Monitoring of a bagging machine for the detection of incompletely sealed bags
The Bostik GmbH was founded over 130 years ago and is now a leading manufacturer of adhesive and sealant systems for the building trade, industry and DIY enthusiasts. At its site in Borgholzhausen/Germany, the company produces, among other things, building adhesives and levelling compounds.
In a bagging machine, powdered levelling compound is filled into bags at the end of the production process and transported to palletizing via a conveyor belt. The material is then shipped to the customer.
The problem
It is occasionally possible that a bag has not been properly sealed after filling in the bagging machine. The incompletely sealed bags then reach the customer. Material can leak out and cause contamination during transport or later at the customer’s premises. Product complaints and associated expenses could be the result as well.
Bostik’s goal was to detect incompletely sealed bags in good time and to eject the bags before they reach palletizing and thus the customer to minimise the problems caused by contamination and complaints.
For this purpose, the bagging line was to be monitored. A very simple monitoring solution was offered by measuring the dust concentration.
The solution
The bags are transported from the bagging unit to the palletiser via a conveyor belt. The bags tip over at a transfer point. If a bag is not properly sealed, a large amount of dust will then abruptly escape.
Since this only happens with incompletely sealed bags, the problematic bags could be detected by measuring the dust concentration in the ambient air at the transfer point and removed from the process before they reach palletizing.
Envea’s AirSafe 2 is used to measure the dust concentration. It is designed to monitor the dust concentration in the ambient air of process applications, making it ideal for Bostik’s requirements. The AirSafe 2 was mounted at the transfer point above the conveyor belt and set to a specific dust limit value. As soon as this is exceeded, the conveying process to the palletiser is automatically interrupted and the incompletely sealed bag can be removed.
Customer benefits
Safe monitoring of the bagging line
Robust, process-safe and durable sensor technology
Low and simple maintenance
Simple solution for significantly improved customer satisfaction
