Custom Container Dumper Improves Safety, Mitigates Product Loss
Projected to reach nearly $140 billion by 2030, the pet food market is thriving thanks to the recent boom in pet ownership. This increased demand has put added pressure on pet food manufacturers to improve efficiency, enhance safety and ensure product integrity as they ramp up production.
Working to meet increased demand, one U.S.-based pet food manufacturer started to run into problems with fugitive dust due to an inefficient buggy dumper. The company began its search for a new manufacturing partner that could upgrade its existing system. The goal: create a high-quality dumper that allows for dust-free transfer of bulk pet ingredients from containers into its processing mixer. The company turned to Material Transfer to help solve their challenge.
Industry-Leading Durability and Hygienic Design
Just like human food processing, material handling is a big portion of the production process. From unloading ingredients into a mixer or blender to transporting finished product for packaging, companies rely on high-quality, sanitary equipment to get product from Point A to Point B and beyond. That’s where Material Transfer comes into play.
Leveraging decades of experience designing systems for pet food applications, the MTS team created a custom solution that meets the following sanitary requirements.
- Stainless steel construction.
- Ability to control dust during ingredient transfer.
- Designed, fabricated, and finished to comply with USDA meat standards.
The MTS customization experts designed and engineered a custom Container Dumper. Dumpers automate common tasks that otherwise require workers to lift heavy loads – minimizing strain and enhancing efficiency. This dumper was customized with the following features:
- Washdown duty tubular 304 stainless steel structure for sanitary environments.
- Dust-tight Lift & Seal System™ ensures a secure seal between container and pour hood.
- Sloped top IP69K rated electrical enclosures withstand high pressure washdowns.
- Stainless-steel conduit provides corrosion resistance and safeguards electrical wiring.
- Machine guarding with load side light curtain protects operators.
Creating a Controlled Unloading Process
Capable of handling loads up to 750 pounds, the Container Dumper elevates the bulk container, securely seals it, then rotates containers 180 degrees to effectively discharge the pet food ingredients into the mixing process. After unloading, the system returns to the home position, ready for the next unloading cycle.
Combining sound design with rugged construction, the Container Dumper enables dry pet food material to safely discharge – limiting operator interaction, reducing dust, protecting product from contamination and eliminating material waste. This provided the control the customer needed to ramp up production.
The customer is impressed with the Container Dumper’s ability to increase production efficiency, reduce dust hazards and prioritize operator safety. The ultimate testament to the customer’s satisfaction is a duplicate order from the same company to double their production rates.