InterProcess Sp. z o.o. | Rozwiązania dla przemysłu
What dust-free big bag emptying is
Emptying with no dust, no losses and no risk to the operator
Emptying big bags by hand means dust across the shop floor, losses of expensive raw material, a risk to the health of operators and no control over how much material has been dispensed. BSB emptying stations (also known as big bag discharge stations or FIBC unloaders) enclose the whole process in a contained system — from lifting the bag to discharging the material into the process.
Unlike off-the-shelf solutions, every station is engineered from the ground up: an integrated electric hoist on a trolley beam does away with the forklift truck, pneumatic massagers promote the flow of difficult-flowing materials without damaging their structure, and a dust-tight docking module gives a contained connection between the bag and the station. The modular construction allows the station to be extended later, as process requirements change.
The BSB emptying station
A design tailored to the application
BSB stations in service — click to enlarge
A BSB station comprises a support frame, a bag loading system, a flow promotion system and a dust-tight docking module. The dimensions of the frame, the load capacity and the equipment are matched to the dimensions of the bags, the properties of the material and the space available — we do not offer a single standard model.
The frame is made of powder-coated carbon steel or — in the hygienic build — of AISI 304 / AISI 316L stainless steel. Every part in contact with the material is always stainless steel.
Key BSB station specifications
- Load capacity
- up to 2000 kg (lifting cradle with a 4-loop bag attachment)
- Bag height
- up to 2500 mm
- Frame
- approx. 1500 × 1500 mm; height adapted to the application
- Hoist beam
- 2800 mm long, rated for 1000 or 2000 kg
- Materials
- powder-coated carbon steel; AISI 304 / AISI 316L optional
- Product-contact parts
- always AISI 304 or AISI 316L stainless steel
- Docking module
- dual-ring, dust-tight, with adjustable cover pressure
- Options
- load-cell weighing, dust filter, pneumatic spout closing, automatic bag tensioner, liner tensioner, roller conveyor, empty bag disposal
- Builds
- ATEX (dust or gas zone), hygienic FDA / GMP / HACCP
Downloads
Bag loading method
Integrated hoist or forklift truck?
The BSB station comes in two loading versions: with an integrated electric chain hoist on a trolley beam (an integral part of the station), or in a version loaded by forklift truck. Both versions use the same frame, lifting cradle and docking module.
| Criterion | Integrated hoist on a trolley beam | Loading by forklift truck |
|---|---|---|
| Bag handling | The operator lifts the bag at the push of a button; the trolley runs it along the beam to sit exactly over the docking point | The bag is placed in from above on forks with a lifting cradle |
| Operator safety | ✓ Lifting from the side or rear of the station — no crushing risk | Manoeuvring a heavy truck inside the working area |
| Space required | ✓ Less — no truck manoeuvring area needed | An extra manoeuvring area beside the station |
| Risk of damage | ✓ No contact between forks and structure | The forks may damage the frame |
| Capital cost | Higher (hoist and trolley beam included in the station) | Lower — it uses the plant’s existing equipment |
| When to choose it? | Frequent bag changes, restricted space, demanding health and safety requirements | Occasional emptying, a truck and manoeuvring space already available |
Enhanced safety option
A guarded loading zone with interlocked doors
Lifting the bag and moving it over the station is the most dangerous moment in the whole operation — a load of up to two tonnes travels at height, and badly hung loops or damaged fabric can send the bag to the floor. It is worth enclosing the bag’s entire path in guarding that nobody can enter while it is moving.
The optional loading-zone guarding is a full-height panelled mesh enclosure with electromechanically interlocked doors tied into the hoist controls. The interlock works both ways: the hoist cannot be started with the doors open, and the doors stay locked until the bag has been safely set down in the docking position. The control pendant is brought outside the enclosure, so the operator guides the bag from beyond the danger zone. More and more customers are asking for this — including as part of their risk assessment and machinery conformity documentation.
- 01Doors locked while the bag is lifted and travels — no access beneath a suspended load
- 02Hoist disabled while the doors are open — the two functions are interlocked
- 03Controls and emergency stop outside the enclosure, within the operator’s reach
- 04Full-height panels, the enclosure shaped to the footprint of the station and to access to the docking module
- 05Drives beneath the discharge point (feeder, conveyor) cut out when the doors open
Flow promotion
Massagers, vibrator or spout stretching?
