CJ Waterhouse

Engineering Systems & Machinery for Manufacturing Industries

www.cjwaterhouse.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1636 610792

Company Overview & Index CJ Waterhouse Co. Ltd. provides the design, manufacture and installation of a variety of bespoke materials handling, weighing and process control systems. We offer equipment ranging from individual stand alone machines to full turn-key bespoke systems incorporating mechanical, electrical and software solutions.

We have extensive experience working with a wide variety of raw materials, from silica powders to highly viscous oils, granular food stuffs and solid polymers. Through our existing materials knowledge,machine design experience and continuous development of our product range we can offer our customers tailor made system solutions to their specific material handling problems.

C J Waterhouse Co. Ltd. supply equipment and systems to a variety of worldwide manufacturing industries. From rubber and plastics to food manufacture industries we can provide you with a bespoke solution to meet your most exacting needs. Whether your requirement is for a simple batch weigher for the chemicals industry or a complete blender feed system for food industry we can offer the system that’s right for your production requirements.

P1 & 2

- Intake & Bulk Storage Systems

P3 & 4

- Sack & Bulk Bag Discharging

P5 & 6

- Mechanical Conveying

P7 & 8

- Pneumatic Conveying

P9 & 10

- Weighing

P11 & 12

- Feeding & Dosing

P13 & 14

- Packing & Palletisation

P15 & 16

- Control & Automation

P17 & 18

- Turn-Key System Solutions

P19 & 20

- Smart Cart Minor Ingredients System

Intake & Bulk Storage

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Bulk Raw Material Intake Systems Raw materials intake systems can be supplied in a variety of configurations to suit your specific materials, processes and storage requirements.

For materials supplied by tanker a pneumatic intake system is generally used to convey materials from the tanker directly into the storage silos. These systems can either utilise a truck mounted blower or a dedicated site mounted unit. Such systems can be used to load eithe a single storage vessel or a number of silos via diverter valves or pipework connection manifolds.

For materials supplied by tipper truck or similar we would generally supply a drag link or walking floor system to move the material to the storage facility. Such systems typically incorporate a sunken mechanical transfer system with a infeed hopper assembly.

Bulk Material Storage - External Silos For high usage materials delivered to site by tanker or lorry we can offer bulk storage silos of varying capacity suitable for holding a variety of materials.

Such storage facilities can be loaded either pneumatically or mechanically.

Bulk external silos can be supplied for raw material intake systems or for storage of finished product prior to its collection. Raw material silos are generally floor mounted and finished product silos are stillage mounted to permit direct loading of tankers below.

Silos are supplied with level detection systems and filtration units and can also incorporate de-humidification and drying systems together with trace heating and external lagging dependant upon the specific material requirements.

Intake & Bulk Storage

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Raw Material Storage - Internal Fabric Silos As a more cost effective solution to mild or stainless steel silos fabric alternatives can be supplied for internal applications. These generally comprise of a steel support frame with an internally suspended woven fabric storage bag. Such silos can be supplied in a variety of shapes and sizes from under 1m3 to over 60m3 dependant upon the material to be stored.

These silos are manufacture from a variety of materials to suit the specific material requirements from woven Polypropolene for storage of light low dust materials such as packaging and Polystyrene to Triveara material for storage of powders and granules.

Fabric silos can be designed and manufactured to provide the equivalent functionality to those of conventional steel silos and can incorporate level detection, automated in / out feed valves, sample ports and product viewing windows. In addition to this these silos can include upper surface filtration systems to permit air expulsion during pneumatic filling sequences.

Intermediate Storage & Process Feed In many instances bulk storage facilities are used to supply materials to internal intermediate storage hoppers or ‘day bins’. These day bins are then utilised to feed a specific process or plant operation. Such systems generally provide automatic refilling of the intermediate storage hoppers either pneumatically or mechanically.

