Spiroflow exceeding expectations

Founded in 1920, Thomas Dudley Ltd has established a reputation for manufacturing high quality bathroom products, plastic toilet cisterns, and ferrous castings that are both innovative and extremely reliable. Today, this commitment is as strong as ever, resulting in the continued introduction of new toilet cisterns, and ferrous castings that challenge conventional thinking. It was these commitments which, in 2012, led Thomas Dudley to develop ‘Resan’, a range of resin cast vandal-resistant sanitary-ware products for use in high security units and public areas. In the early stages of the ‘Resan’ product development, additives were delivered in bulk bags yet were hand-weighed and mixed to the correct consistency before being poured into castings. This process was time consuming and created high levels of dust, hence, the need for an effective bulk bag discharge system. After evaluating various bulk bag discharger manufacturers, Spiroflow was identified as the preferred supplier; they were able to meet the required delivery, guarantee performance and supply loan equipment during the manufacture process. Tests witnessed by Mike Mohr, Works Director and Neil Ward, Production Engineer, at Spiroflow’s Test Centre confirmed that a ‘Spiroflow’ T5 Bulk Bag Discharger and 67 Flexible Screw Conveyor was the correct combination to unload the bulk bags and deliver the additives to the inlet at the top of a continuous casting machine where bulk material is mixed with solid fillers and liquid binders. The ‘Spiroflow’ T5 Bulk Bag Discharger is designed for installations where restricted headroom causes problems in lifting bulk bags in to position on the discharger or where only a low lift forklift truck is available. The discharger can be coupled directly to a flexible spiral or other suitable conveyor to meter product from the bulk bag either volumetrically or by weight. Materials may then be fed direct to either mixing or other process equipment to provide a fully automatic powder unloading, proportioning and transfer system. Mike Mohr, Works Director, confirms, “Our biggest worry was dust control and air contamination, the ‘Spiroflow’ Bulk Bag Discharger has surpassed our expectations, created a safer working environment and increased our flow of production. Once Spiroflow had commissioned the conveyor their service engineer spent a day training our operatives on the correct usage and preventative maintenance procedures to ensure we continue to receive optimum performance from our equipment.” To learn more about ‘Spiroflow’ Bulk Bag Dischargers and Flexible Screw Conveyors plus their ranges of Aero-Mechanical Conveyors, Tubular Drag Conveyors and Vacuum Conveyors and also about their Bulk Bag Fillers too, visit their web site at www.spiroflow.com or call them on +44 (0)1200 422525 to discuss your specific requirements.