Chemicals maker's cost and safety gains with automated IBC filling
19 Sep 2007
Nottingham, UK - Chemical manufacturing company Autosmart International of Lichfield has automated its processes for filling of a large number of 1,000 litre bulk containers (IBC’s) with its vehicle cleaning products.
The process previously involved an operator watching over the entire manual filling process and then turning off the hose-valve manually when the IBC was full, according to Nick Davison, works engineer at Autosmart.
As well as cost savings, the new system from Filling Solutions Ltd, of Hucknall, Notts, has significantly reduced necessity to check weigh filled IBC’s due to the accurate calibrated nature of the new equipment, said Davison.
The custom-built system features two Endress & Hauser ‘Mag-Flow’ metres as the monitoring device, filling the 1,000 litre IBC’s to a pre-determined volume and to an accuracy of plus or minus 20 millilitres.
Filling Solutions reduced installation costs by siting the unit under a canopy outside the main factory building. This has also made fork lift truck access to full and empty IBC’s easier and safer.