Intermediate storage facilities can be manufactured from both mild and stainless steel and include level detection and monitoring systems. Such storage facilities can be supplied to accommodate any required capacity and suit any specific downstream throughput via automated discharge valves and feeding devices.

Pneumatically fed hoppers are generally supplied with a reverse jet filter unit to remove transferred product from transferring air without expulsion of dust to atmosphere.

Sack & Bulk Bag Discharging

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Intermediate Bulk Storage & Discharge - FIBC & RIBC Raw material suppliers generally provide bulk powders in Rigid containers (RIBC's) or flexible 'Big Bags' (FIBC's) of varying types and sizes, all of which can be handled, discharged or filled using our range of equipment.

Our discharge stations whether they be for bags or bins are designed to form an enclosed system providing controlled discharge of material to the downstream process without pollution of the surrounding area.

Systems can range from simple RIBC stations to sophisticated FIBC stations incorporating self sealing vibratory tables, neck clamp assemblies with interlocked access door and bag massage systems. Both bag and bin systems are supplied with integrated surge hoppers providing a sufficient buffer of material to accommodate typical container change over times

FIBC Station Components Upper sealing membrane with optional vibratory discharge assistors

Neck tie access box with optional pneumatic clamp system

Surge hopper with discharge flange to suit downstream equipment

Bespoke Solutions In addition to our standard range of bulk bag and rigid bin discharge stations we can also supply bespoke solutions incorporating such devices as in-line sieving and reblending of materials to ensure that the resultant discharged material meets the required specification for t h e d o w n s t r e a m production system.

Sack & Bulk Bag Discharging Manual Sack Emptying

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Sack Discharging For materials delivered to site in smaller sacks we offer a range of storage and discharge solutions designed to provide easy, dust free emptying of materials into the production system. Our ‘rip & tip’ sack tip stations permit manual discharging of powder and pellets and can be supplied with any required storage volume. The stations are supplied as standard with internal mesh screens and low level detection and can incorporate numerous additional features to enhance functionality and operation.

Various storage capacities Automated extraction system Bag support shelf Internal support mesh Level monitoring Discharge flange to suit Automatic Sack Emptying In addition to our range of manual sack emptying systems CJ Waterhouse co. ltd. are also partner company to the Italian engineering company Comav who manufacture fully automated sack emptying systems and bespoke discharge solutions.

These systems will automatically open the sacks, discharge their contents into an integrated storage hopper and compact the empty sack into a plastic storage sock.

Comav supply a range of standard machines with throughputs from 150 to 1000 bags per hour and the in-feed system can either be by inclined conveyor or fully automated pallet discharger.

150 - 1000 bph Auto Sack Compaction Belt or Pallet Feed Atex Models Available Powders & Pellets

Mechanical Conveying Systems Belt & Roller Conveyors Belt conveyor systems are used to transfer either loose or solid materials both horizontally and at inclined angles. These conveyors can be supplied with solid or interlinked mesh belts, with or without flights dependant upon requirements and can be used a simple transfer systems, feeding devices or as batch or continuous weighers.

Roller conveyor systems are generally utilised where containerised or solid materials are to be handled. They can be supplied as powered or gravity type and can incorporate bespoke lifting transfer mechanisms, corners and automated holding areas etc

Bucket Elevators / Lifting Systems When pneumatic systems are not feasible and insufficient space is available for an inclined conveyor system material can be elevated using bucket type elevators.

Various forms are available dependent upon materials, throughputs etc. In general terms these elevator systems collect material into a bucket or enclosure which is attached to the elevation system (belt, chain etc).

Numerous buckets are located upon the elevation system which lift the material vertically to the required height before discharging it through a connecting chute to the downstream process.

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Mechanical Conveying Systems

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Screw Transfer Systems Screw conveyors can not only be used as accurate feeding devices but can also provide an efficient method of transfering bulk materials. Such conveying systems can be supplied to simply move product from one storage location to another or to convey product over a longer distances and incorporate directional changes via multiple units.