Bulk materials cake inside the bag during transport and storage — forming bridges and rat-holes that stop the material flowing. We match the flow promotion system to the properties of the material, not the other way round.
Pneumatic massagers
Difficult-flowing materials
- —gently massage the material, breaking up bridges and rat-holes
- —leave the structure of delicate products intact (granulates, flakes, crystals)
- —transmit no vibration into the structure — less noise and less fatigue loading
- —low energy consumption, minimal maintenance
Vibrating rest plate
Materials of moderate flowability
- —the bag rests on a vibrating plate, which loosens the material
- —a simple, proven and low-cost solution
- —sufficient for materials without strong cohesion
- —selected individually to suit the properties of the product
Spout stretching device
Stretching the bag spout
- —tensions the bag spout, holding the full discharge cross-section open
- —improves flow and empties the bag completely
- —raises hygiene standards — the spout does not hang into the material stream
- —an automatic tensioner keeps the bag taut throughout emptying
- —combined with massagers or a vibrator in a single station
Flow promotion selection table
| Character of the material | Recommended flow promotion |
|---|---|
| Well-flowing — granulate, granulated sugar, pellets | None, or a vibrating rest plate |
| Moderately flowing, slightly caking — sugar, salt, groats | Vibrating rest plate, optionally with a bag tensioner |
| Cohesive and dusty — flour, milk powder, pigments, lime | Pneumatic massagers with a spout stretching device |
| Delicate, easily damaged — flakes, granola, blends | Pneumatic massagers at reduced force, no vibration |
| Heavily caked after prolonged storage | Massagers and spout stretching, with a lump breaker beneath the discharge if needed |
The table is an indicative guide — the final selection is confirmed by a trial on the actual material.
Not sure which flow aid to choose? We confirm the choice from the properties of the customer’s actual material — its particle size, cohesiveness and tendency to cake — not from catalogue figures alone.
Ask us to adviseDust containment
Dust-tight docking module
The heart of the BSB station is a dual-ring docking station. The operator opens the cover, pulls the bag spout through the inner ring and closes the cover — creating a contained connection. Only then is the bag spout opened, and the material flows out inside a closed system.
The pressure of the docking cover is adjustable, so the seal can be matched to different types and sizes of spout. As an option, the station can be fitted with rear-side dust extraction and a connection to the plant’s central dust extraction system.
- Bag connection
- dual-ring, dust-tight, with adjustable cover pressure
- Spout closing
- pneumatic closing system — partial emptying and setting part-used bags aside
- Dust extraction
- optional rear-side extraction or a filter integrated into the station; draws dust-laden air out of the bag before it is removed
- Material consumption monitoring
- optional weighing of the bag on load cells
Process integration
Part of a larger system, not a standalone machine
The lower frame of the station is adapted to the requirements of the installation — the emptying station becomes an integral link in the process line: from raw material intake, through feeding and conveying, to delivering material into the process. We offer full design support in selecting the interface and the ancillary equipment.
Discharge into a buffer hopper or reactor
Direct gravity discharge of material into the process.
Intermediate container with a feeder
Controlled delivery by a screw, vibratory or belt feeder.
Dilute-phase pneumatic conveying
Connection through a rotary airlock valve.
Dense-phase pneumatic conveying
Discharge into the transmitter vessel of a pressure conveying system.
Vacuum conveying
A direct connection to vacuum conveying.
Operation on demand from the process
Emptying triggered by a level sensor in the receiving hopper or by a signal from the higher-level control system.
Inclined screw conveyor
Mechanical delivery of material to equipment at a higher level.
Screener or lump breaker
Protecting the process from lumps and foreign bodies immediately after discharge — a lump breaker or a check screener.
Industries and typical materials
Key industry applications
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why InterProcess
Why choose our solutions?
A design tailored to the application
Every station designed from the ground up for the customer’s application.
Dust-free operation
A dust-tight docking module with adjustable cover pressure.
Process integration
Feeders, pneumatic conveying, weighing, control systems.
Experience across many industries
Food, chemical, pharmaceutical and construction.
Safety and hygiene
ATEX, FDA, HACCP and GMP builds, and guarding with interlocked doors.
Technical support and service
With a fast response, including 24/7 cover.
