Fully automatic big bag filling system for cristobalite

Big Bag Filling: Fast. Simple. Innovative!

A high throughput is crucial when filling raw materials into big bags. Because of this, EMDE relies on a fully automatic big bag filling system with robotic handling for cristobalite filling, using the SysTec IT8000E calibratable weighing terminal.

End customer – SIBELCO

SIBELCO is a global material solutions company. As a diversified industrial minerals group, SIBELCO mines and processes a variety of minerals and is a leader in glass recycling. The range includes, for example, silica sand, feldspathic minerals, olivine and clays. With over 114 production sites in more than 30 countries, SIBELCO employs over 5,300 people worldwide.

Cristobalite – the material to be filled

Cristobalite is a high-temperature modification of quartz and occurs only very rarely in nature. Because of this, cristobalite is synthetically produced for industrial purposes from pure quartz in a rotary kiln at approx. 1,500 °C. The main applications of cristobalite are dispersion-bound exterior paints and plasters, dental impression compounds, artificial marble or countertops.

The fully automatic big bag filling station

In Dessel, Belgium, SIBELCO operates the fully automatic filling station for cristobalite, which system manufacturer EMDE designed and installed in a short time frame. Up to 40 big bags can be filled per hour thanks to the powerful weighing and control technology. Each big bag has a net weight of 1200 kg.

The conformity-assessed SysTec weighing terminals are used to ensure that the containers are filled accurately. EMDE has been installing the innovative weighing indicators and controls from SysTec in filling stations that require high accuracy for many years.

To optimise the performance of the filling station, a weighed container was installed above the filling station, which discharges the cristobalite into the big bag. This allows simultaneous filling of the suspended container while the big bag is being handled.

The big bags are unfolded and hung in the filling station by a robot. The load cells are located in the chains that hold the big bag – transport is via a roller conveyor.

Customer benefits

• Reliable automatic operation saves time and resources
• Accurately calibrated fillings via precisely operating dosing systems
• High throughput – fast and highly accurate weighing technology
• Control systems configured according to customer requirements
• Optimum big bag filling and stability via a compactor
• Automatic closing for dust & emission protection
• Automatic release and labelling of the filled big bags
• Connection to an MES system (Manufacturing Execution System) for monitoring purposes