Transfer screws can be designed and supplied to suit our customers exact requirements with respect to conveying rate, dimensions and material handling capabilities. Rotational sensors & choke switches can be incorporated to monitor screw performance and indicate blockages and faults.

Vibratory Conveying Systems As with screw conveyors, vibratory systems can be utilised to transfer product from one area to another in addition to their use as feeding or dispensing systems. Vibration can be utilised to not only move products horizontally but also along positive inclines either in a linear or rotary fashion.

I n g e n e r a l vibratory systems are used to convey granular or larger particle size material but can also effectively move smaller particle size materials and powders.

Pneumatic Conveying

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Dense Phase Pneumatic Conveying Dense phase pneumatic conveying systems transfer product as a slug of material at slow speed under high pressure. Dense phase systems normally operate as a batch transfer system where a batch of materials is weighed and discharged into a pressure vessel. The vessel is then pressurised and the discharge valve opened therefore forcing the material along the conveying pipe line. This type of conveying system causes less damage to delicate materials which are susceptible to degradation when transferred at higher speeds.

High Pressure

Material Slug Material Transfer

Lean Phase Pneumatic Conveying Lean phase pneumatic conveying systems transfer product as a stream of material travelling at high speed but under low pressure. This type of transfer system can be utilised for both batch and continuous production and uses a blower unit to force conveying air along a pipe line into which the material is introduced. Material is generally fed from a discharge station or a weigher into the conveying line via a rotary valve which not only delivers material at a constant rate but also separates the upstream equipment from the conveying pressure.

Conveying Air

Material

Material Transfer

Low Pressure

Material is transferred to the receiving vessel which is fitted with a reverse jet filtration system which separated the transferring air from the material via a series of filter cartridges.

The cartridge are automatically cleaned between batches using reverse air jets.

Pneumatic Conveying Vacuum Conveying

Va c u u m t r a n s f e r systems generally utilise rotary valves or similar feeding system to control the flow of material into the line and normally incorporate a filter or cyclone unit on the receiving vessel to separate transferring air from material.

Vacuum conveying systems operate in reverse to a lean phase system where material is transferred from source to destination via a vacuum pump or inverse blower. Air is sucked out of the transfer pipe line which causes a vacuum and therefore pulls the material along. This type of transfer system can also be utilised for both batch and continuous production systems.

Venturi Unit

Venturi Systems Venturi systems use the principles of fluid dynamics to create both negative and positive conveying pressures. A negative pressure is created upstream of the unit and a positive pressure is created downstream. Such systems are therefore very effective in sucking material from its source and supplying it to the destination under pressure. These systems convey materials using lean phase technology and utilise either a cyclone of filter unit at the destination to separate conveying air from conveyed product.

The venturi system works by creating a constriction within the pipe (classically a hourglass shape) that varies the flow characteristics of the gas travelling through the tube. As the velocity in the throat is increased a consequential loss in pressure occurs. This drop in pressure therefore creates a vacuum effect which can be used to draw material into the conveying pipeline. On the downstream side of the venturi unit the material is conveyed using the positive pressure air flow.

08

Conveyed Material

Air Return Material Intake Blower Unit Air In To Venturi

C J Waterhouse company are a UK distributor for Kongskilde, a leading supplier of venturi systems around the world. Their extensive experience within material conveying using fluid dynamic principles has led them to provide a unique system which vastly reduces air consumption and reduced end of line filtration requirements due to their air return system. This system removes a portion of the air that is supplied to the venturi to create the vacuum and returns it back to the blower unit to be recycled.

Weighing Systems

09

Batch Weighing - Powders & Pellets Batch weighing systems generally comprise of a central vessel or conveyor mounted upon a loadcell weigh frame. One or more feeders are positioned around the weigher perimeter and are used to automatically dose materials in the vessel in accordance with the specified recipe. The physical form of the weigher can vary dependant upon material and the specific process requirements but would generally be either a conical or rectangular hopper. Other applications may however require a conveyor type batch weigher or specific bespoke solution.

