Extrusion International 6-2025

42 Extrusion International 6/2025 К 2025 Storage, Where It All Begins To preserve the physical proper- ties of plastics, prevent contamina- tion and guarantee a defect-free nished product, it is essential to act at the origin of the transforma- tion process, i.e. to ensure proper storage. The production of plastic products begins with the supply of rawmateri- als, which are stored in various types of packaging depending on their country of origin and material type. Certain materials, such as technop- olymers, require specialised packag- ing such as aluminium-lined bags or 20 to 25 kg polythene bags. Ma- terials transported in containers are often packed in big bags, while oth- ers are stored in octabins. For larger quantities, 25-tonne tankers and rail transport are commonly used. In all instances, it is essential to implement storage solutions that can be integrated with automatic conveying systems reducing the use of manual feeding of processing machines. Each company has differ- ent characteristics, manufacturing processes and sector-speci c chal - lenges related to production, qual- ity and market demands. Further- more, each organisation maintains its own traditions, distinctive attri- butes, and strategic focus. Storage containers: The bag is the simplest and most standard type of packaging and is widely available on the market. The appro- priate quantity of material needs to be transferred into a container, that allows suction from the side of the machine to the hopper of the IMM, thus ensuring continuous produc- tion. These bins come in 10 differ- ent sizes, enabling the handling of an appropriate quantity of material per hour, shift or day, thereby re- ducing manual labour to a few in- terventions per day. Moretto offers a range of con- tainers suitable for treatment of granules, regrind materials, and akes with applications and fea - tures suitable for even poorly ow - ing materials. Moretto offers compact, modular storage containers made of stainless steel, suitable for indoor installation and for storing granular materials, with capacities ranging from 400 to 50.000 dmc. The series consists of 24 UNI single-chamber models and 24 TWIN double-chamber models. A bag-breaker screen is available to facilitate emptying bags or big bags. After storage in the SILBOX silo, the material can be connected to an automatic conveying system to feed the processing machines. Cylindrical stainless steel storage silos, complete with a removable lid and one-way suction valves, with capacities ranging from 1.800 to 30.000 dmc. Big bags treatment: The big bag is a standard container for storing non-hygroscopic granular materi- als such as polythene and polypro- pylene. The BAGGY system has a large bag support that enables it to be emptied without losing any ma- terial. Thanks to the modular con- struction, once the big bag has been emptied, it is easily disassembled and stacked to save space. To handle the emptying of 800- 1.000 kg and 1.500 kg big bags, Moretto offers SBB system. Loading operations can be carried out using a forklift or lifting crane. The system features a large granule collection tank, a suction valve and a safety ring for secure opening of the big bag’s spout. The version designed for processing akes and/or regrind materials includes integrated shak- ers and safety protections. Available options: Pulsed suction probe; Forced uidi cation; Lower bridge-breaker for akes; Capaci - tive and/or vibrating level sensors. To ll big bags with granules, regrinds, akes – or when regrind materials need to be stored for transport to another location – the FILLBAG is the right solution. An in- ation system keeps the bag open at all times, streamlining the lling operations. OKTOBAG is the system devel- oped by Moretto for the complete emptying of big bags. Using a oating arm movement – known as the WAVE system – plastic gran- ules are directed toward the centre of the bag, where a suction probe ensures ef cient recovery while preventing material loss. The sys- tem is also suitable for emptying octabins, with the oating arms acting on the inner polythene bag to facilitate material discharge. Three versions are available: BLUE version with manual movement and control; SKY version with pro- grammable arms; LUX version for medical applications. An optional empty-bag detection valve is available to signal when the big bag has been fully discharged. The patented system OKTOMA- TIK enables the emptying of up to 15 octabins per hour – i.e. one every four minutes – making it ideal for high-throughput operations. It is (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann)