Processed powders: lithium, cadmium and oxides
Decompaction and emptying of bulk bags for battery manufacture
Customer objectives
Our customer, a battery manufacturer, uses heavy and very compact powders such as lithium, cadmium and oxides. These powders, which are characterised by their high density and tendency to become highly compacted, were causing fluidity problems in the manufacturing process. Our customer wanted an automated solution, with no human intervention, to feed its leaching lines. The aim was to ensure that the powders flowed smoothly from the bulk bags to the emptying stage, thereby guaranteeing uninterrupted production.
Industrial equipment making up the installatio
Palamatic Process has integrated an innovative solution consisting of two SmashR® decompaction stations, located upstream of the EF 500 automatic emptying stations. This solution breaks the mass setting of the powders before they are used, ensuring optimum fluidity in the production process. The super bags are transported automatically by a motorised roller conveyor system, which takes them directly to the decompaction stations. This method ensures more efficient management of the powdered materials, reducing the risk of blockages and improving the quality of the final product.
SmashR® decompaction stations are designed to process agglomerates accurately and quickly, helping to maintain a constant, uninterrupted production flow. The motorised roller conveyor system is also crucial in ensuring safe and efficient handling of the super sacks, minimising manual intervention and the risk of error.
Industrial equipment in the plan
SmashR decompaction stations
These decompaction stations effectively break up the compacted powder blocks inside the super bags using a system of hydraulic cylinders and a turntable. The bulk bags are massaged over several cycles to ensure that the powders are completely free-flowing, without the need for manual intervention. This process ensures that the powders are properly decompacted before being transferred to the emptying stations, eliminating the risk of blockages and ensuring continuous production.
The motorised roller conveyor
This system automatically transports bulk bags from storage to the decompaction stations, minimising manual handling. The motorised roller conveyors are designed for smooth, jolt-free transport, reducing the risk of super sacks damage and ensuring a constant supply to the mass breaker stations.
Lifting tables and rotating rollers
The bulk bags are automatically positioned at different heights and orientations using lifting tables and rotating rollers, optimising the decompaction and emptying cycles. This flexibility makes it possible to adapt to the different sizes and shapes of super bags, ensuring accurate and efficient handling throughout the production process.
EF 500 emptying stations
These fully automated stations ensure smooth, continuous emptying of bulk bags. Designed to operate without an operator, they offer complete autonomy for production lines. EF 500 emptying stations are equipped with advanced technologies that enable precise control of the emptying rate, ensuring uniform powder distribution and minimising material losses. This solution guarantees uninterrupted productivity and maximum efficiency in the production process.
The advantages of the Palamatic Process solution
100% automation of the process
The SmashR® and EF 500 stations offer full automation of the decompaction and emptying process, minimising the need for manual intervention and guaranteeing continuous production. This automation ensures maximum efficiency and a significant reduction in operating costs.
Guaranteed powder fluidity
Thanks to multiple decompaction cycles, even the heaviest and most compact powders, such as lithium and cadmium, are fluidised before being used on the production lines. This optimum fluidity ensures uniform distribution of materials, improving the quality of the final product.
Reduced production line downtime
By eliminating the risk of powders getting stuck in super sacks, the customer has been able to reduce interruptions due to material flow problems, thereby optimising the productivity of its leaching lines. This reduction in downtime translates into increased production capacity and greater profitability.
Equipment safety and ergonomics
The automated solution reduces manual handling of bulk bags, improving operator safety while guaranteeing a more ergonomic working environment. This improvement in working conditions contributes to employee satisfaction and a reduction in the risk of accidents.
Conclusion
The installation of the SmashR® and EF 500 stations at our customer's site has enabled them to achieve the objective of fully automating their decompaction and bulk bag emptying lines, while guaranteeing optimum powder flow. With this innovative solution, the customer was able to significantly improve the performance and efficiency of its battery manufacturing process, while also ensuring continuous production without human intervention. Firstly, this automation has reduced operational costs. Secondly, it has minimised the risk of bottlenecks and production interruptions, contributing to a significant increase in overall productivity.
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