Batch weigh hoppers can also be supplied with various discharge assistors such as airation pads, fluidised cones and flapper jackets to enhance the flow of difficult to handle materials.

Weigher capacities can be designed to suit the customers exact requirements from tens of grams to multiple tons.

Batch Weighing - Liquids & Solids As with powders, liquidweighing systems are designed around a central weigh hopper with liquids being dispensed via pneumatically operated feed valves. Liquid feeds may be supplied from bulk storage tanks, intermediate bulk containers or standard drums with delivery pumps to suit.

For multi-batch operation systems the weigh hopper can discharge into a intermediate holding vessel situated beneath. From the holding tank the liquid is pumped on demand to the downstream process.

Complete discharge of the oils and line cleaning is achieved utilising low level probes and air operated purging systems.

Both weigh hopper and holding tank are housed in a free standing enclosure which may be fitted with electrical heating and insulation for the handling of more viscous oils.

Solid material batch weighing systems generally comprise of a belt conveyor mounted on a multi-point weigh frame and provide weighing and transfer of batches to the downstream process. Loading can be performed either manually by the operator or via an automated conveyor system.

Weighing Systems Continuous Weighing Systems

Continuous weighing systems are utilised for applications where the downstream process requires a continual feed of material rather than a batching process. Such systems generally comprise of a belt conveyor with weighed section.

These weighing systems can either be used to simply give a running total of the amount of product passing over the belt or can vary the belt speed to give a constant rate of material to the process line.

Loss-In-Weight Weighing Systems Loss in weight weighing systems provide automated discharging of materials by weight to the downstream process. General operation will involve the top up of the weigh vessel by mechanical or pneumatic transfer prior to discharging the required weight of material. Refil of the hopper can be controlled by level probe or weight. Loss in weight systems are normally utilised where accuracy requirement is lower and the batch size is similar for all weighments.

Bespoke Weighing Solutions With years of experience providing weighing system solutions for our customers we can design, supply and implement a bespoke weighing machine to suit your specific plant and materials requirements. From raw materials to finished product weighing and check weighing systems we endevour to supply the best possible solution with respect to accuracy and longevity.

10

Feeding & Dosing

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Feeding and dosing systems are designed to accurately dispense your materials to a specific downstream process, storage vessel or weighing system. For precision dosing systems we incorporate feeder shut off valves or catch gates and variable speed drive systems to ensure the highest level of accuracy is achieved. All our systems are custom designed to suit our client's requirements with respect to speed, throughput and accuracy.

We supply a variety of dosing & feeding equipment to suit your specific material requirements from fine powders to granules, liquids and solids. From belt feeding devices to screw conveyors we can provide the correct solution to handle your materials effectively without causing damage.

Screw Feeders Dosing screw feeders are generally supplied for applications where accurate dispensing of powders to a specific downstream process is required. Such feeders are custom designed to suit the specific materials to be handled and can be supplied to suit any required throughput.

The majority of our dosing feeders incorporate variable speed drives and automated shut-off gates for improved accuracy and can be supplied as tubular or as 'U' trough design with removable top covers.

Single or twin helix agitators are incorporated for difficult materials to reduce bridging and promote a constant flow of material to the feeder flight.

For applications where higher batch sizes are required specialist feeders can be supplied which include duplex flights of different diameters to increase throughput whilst maintaining accuracy. For maximum throughput both flights are run simultaneously and for maximum accuracy just the smaller flight is run.

Feeding & Dosing

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Vibratory Feeders For applications where more granular or larger particle size materials are to be dispensed we can supply trough or tubular vibratory feeders. Such feeders can again incorporate variable speed drives and feeder shut off gates to improve accuracy.

Vibratory systems can also be used to dispense materials from bulk hoppers and can be fitted with manual or automated depth regulation systems to provide a controlled throughput.

