Space
We understand that your goal is to grow. A. R. McKay wants to be there every step of the way. Full automation is often out of the question for most of our customers who are just beginning to open mouth bag. Manual lines are a very economical bagging solution and can obtain capacities up to 10 (50 lbs) bags per minute. These systems usually require 3-4 operators: one person to hang the bag on the spout, one person to reform the bag and feed it to the sewer/sealer, and 1-2 people to stack bags on pallets. Speeds beyond 10 bags per minute becomes an extremely labor intensive process. It is very important to plan for automation up front, even if you do not initially see the growth potential. Automation requires height and linear space. The outlet flange for the hopper feeding a fully automated Fischbein line is around 13’-0”, while a manual line with a gross weigh scale is 6’-8”. An automated bagging line with Robotic Palletizer also requires more linear space than a manual line. We have often ran into customers who want to automate their bagging lines but are unaware of the changes that must take place to accommodate automation. It becomes even more costly for them to automate because of these changes. A. R. McKay can design your process using 3D modeling software and plan for these automation requirements while still providing you initially with an economical solution. We are in for the long haul with our customers and focus on building relationships and trust.
Flowability
How well your product will flow will influence the type of bagging scale to maximize the efficiency of your bagging line. Free flowing products are among the easiest products to bag. Free flowing means that the product is dry with a larger particle size that will not clump or bridge. Soybeans or polymer pellets would be considered free flowing. Free flowing products can be gravity fed through a scale with only a gate to control the flow. Products that are considered not free flowing would be a textured (wet) animal feed or a powder. These products often want to clump or bridge, making them difficult to maintain accurate weighments. There are a few ways to make this product flow so accurate weighments can be achieved. Incorporating an auger filler or a belt feeder above the scale body helps break up the material and maintain a consistent product flow. This consistent flow is crucial to your accuracies. Accurate weights in your bags will maximize profit and sustain happy customers.
