmashR®, which enables the detection of any leakage or material loss during the decompaction process. If a puncture is detected, the big bag is automatically diverted to a rejection area where an operator can handle it manually. This system ensures a high level of automation while also enhancing safety by preventing any risk of material dispersal on the production line.

Site-Specific Adaptations for the Client

Given the specific characteristics of the client’s production site, located by the sea in a chemical industrial zone, several adaptations were made to the standard SmashR® design. Firstly, the metal components of the station were coated with a special C4 paint designed to resist corrosion in environments exposed to sea spray and chemicals. In addition, the hydraulic unit was fully enclosed in a 316L stainless steel cover, a material particularly resistant to chemical attacks.

The station was also equipped with plexiglass panels on both sides, ensuring operator safety while providing visibility into the decompaction process. These panels allow operators to monitor the progress of the cycle without being exposed to the risks associated with handling big bags. Although the process is fully automated, the client required the installation of dust collection systems at the top of the station. This system aims to capture potentially harmful powder particles released during decompaction, ensuring a clean and safe working environment.

Risk Management and Enhanced Safety

Another key aspect of the proposed solution lies in the safety features integrated into the SmashR® station. The laser sensors ensure that the massaging arms do not penetrate too deeply into the big bag, preventing damage to the bags, especially those that may have weak seams or punctures. In the event of a weight loss detected due to a puncture, the system automatically diverts the big bag for manual processing. This approach guarantees proactive risk management while maintaining a high level of productivity.

Moreover, the modular and flexible design of the solution allows the client to adjust the massaging parameters according to the specific needs of their materials, optimising operation cycles to minimise interruptions and maximise efficiency. Thanks to the full automation of handling, decompaction, and unloading of big bags, the client can now manage large quantities of materials while significantly reducing risks to operators and costs associated with downtime.

The installation set up at the client's site consists of several key industrial components designed to ensure complete and safe automation of the decompaction and unloading of big bags. In addition to their robustness and precision, these components offer technical benefits that meet the client’s specific needs in terms of safety, performance, and reduced human intervention.

1. SmashR® station with integrated conveyor

The SmashR®, the central component of the solution, is a decompaction station specifically designed to handle big bags whose contents tend to harden during transport. The force of 2 x 10 tonnes exerted by the massaging arms breaks up the clumps that form at the bottom of the big bags without risking damage to the fabric. Thanks to its laser sensors and range finders, the SmashR® automatically adjusts the pressure applied based on the dimensions and shape of the bag, ensuring decompaction regardless of the transported product.

The rotating lift table allows full coverage of all four sides of the big bag, ensuring that each part of the bag is properly massaged and that all powder clumps are broken up before unloading. This approach eliminates the need for manual interventions often required to handle agglomerated materials, improving safety and efficiency.

Advantages:

• Efficient decompaction: thanks to the power of the massaging arms and automated cycles, hardened products are quickly disaggregated.
• Enhanced safety: the rotating table and laser sensors ensure the big bag is handled without risk of tearing, even for fragile bags.
• Automatic adaptation: the system adjusts the massaging cycles based on the specific characteristics of the big bag, allowing for flexible treatment of different types of bags and products.

2. Integrated conveyors

The installation is equipped with a network of automatic conveyors that manage the entire process of big bags from their reception to their unloading, including the decompaction stages. Upon arrival, the big bags are unloaded and automatically transported to the decompaction line. The integrated conveyor in the SmashR® places the bags on the massaging station and then transfers them to a buffer storage area before unloading.

The weighing system, which measures the weight of the big bags before and after their passage through the SmashR® station, detects any product loss during the decompaction process. If a leak is detected, the big bag is automatically diverted to a rejection area for manual handling. This system ensures smooth, continuous operation without constant monitoring.

Advantages:

• Full automation: the conveyors handle the transport of the big bags without human intervention, reducing errors and downtime.
• Quality control: the weighing system ensures that each big bag is checked to avoid product loss, optimizing raw material usage.
• Increased productivity: big bags are processed at a fast and consistent rate, improving production speeds.

3. Safety and dust collection systems

Due to the toxic properties of the powders being handled, the installation is equipped with several safety devices, including plexiglass panels that protect operators while providing a clear view of the process. These panels, combined with integrated laser sensors, ensure operators can monitor the cycle's progress without being exposed to risks associated with handling the materials.

A dust collection system was also installed at the top of the station to capture and filter potentially harmful dust particles that may be released during decompaction. This system helps maintain a clean and safe working environment, complying with strict industrial safety standards.

Advantages:

• Operator protection: protective panels and dust collection reduce risks related to exposure to toxic materials.
• Safe working environment: the dust collection system prevents dust accumulation on equipment and floors, reducing contamination risks.
• Compliance with standards: the solution meets regulatory requirements for health and safety in handling hazardous powders.

4. Anti-corrosion paint and stainless steel enclosures

As the production site is located in an industrial zone near the sea, Palamatic Process applied C4 paint to the metal components to protect the equipment from corrosion. Additionally, the hydraulic unit is protected by a 316L stainless steel cover, ensuring greater longevity in an environment exposed to moisture and chemicals.

Advantages:

• Durability: corrosion-resistant materials and finishes ensure a prolonged service life for the equipment, even in harsh environments.
• Reduced maintenance costs: corrosion protection minimizes the need for maintenance and repairs, contributing to better cost-effectiveness.

5. EF500 big bag unloading stations

After decompaction, the big bags are transferred to EF500 unloading stations, which automatically empty the bags into dissolution tanks. These stations are equipped with integrated knives that cut the bottom of the big bags, releasing the product without manual intervention. The entire process is secure and confined to avoid any dust dispersion.

Advantages :

• Fast and secure unloading: automatic cutting of the bags allows for quick and efficient emptying of the big bags without manual intervention.
• Material containment: the closed design of the stations minimizes the risk of dust dispersion, ensuring a clean and safe production environment.

The installation deployed at the client's site, based on SmashR® stations and EF500 unloading stations, has fully met the automation and safety objectives. This solution has improved the performance and efficiency of ther battery manufacturing process, ensuring continuous production with minimal uman intervention.