Vibratory feeders can provide extremely accurate dosing of materials due to their constant rate of feed as opposed to screw feeders which can produce a pulsed discharge. As with screw feeders our vibratory units can also be fitted with shutoff valves or radial catch gates to eliminate feeder over-run and improve accuracy.

Belt Feeders Material dosing can also be provided via belt feeding devices. Such feeders can provide accurate dispensing of both powder and granule materials and have low impact on the conveyed material due to the gentle nature of the conveying method. Our belt feeders can be supplied with either constant rate or variable speed drives and can incorporate multiple inlets and discharge catch gates.

Packing & Palletisation

13

In addition to our extensive range of front end materials handling machinery and systems C J Waterhouse Company also supply a range of manual and automated packaging and palletisation systems for loose dry materials. From basic open mouth bag filling systems with manual bag placing to fully automated packaging and palletisation lines and automated FIBC filling machinery we are able to supply the end of line solution that exactly suits your specific production requirements.

FIBC & Bulk Packing We can fulfil your entire bulk bag filling system requirements with either semi or fully automated solutions. With systems ranging from manual filling machines comprising of a simple bag frame and filling spout with push button control of the filling operation to multi station filling lines with automated neck sealing, dosing, weighing and transfer mechanism we can supply a filling solution to suit you bulk packing requirements.

Manual & Semi Automatic Sack Filling Lines For lower throughputs and production requirements we can offer basic sack filling solutions with either manual or automated bag loading, removal and sealing. Systems can be supplied to work with any bag shape, size and material with batching accuracies to suit your process requirements.

Such systems generally incorporate gravity roller conveyor systems for manual transfer of bagged materials from the filling system to the sealing station and can be supplied with either gross or nett weighers dependent upon the specific requirements.

Packing & Palletisation

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Automated Packing Lines C J Waterhouse are the UK partner to Umbra-Packaging, one of the world's leading experts in automated open mouth bag packaging and palletisation systems.

From their headquarters in Perugia Italy, Umbra manufacture a range of high speed placing, filling and sealing machines for pre-made bags. Their machinery is capable of handling any bag type with integrated handles, slide locks and bespoke fastening systems at sizes from 300g to 30Kg. Single and duplex machines are available with packing speeds of up to 2000 bags per hour.

Umbra manufacture two basic lines of packaging machine; the UP1000 which handles larger format bags from 1 to 30Kg and the UP-Mini which handles smaller pack sizes from 300g to 5Kg. Both machines are available with a number of options to suit the customer's specific requirements such as:

Palletisation Umbra also manufacture a high speed end of line palletisation machine, the UPR which is capable of handling bags and boxes with weights ranging from 1Kg to 50Kg and throughputs of up to approximately 1800 bags per hour. The machine operates by supplying filled bags via a feed conveyor system to the palletiser hand which lifts the bag and positions it upon the stack creation plate. Once the plate is fully loaded with the required format the plate is removed and the layer of bags is positioned on the pallet located beneath. This operation is repeated until the required stack height is achieved.

For smaller bags a collation system is incorporated within the palletiser feed conveyor which can either collate the packs into multiples or place packs within a box. This box or collated pack then travels to the palletiser as with the larger bags for palletisation. The palletiser unit can accommodate numerous stacking layouts and can be used for both large bags and collated packs using the same machine using the integrated control software.

Control & Automation Plant Control CJ Waterhouse Co. Ltd offers bespoke control systems focused on practical application and end user functionality.

With applications ranging from stand alone machine automation to sophisticated plant wide PLC/ PC control & manufacturing systems we can offer the level of automation to suit your specific requirements.

Physical plant control normally comprises of a central control panel housing the relevant PLC and associated control equipment. A full arrangement of manual operation controls and indicators is always supplied to permit the manual operation of plant equipment

Plant Automation CJ Waterhouse Co. Ltd. have extensive experience working with all major PLC manufactures such as Mitsubishi, Siemens and Allen Bradley. Our diverse knowledge of such systems allows us to work with our customers detailed specifications to supply a control philosophy to suit their requirements.

