• Offices in Brazil, Peru and Chile follow the acquisition of FAM
• Integration of FAM business completed
• South American customers now enjoy access to the full BEUMER Group portfolio

BEUMER Group has extended its presence in South America with the integration of the former FAM operations in Brazil, Peru and Chile. The move follows the acquisition of FAM Minerals & Mining GmbH in 2022. Now known as BEUMER Group South America, the former FAM operations have become an integral part of the BEUMER family and will offer customers access to the full range of BEUMER automated material handling solutions and services. This milestone demonstrates BEUMER Group’s long-term commitment to customers throughout South America and represents a significant investment into the region.

Continuity of service is assured as Paulo Costa, former head of FAM operations in the region, has been appointed as the new CEO of BEUMER South America. Paulo says: “FAM had a strong reputation within the mining and minerals industry in Brazil, Peru, Chile and beyond, which gives us a strong foundation to build upon. As part of BEUMER Group, we will continue to support our customers in mining and minerals, while also expanding our reach to offer high quality handling solutions for airports, ports and terminals, warehousing and logistics to customers throughout South America.”

BEUMER Group offers global expertise through local presence and puts the customer at the heart of its business. By combining the skills and expertise inherent in the FAM and BEUMER brands, the teams based in Brazil, Peru and Chile will support customers throughout South America to deploy handling solutions that improve efficiency and drive down operational costs. The strategically located offices further enable BEUMER Group to respond quickly and efficiently to support customers in the region, delivering outstanding solutions at every stage of the project life cycle to meet the necessary standards and certifications.

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Claus Weyhofen explains how BEUMER Group’s determination to reduce backfall in lifting operations led them to reassess and optimise the design of the elevator bucket, resulting in a far more efficient machine that delivers major benefits for the global cement industry.

Bucket elevators are the work-horses of the cement industry. They are used to vertically convey bulk materials ranging from powders like fly ash, alumina, raw meal, and cements with up to 5000 Blaine fines, to coarse materials like gravel, cement clinker and re-circuit materials for roller press and vertical roller mill grinding. Using a belt or chain mechanism, these high capacity, heavy duty machines rely on a combination of centrifugal and gravimetric forces to eject the bulk material out of each bucket when it reaches the desired height.

The basic design of the bucket elevator has not changed for decades – but it is far from perfect. Efficiency is an ongoing challenge, with many operations experiencing backfall levels higher than 20%. BEUMER Group has undertaken a detailed study of the performance characteristics of bucket elevators to identify key areas for improvement. The outcomes have informed a total redesign of the bucket itself, as well as the fixing and tipping points (as seen in Figure 1). This article explains the research findings and how they affect bucket elevator design. It also spells out the significant benefits that are now available to the global cement industry by implementing the new-design bucket elevators.

Backfall challenges

Backfall of bulk material, though wasteful, has become an accepted part of lifting operations. Backfall is caused by an improper ratio between the centrifugal and gravimetric forces, or by bulk material (and/or mixtures of the same) whose flow behaviours make a proper discharge extremely difficult. Instead of ejecting cleanly from the bucket into the bucket elevator head outlet, material falls behind the adjustable sealing blade and accumulates in the boot of the elevator.

An average backfall of 8% to 10% is still considered to be normal for most kinds of applications. However, there are applications for bucket elevators in milling circuits behind a roller press or vertical roller mill where discharge behaviour is even worse, often exceeding 20% backfall. In other words, bucket elevators are currently only around 70% to 90% efficient.

Backfall material needs to be recovered, which involves scooping it out of the bucket elevator boot and lifting it back to the top of the elevator: effectively performing the same task twice. This raises several issues.

Crucially, backfall recovery increases energy consumption because the same material is effectively being lifted twice. For example, if a bucket elevator lifts 100 tonnes and 25% of this quantity needs to be recovered as backfall, the energy bill is going to be 25% higher than it needs to be. Bearing in mind that approximately 95% of the power consumption of a bucket elevator is expended in lifting up bulk materials, there are clear efficiency, cost and sustainability benefits if that material is lifted and discharged cleanly the first time.

