Posted by Don Mackrill on Thu, May 28, 2009 @ 01:47 PM
There is a surprisingly high number of dry bulk solid ingredients that will 'set up' (solidify) when stored in a container. This can cause significant problems when the container is emptied... the problem being that if the ingredient has solidified enough it simply won't flow!
In the case of bulk bags filled with solidified ingredient, we have encountered many plants who have devised their own solutions to this problem:
- Hitting the bulk bag with hand held solid objects (pipes, etc.)
- Bouncing the bag on the floor with a forklift
- Driving the bag into a wall or column with a forklift
As you can imagine these so-called solutions are usually somewhat less than effective and are most certainly sub-optimal - most importantly they are unsafe.
What to do?
Pre-condition the bulk bag by using a device such as the Bag Squeezer. Its name nicely describes its function!
By safely breaking up the ingredient prior to attempting to discharge it, productivity will be improved, dusting will be minimized and safety will be dramatically enhanced.