From stand alone machine control to factory wide automation incorporation bulk storage, weighing, processing and packing we can offer the best possible solution in terms of functionality, performance and cost

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Control & Automation

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KS-Series Production Control & Recipe Handling Our KS series Production Control Software has evolved through continuous development and customer liaison into our latest server based version, KS3000 running under Windows 7 / 8 operating system, providing a fully integrated Production Control System for batching and mixing applications.

The system, based on a standard database structure, incorporates material and compound databases, production scheduling, recipe handling, weighing and feeding control, mixing and downstream process control, material stock monitoring, batch reporting, error and alarm monitoring to provide a reliable and flexible control package.

SCADA & HMI Systems From Rubber Compounding Industries to Airport Baggage Handling Controls our diverse knowledge of a variety of SCADA & HMI systems enables us to provide a comprehensive control and data aquisition packages with clear and concise graphics and user interface.

SCADA & HMI systems can be supplied for single machine mimics through to complete plant control and data aquisition system applications to ensure your plant and process is continuously monitored.

Combine this with our extensive experience of working with all major PLC’s and you can be sure of a totally versatile system designed and developed to suit your exact needs.

PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS PC & PLC PLANT-WIDE NETWORK MACHINE CONTROL & AUTOMATION KS. PRODUCTION CONTROL SOFTWARE BESPOKE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS SCADA & HMI SYSTEMS

Turn-Key System Solutions

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C J Waterhouse company is a UK based engineering company specialising in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke materials handling, weighing and automation systems for a variety of manufacturing industries. In addition to our extensive range of equipment we also offer turn-key solutions to customers looking for a single source supplier for all their plant development requirements.

C J Waterhouse company have many years experience in supplying total turn-key system solutions to industry sectors such as: Rubber & Plastics Pet & Animal Power & Oil Refractories

Waste & Recycling Chemicals Food & Beverage Cosmetics

Our ‘complete plant’ systems incorporate mechanical, electrical and software solutions to provide our customers with a single source supplier whatever their specific plant requirements.

From initial concept to detailed 3D plant layout production incorporating third party equipment in addition to in-house manufactured handling machinery we offer a truly turn-key engineering service.

Bulk Material Storage Discharge & Feeding Mechanical Conveying Systems Pneumatic Conveying Systems Batch & Continuous Weighing Packing & Palletisation Screening, Sorting & Separating Automated Handling Systems Bespoke Machine Solutions Control & Automation Engineering Services Installation & Commissioning

Whether your requirement is for an automated raw materials intake system, a process feed system, end of line packing solution or a complete new production facility incorporating all of the above C J Waterhouse company will develop the correct system to fulfill your specific requirements. Our team will work closely with your engineering department and production personnel to ensure the best possible solution is provided with respect to functionality, longevity and budget.

We work closely with third party equipment manufactures such as blenders, mixers and extruders to build their machinery into our plant layouts and factory wide automation system to provide our customers with a comprehensive engineering service from a single source supplier.

Turn-Key System Solutions Materials Handling C J Waterhouse company manufacture a huge variety of materials handling equipment to provide automated storage, discharge, processing and transfer of materials including powders, granules, solids and liquids.

Our extensive experience in handling a vast array of materials from fine powders to polymer bales allows us to accurately consider the specific handling requirements for you raw materials and provide the best possible solution.

Silos, Hoppers & Day Bins Bulk Bag & Sack Emptying Screw & Belt Conveyors Chain & Drag Link Conveyors Elevators & Tippers Pneumatic & Vacuum Conveying Bespoke Handling Solutions

Weighing & Metering We manufacture a variety of standard and bespoke weighing machinery designed to handle powders, liquids and solids. Such equipment can be configured to provide batch, continuous or loss-in-weight weighing solutions with accuracies to suit your specific process requirement. From silo weighing systems to hopper weighers and weigh belt feeders we have the knowledge and experience to supply the most appropriate weighing solution.

