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Customer application

Automating flour transfer to optimise production

The industrial client in the food and drink industry, which specialises in biscuit manufacturing, was feeding its mixers entirely by hand. Operators had to carry and empty 25 kg bags, a physically demanding, repetitive task that added no value and was a potential source of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The company therefore decided to invest in an automated system to make its process more reliable, ease the burden on its teams and improve efficiency.

Here are the questions the client was asking before the project:

How can we eliminate the manual handling of flour sacks and the risk of MSDs for our operators?
How can we automate the feeding of our kneading machine in a reliable and simple way?
How can we implement a scalable solution that can adapt to our future needs (multiple types of flour, precise dosing)?
Can we find a partner capable of supplying us with a complete kit that we can install ourselves?

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Réparation et remise en route du silo après une tempête

Background

In the food industry, there is a constant drive for operational efficiency. The difficulty in recruiting staff for physically demanding handling tasks, combined with the need for traceability and hygiene, is prompting manufacturers to automate the transfer of raw materials such as flour or sugar. This includes factories abroad where labour costs are low.

The client had specific requirements:

Technical: The client wanted a simple, robust solution that could be installed quickly and independently by their own technical teams.
Scalability: The scalable system required had to be designed to easily integrate up to three big bag unloaders in the future, to handle different flours, without changing the central controller.
Budget: The customer was looking for a technical solution that precisely met their needs, with the final decision based on the suitability of the solution rather than the price.

Weighed-cyclofilter-for-vacuum-pneumatic-transfer

Proposed solution:

Faced with the manual and repetitive handling of flour sacks at its site in Eastern Europe, the client sought to automate the start of its production line. SYVRAC designed and supplied a bespoke pneumatic transfer solution, comprising a scalable big bag emptier and a cyclofilter, controlled by a centralised control cabinet. The result is a turnkey system, installed by the client, which eliminates the need to handle heavy loads, reduces the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and ensures a production rate of 60 kg/hour.

Key objective : To automatically transfer flour from big bags to a cyclofilter positioned above the mixer, with a target rate of 60 kg/hour.
Proposed solution : SYVRAC designed a complete and scalable pneumatic transfer line. The system is based on a big bag emptier which feeds a receiving cyclofilter via stainless steel piping. The whole system is controlled by a pre-configured electrical cabinet capable of managing up to three emptiers, offering flexibility for the future.

Practical steps:

Design of a bespoke 3D layout to integrate the equipment into the customer’s environment.
Manufacture of all components: big bag emptier, cyclone filter, pipework and control cabinet.
Pre-configuration of the PLC to control up to 3 big bag emptyers and a future switching system.
Preparation of the cyclofilter with specific mounting brackets to allow for the future addition of weighing sensors.
Organisation of a design review with the customer to validate the entire solution prior to dispatch.
Delivery of all equipment as a kit, with a detailed assembly plan for 100% self-installation by the customer.

Technical details:

To ensure autonomous operation, the cyclofilter is fitted with high and low level sensors. When the low level is detected, the transfer system is automatically activated to fill the cyclofilter to the high level. Discharge into the mixer is controlled by a valve and a vibrating feeder. The electrical cabinet centralises all controls and allows the operator to start the transfer at the touch of a button.

The key approach:

SYVRAC’s strength on this project was its adaptability and transparency. During the final 3D review, it became apparent that the optimal pipework layout required more bends than initially anticipated. SYVRAC adjusted the plan, added the necessary bends and presented the complete solution to the client in a transparent manner. This collaboration strengthened trust and enabled the delivery of a perfectly tailored “ready-to-assemble” kit, to such an extent that the client, who had initially requested an installation service, decided to carry out the installation themselves, independently and with complete confidence.

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Stéphane B.

Powder processing solution expert

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Components of the weighing system

The system is tailored precisely to the layout of your silos. Here are the main technical components:

Big bag unloader: with lifting beam and vibrating motors.
Cyclone filter: with mounting brackets for load cells and high/low level sensors.
Pneumatic transfer blower:
Piping and elbows in food-grade stainless steel.
Electrical cabinet with pre-programmed PLC.

Additional equipment

The system is ready for the future addition of:

Two additional big bag unloaders.
A sorting system for flour selection.
Weighing sensors. under the cyclofilter for weight-based dosing.
RFID sensors on the silos for advanced recipe traceability.

What are the results?

Automating silo weighing generates immediate and measurable benefits for your industry:

Achieved throughput: The system is designed to ensure a target throughput of 60 kg/hour, tailored to the customer’s needs but with a much higher capacity if required.
Elimination of MSDs: Complete elimination of the need to carry 25 kg bags, improving safety and working conditions.
Time savings: Frees an operator from manual handling tasks, allowing them to focus on higher value-added operations.
Waste reduction: Switching from bags to big bags simplifies the management of empty packaging.

Competitive advantage

The trust built up during two previous projects (cleaning and replacing silo liners) proved decisive. SYVRAC was not chosen on the basis of price, but for its ability to provide a precise, simple and scalable technical solution, delivered as a kit and easy to install. The ease of maintenance, with standard components (5 motors in total, 3 of which are identical), is a major advantage for overseas operations.

Customer testimonial following our work:
Given how straightforward the turnkey solution was, my maintenance teams carried out the installation themselves.
Explanation from our SYVRAC expert:
It is a simplified technical solution and the customer carries out the installation themselves. It is so simple that the customer knows exactly what to expect, with no surprises.

Conclusion

This project perfectly illustrates SYVRAC’s philosophy: to provide robust, pragmatic engineering solutions designed to empower the client. The relationship of trust built up project by project has enabled us to co-develop a solution that not only meets the immediate need but also anticipates future developments at the site. This successful collaboration has already opened the door to discussions regarding a fourth project, at the client’s new site in Canada.

FAQ

Does the system allow for precise flour dosing?

In its initial configuration, the system operates on a volumetric dosing system with high/low level sensors. However, we have anticipated the need for precision: the cyclofilter is already equipped with specific mounting brackets to easily add load cell-type weighing sensors, allowing for a switch to precise weight-based dosing (e.g. 100 kg) whenever the customer wishes.

Are installation and maintenance complicated, especially abroad?

No, on the contrary. The solution is supplied as a kit with clear assembly plans, allowing for completely independent installation. Maintenance is simplified as much as possible: the system has only 5 motors in total, including 3 identical vibrating motors, and uses readily available standard components, ensuring ease of maintenance.

Is this solution only for flour?

Absolutely not! The pneumatic conveying principle implemented by SYVRAC can be adapted to a wide variety of powdery or granular products. We have already deployed similar solutions to convey sugar, plastic pellets and other materials in sectors such as the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as the construction sector.

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Flexible-silo-big-bag-dumper

Big-bag-dumping-station-Syvrac

Cyclofilter

Weighed-cyclofilter-for-vacuum-pneumatic-transfer