For this project, Rheo designed and fabricated a compact material transfer system to accurately weigh and dispense various ingredients into Single Use Bags and stainless steel canisters. The system featured custom transport carts for the Single Use Bags which facilitated a docking interface with the Material Transfer Station (MTS) weigh module. This combination allowed for an efficient process stream and an ergonomic means for high accuracy weighing and dispensing. The suite floor plan also necessitated that the equipment be designed with a small footprint and easy maneuverability in mind.
The Material Transfer Station (MTS) is a compact workstation that improves dispensing efficiency and operator ergonomics. A Drum Tipper raises and slides the raw material container to a position directly over the Single Use Bag inlet, allowing the operator easy access to the product for accurate dispensing. An adjustable drum cradle accommodates anywhere between a 100kg poly drum and a 5kg poly bucket by way of a custom cradle profile and multiple drum stop locations. This MTS unit was able to transfer product from over six (6) different raw material containers while also providing containment via a strategically placed Rheo Ventilation Sleeve.
The Dispensing Workstation is a custom, height adjustable table, with a high precision bench scale, Single Use Bag stand, raw material shelf, and an integrated Air Filtration Unit (AFU). The AFU provides exhaust for the MTS Ventilation Sleeve, meaning that the customer did not need to provide a dust collection/exhaust utility for the system. The custom table stack-up on the Dispensing Workstation was designed to ensure an optimal dispensing height for high-accuracy dosing, while the height adjustability feature allowed this functionality to operators of varying heights.
Drum Carts and Single Use Bag Transport Carts were included in the system, allowing a customized interface between each piece of equipment. The Drum Carts were designed to align with the MTS drum cradle cutout, allowing for an ergonomic transfer of raw container to MTS in a space constrained area. The Single Use Bag Transport Carts offered a streamlined docking interface between weigh/dispense and transfer modalities.
