RATEC bag dump stations let your operators tip powders and granules from bags by hand without clouds of dust or lumps reaching the process. A vibrating sieve built into the station breaks up agglomerates right at the feed point, so the material flows evenly into mixers, hoppers or conveying lines. The stations are made from stainless steel as standard, are easy to clean and are available in ATEX and FDA-compliant versions on request. We design every bag dump station around your product and build it at our own plant in St. Veit an der Glan, Austria.
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How bag dump stations work
- Empty: The operator places the bag on the station and empties it by hand at a comfortable working height.
- Sieve: The product falls onto the sieve basket, which a vibration motor keeps in motion. Lumps are broken up and the material flows on evenly.
- Feed: The bulk material leaves the station through the outlet and enters the downstream process free of lumps.
The principle is the same as with a big-bag docking unit: the product is handed over to the process in a controlled, low-dust way. The difference is that bags are fed by hand here, rather than big bags being lifted in with a hoist.
Why an integrated vibrating sieve?
Bulk materials delivered in bags tend to form lumps. Moisture, long storage times or the pressure of stacked bags can make powders cake together. If these lumps reach the process unsieved, they disrupt dosing, mixing and conveying, and in the worst case the plant has to be stopped.
The integrated vibrating sieve solves this problem right at the feed point. The vibration motor keeps the product moving, breaks up loose agglomerates and makes sure the material flows evenly into the process. Because sieve and station form one unit, you need neither a separate sieving step nor additional floor space.
Hygienic and easy to clean
RATEC bag dump stations are built from high-quality stainless steel as standard. Smooth stainless steel surfaces can be cleaned quickly and hygienically, which matters especially for product changeovers and in sensitive industries. We always choose the material to suit your requirements, however, and other materials are possible depending on the application. For the food and pharmaceutical industries, the stations are available on request with FDA-compliant, product-contacting materials.
Low-dust and ergonomic
Emptying bags easily creates dust, particularly with fine powders. Low-dust feeding improves the air quality at the workplace, reduces health risks and keeps the working area clean. The station is also designed with ergonomics in mind: the working height allows your staff to empty bags without unnecessary bending or lifting overhead.
Key technical data
| Feature | RATEC bag dump stations |
|---|---|
| Material | stainless steel (standard), other materials depending on requirements |
| Sieving | integrated vibrating sieve with vibration motor |
| Feeding | bags, fed by hand |
| Discharge | low-dust and lump-free into the process |
| Customisable | sieve, housing, lid and connection |
| Versions | ATEX and FDA-compliant materials on request |
The versions listed are our standard solution. Other sizes, materials, sieves and connections are built to your specifications, right up to a complete special design.
Use in hazardous areas
With combustible dusts, an explosive atmosphere can form when bags are emptied. For these cases, RATEC supplies bag dump stations in an ATEX-compliant version. In the EU, equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres is governed by Directive 2014/34/EU. We clarify which version your product requires during the design phase.
What matters in the design
- Bulk material: powder or granulate, tendency to form lumps, flow behaviour and dust generation.
- Bags: size, weight and how many bags are emptied per hour or per shift.
- Sieving: mesh size to suit your product and the type of lumps.
- Connection: where the product goes after sieving, for example into a mixer, hopper or conveying line.
- Special requirements: ATEX, FDA, cleaning concept or special designs.
Where bag dump stations are used
Bag dump stations are ideal for the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Typical applications are processes in which raw materials, additives or minor ingredients arrive in bags and are added by hand to mixers, hoppers or dosing systems. If your bulk materials arrive in large containers instead, our big-bag discharge stations or big-bag discharge devices are the right solution.
Custom-built by RATEC
RATEC is at home in bulk material handling and manufactures components for bulk handling plants at its own plant in Carinthia, Austria, certified to ISO 9001, EN 1090-1 and ISO 3834-2. We adapt the sieve, housing, lid and connection to your product and your plant, and on request build a complete special design. You can find all products at a glance under Big-Bag Handling.
Want to empty bags without dust and lumps?
Tell us briefly about your bulk material, your bags and your process. We will get back to you with a specific proposal.