Working harder to lift the same amount of material can impact on operational safety and efficiency as well. Worn shaft casings and increased motor current are inevitable consequences of lifting heavy loads repeatedly, and ultimately lead to problems with conveying capacity. Inefficient material discharge also creates a lot of wear and tear to the descending bucket elevator casing as well as to the buckets themselves, which means they need replacing more frequently. This not only affects production by increasing downtime while repairs are made, it also requires more resources: including steel, which has a high carbon footprint.

For an industry that is under increasing pressure to be more efficient and more sustainable, the current levels of backfall are no longer acceptable at either an operational or an environmental level. So, can bucket elevator design be improved to dramatically reduce backfall levels?

Bucket testing

There are three key influencers on bucket elevator performance:

• bulk material (density and grain size)
• angle velocity of bucket (speed at circumference)
• bucket shape (dimension and fixation)

Adapting an influencer changes the ratio between gravimetric and centrifugal forces to affect the behaviour of the bucket elevator. It is therefore necessary to establish the optimum combination of forces that allow the material time to discharge effectively with minimal or no backfall at typical speeds of 1.5 to slightly more than 2m/sec. Equipment manufacturers have no control over the first of these parameters, as material specification is dictated by the application. However, the angle velocity and shape of the bucket can be investigated to determine how much these affect backfall.

BEUMER Group used digital DEM (Discreet Element Method) techniques to map and understand the behaviour of our existing bucket elevator design and its effect on the discharge for different materials, ranging from coarse clinker to finest cements. The theoretical results were subsequently verified by conducting discharge tests at their research and development facility in Beckum, Germany (see Figure 2). These tests comprised manual weighing and filling of the bucket, compacting to replicate the effects of vibration, and collection and weighing of the ejected material and backfill material.

The aim was to optimise the discharge parabola so material passes over the discharge lip and into the outlet without falling into the boot, and without hitting the casing, the bucket below or the head casing front wall.

The results have led to a significant alteration in the 30-year-old design of our established belt and chain bucket elevators.

Design optimisation

The new design uses the same drum diameter as before, but is able to run at slightly higher speeds.  As a result, the new design can operate reliably at certain speed ranges, for example between 1.64 to 2.06 m/sec. This higher velocity range allows the optimum speed for a particular bulk material to be applied and can be adjusted even after installation, improving discharge and minimising backfall.

Further changes have been made to the bucket profile and to where the bucket attaches to the belt or chain (see Figure 3). Testing showed that moving the fixing point for the new buckets further down allows earlier activation of the centrifugal forces, activating the ejecting process of bulk material at an earlier point, which again increases discharge efficiency.

Figure 3: The new bucket design with a lower fixing point

Backfall of coarse materials such as clinker, gypsum and gravel under testing was so low as to be not measurable – even when the buckets were overloaded.

Benefits

The new bucket design and lower fixing point on belt and chain bucket elevators delivers several benefits for cement producers.

• Up to 98% efficiency by optimising discharge at the elevator head.
• Reduction in energy consumption due to reduction in backfall.
• Improved discharge efficiency, with various speed range options enabling centrifugal forces to be matched to bulk material properties.
• Reduced OPEX, through a combination of less wear and tear on equipment, less rework and therefore lower energy bills.
• Up to 25% weight saving on tall bucket elevators (e.g. kiln or silo feed), thanks to smaller buckets and housings.
• Lower carbon footprint, not only through lower energy consumption but also due to less steel being required for bucket elevator

Taken together, these benefits mean that the new design delivers the highest efficiency for bucket elevators in the market.

Customer applications

The new design bucket elevators are already delivering benefits in real cement industry applications involving both light and dense materials.

