Application
Automated Sack Emptying in Plastics Plants
Answer in brief
Compounding plants charge many small additives from sacks, and each sack is an exposure event and a dust release.
Pigments make that release visible; stabilisers and flame retardants make it a health matter.
- Automate where the same additive is charged repeatedly.
- Capture the dust at the opening step.
- Feed from a conditioned hopper, not straight into the extruder.
Reviewed October 21, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026
The problem
Manual charging of additives releases dust at the point where the operator stands, and residue left in sacks changes the recipe quietly.
Desired outcome
A station that empties sacks completely, contains the dust at the cutting step and delivers a stable flow to the feeder below.
Process approach
Enclosed cutting with extraction removes the release at the source, and compaction handles the empty sacks without a second dust event.
A conditioning hopper below gives the gravimetric feeder a stable inlet, which protects the recipe accuracy.
- Enclosed cutting with extraction sized for the step.
- Conditioning volume between station and feeder.
- Residue limit specified for recipe accuracy.
Selection factors
- Exposure limits for the additives handled.
- Sack types and sizes across suppliers.
- Recipe accuracy required below the station.
- Number of additives and the changeover between them.
- Dust explosion characteristics of the powders.
Common failure modes
- Pigment dust escaping at the cutting step
- Residue in sacks shifting the recipe
- Feeder fed directly without conditioning
- Changeover between additives leaving residue in the enclosure
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