For this project, the customer had a requirement to vacuum convey powders out of drums into a small mixing vessel. The vessel is brought to a vacuum in order to convey the material out of the Material Transfer Station hopper. Several customizations were made to accommodate the process requirements. A Mettler Toledo weighing system was added to the vacuum hopper to allow the operators to convey specific amounts by mass into the vessel (accuracy +/- 100g). The scale readout was equipped with a communication ethernet port for connection to the client’s printer, for creation of batch records. A custom shelf for the client’s printer was included. The standard fold down side table was replaced with a custom stainless steel tool basket, and the table top of the MTS was equipped with a backsplash to keep the work area clean as powder is dispensed into the hopper. The hopper was also equipped with a screen to prevent unwanted articles from being conveyed into the vessel, as well as nitrogen ports to keep the vessel environment inert as air from the hopper is pulled into the process after the powder is emptied.