Batch Weighing Loss in Weight Systems Continuous Weighing

Control & Automation From stand alone machine control to plant wide automation systems C J Waterhouse company can provide the best possible solution to your automation requirements with respect to functionality, ease of operation, longevity and budget. We take the time to fully understand our clients requirements to provide them with a control solution to exactly fit their requirements.

Control & Automation HMI & SCADA Systems Production Control Recipe Handling Systems

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Minor Ingredients System

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Smart Cart Minor Ingredients System Tradi onal Minor Ingredients Systems Tradi onal minor ingredient systems were generally based around sta c central batch weighers with a number of material feed sta ons posi oned around its perimeter. Such systems would either weigh directly into a bag or ďŹ rst into the weigh vessel then discharge into the bag. Such systems can suer from lower accuracy, contamina on, slow throughput and limited or no expansion possibili es. C J Waterhouse company developed the Smart Cart system to overcome the nega ve constraints.

Smart Cart Philosophy The Smart Cart overcomes these issues by moving individual weigh carriages with pre-loaded receptacles (bag, bucket etc.) to the feeder sta ons around a monorail track. In this way the raw ingredients are weighed directly into the container on the carriage from the feed sta on therefore elimina ng cross contamina on.

Each carriage incorporates a high accuracy force mo on pla orm scale to give typical weighing accuracies on minor ingredients of +/- 3g or be er. As the smart cart carriages run upon a con nuous monorail track numerous carriages can be added to increase overall throughput.

This system can also reduce / eliminate costly down me due to weigher malfunc ons as each weigh carriage can be simply removed from the track for maintenance or repairs. The remaining carriages will then con nue the weighing opera ons or an addi onal spare carriage can be added to maintain the same throughput. automa c systems for bucket, container and bulk IBC can also be supplied although the la er would normally be located upon a linear track.

Due to the unique philosophy of the Smart cart it is possible to incorporate addi onal feed sta ons and track extensions at a later date if expansion should be required.

Minor Ingredients System

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Bag Manufacture & Handling System The fully automa c version of the Smart Cart manufactures bags on-line before loading them onto the carriage clamp system. The weigh carriage then proceeds around the track system collec ng the required ingredients in accordance with the pre-specified recipe. On comple on of the batch the bag is printed with a barcode or batch informa on before being sealed and ejected onto the downstream accumula on system. Semi & fully automa c systems for bucket, container and bulk IBC can also be supplied although the la er would normally be located upon a linear track.

Material Storage & Dosing The system is designed to incorporate bulk material delivery in FIBC’s or sacks. These delivery methods are catered for using either sack p sta ons or bulk bag discharge sta ons.

In both cases the materials are discharged into surge / feed hoppers located beneath. Numerous material storage facili es with integrated feeders are posi oned around the track perimeter. These feeders can be either vibratory or screw type dependent upon the specific material being handled and all are fi ed with pneuma call operated catch gated to improve weighing accuracy and eliminate over-run or spillage. In addi on to the standard material feed sta ons manual addi on sta ons and ‘bag-in-bag’ sta ons can be incorporated as required.

Control & Automa on The control philosophy is based around a central control panel housing the master PLC and associated hardware for the off-track func onality of the system.

Each Smart Cart weigh carriage incorporates a small PLC unit providing independent speed control, an -collission control, weight signal condi oning and posi oning control. Communica ons from the master PLC panel are sent using a wireless bluetooth system while power to the carriage drive is received via an enclosed copper Bus system which runs around the perimeter of the track.

The central control panel incorporates a PC based recipe handling and produc on scheduling system which sends individual recipe requirements to each carriage as a new bag is loaded. The carriage will then commence its cycle and feed weighment data back to the central panel for batch logging and data repor ng.

A PC based SCADA system provides system and carriage monitoring together with a user friendly human machine interface.