How the baxmatic®-system works
The Baxmatic®-system operates as follows: special bags are supplied, each containing a perforated strip at the top end. These bags suspend from the transport bars. The machine automatically collects bags from the bars one by one, opens them and hitches them on the filling nozzle. Subsequently the bags are filled, taken off the nozzle by a gripper, sewn up and carried off.
Special bags
The bags for the baxmatic®-system are similar to the traditional bags, however, they have been adjusted at the top end. The top end of each bag has been fitted with a two-hole airtight strip. This is required to ensure smooth system operation. In addition bag manufacturers ensure that the bags are compatible with the baxmatic system. Bales are pressed at lower pressures and folds in the bags are prevented, where possible. As a result, it is easier to separate the bags on the machine.
Stock/transport bars
The bags are taken form the bale and manually hitched on the transport bars. PE onion bags or PP bags are bundled per 50 pieces. Four to five bundles can be connected up per set of transport bars which is equal to 200 to 250 bags. Since the baxmatic®-system has four sets of stock/transport bars, the maximum suspending capacity is approximately 1,000 bags. In the case of jute bags, this figure is reduced to approximately 450 bags (due to the increased thickness of the fabric). The four sets of stock/transport bars are placed in an automatically revolving turret. While the machine is in operation in the active position, additional bags can be hitched on in the non-active position. In this way the machine can continue to operate.
Processing
After the bags have been hitched on and the machine has started, the turret moves the transport bars with the bags to the active filling position. At this position, individual bags are separated, opened and hitched on the filling nozzle by means of an arm with vacuum cups. After the bag is suspended from the filling nozzle, a signal is given to the weigher that subsequently fills the bag. When a ready signal is received in return from the weigher, the bag is taken off the filling nozzle by a gripper. After this, the bag is automatically sewn up and carried off. When sewing up, there is an additional possibility of stitching a tracking ribbon or label to the bag.
Different packaging
The baxmatic®-system accepts bags of 10 to 50 kg to be filled without mechanical adjustment of the machine. Guidelines can be defined for the different sizes of bags and product types ('recipes’) on the basis of which the monitoring systems determine whether the filling process is running correctly. This further allows setting and storing the fill and release times of the bags. Therefore, in practice it is possible to switch between e.g. 25 kg blank red and 10 kg label bales within one minute. It is simply a matter of connecting up different bags and selecting a different recipe.
Monitoring systems
Manufacturers endeavour to supply perfect bags that are easy to separate and open. Practice shows, however, that this objective will never be achieved for the full 100%. Hence baxmatic® has been designed and operates in such a manner that faults during separation, hitching on and filling of the bags are prevented or detected where possible. Each mechanical step is fully monitored. In the case of a malfunctioning bag, the (still empty) bag is removed from the machine by a thrust of air and the subsequent bag is used instead. Therefore, the process is not disrupted by a faulty bag. In addition, unnecessary spillage of products is prevented, as it is not possible to release without a proper bag underneath the filling nozzle. All this ensures that the baxmatic® is a reliable and fully automated system.
Manual mode
If, for whatever reason, a temporary decision is made not to use baxmatic® bags, the machine can be quickly and easily converted to a mode in which standard bags are hitched on manually.
User demands
Carefully listening to demands of the market and translating them into practical solutions has made the baxmatic®-system a reliable, cost-efficient, multi-functional and flexible system. Very specific needs too can be incorporated into a customized package.
All in all, the baxmatic®-system is a very cost-effective investment.
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