A European customer had been experiencing problems for more than a decade with a bucket elevator associated with a roller press at their cement mill. Their BEUMER Bucket Elevator was originally installed in 2003 to lift clinker flakes at a rate of 750 t/hr. It had been retrofitted by a market competitor in 2013 in an attempt to reduce backfall issues experienced since installation, but without success. Recirculation of backfall material continued to cause premature wearing of the shaft casings to such an extent that the plates needed replacing regularly.

The worn shaft casings were of particular concern because, in bucket elevators, they generally not only function as enclosures, but also as a load-bearing structure. There is a risk of static failure if they become too worn.

In order to help this customer, BEUMER obtained a material sample and tested the discharge behaviour in Beckum with the third-party bucket design. Reproducing the poor discharge behaviour enabled the solution. By redesigning the buckets, BEUMER succeeded in reducing the backfall from 15% to 3%. These results were so compelling that the customer ordered a retrofit to the new bucket design immediately.

Conclusion

The cement industry faces many pressures in balancing global demand for its products with continuing calls for more sustainable ways of operating. Just because we have always done things a certain way does not mean there is no room for improvement. The bucket elevator is a prime example. BEUMER Group hopes that the results of the extensive study into the behaviour of materials during discharge and the subsequent improvements to bucket elevator design will support cement producers in finding new ways to be more efficient and sustainable while remaining competitive.

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• Pipe conveyor is central to delivery of new $111 million multi-user bulk transport system at Saguenay port.
• Customer attributes contract win to BEUMER Group’s experience, engineering capabilities and strong partnership approach.

BEUMER Group has secured a contract to supply a large 2-way pipe conveyor system for a strategic development project at the Port of Saguenay in Quebec, Canada. The conveyor will connect the port with customers in the new industrial port zone, boosting economic growth and supporting the region’s commitment to a more sustainable maritime supply chain.

The Port of Saguenay is located 500 km north of Montreal. The BEUMER Pipe Conveyor is central to the port’s new Multi-User Bulk Transport System, which will increase the port’s ability to both import and export iron ore, pellets, wood ships, salt, aggregates and other ores. It will attract further investment in the region of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. On awarding BEUMER Group the contract, the Port of Saguenay Authority commented that they were particularly impressed with the company’s “engagement, commitment, and flexibility in understanding our requirements, especially regarding the importance to work with the community.”

The pipe conveyor will be roughly two km long with a downhill (export) capacity of 4,150 t/h and an uphill (import) rate of 2,750 t/h. It runs along an existing steep and curvy road, reducing the need for truck transport and any associated carbon, dust and noise emissions. Because the pipe conveyor is fully enclosed, it reduces any environmental impacts and protects bulk materials from the sun, rain, snow, and wind. The scope of the contract includes all mechanical, structural and electrical equipment including prefabricated electrical buildings and the control system.

Markus Schmidt, CEO BEUMER Group North America, says: “The Saguenay pipe conveyor project represents a very important milestone, both for this region of Canada and for BEUMER Group’s Minerals & Mining business. The expertise inherent in our global team enables us to deliver a conveyor solution on this scale, meeting the client’s criteria for improving capacity in bulk handling while reducing environmental impacts.”

The pipe conveyor is expected to be fully operational in 2025.

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Dry bulk ports and terminals are in a state of constant change. The materials they handle change and so, too, do the quantities. Operators are constantly having to adapt to new requirements. They want to automate their activities as much as possible while also remaining flexible. They need more space for future expansions, and they are constantly facing the challenge of adapting their facilities to the increasing throughput, while at the same time paying ever more attention to avoiding dust emissions and improving their CO₂ footprint. In projects such as these, BEUMER Group works together closely with its customers to develop efficient and new solutions.

The ability to load ships quickly is a decisive productivity factor. It is important to adapt the technology implemented in ports to the local space constraints and the size of the vessels – as well as to take account of the characteristics of the transported material.

“Ports are faced with the challenge of increasing their performance,” explains Lukas Paul, Head of Ports & Terminals at BEUMER Group.

To remain competitive, operators must constantly expand their terminals.

“That is just one of the challenges. It is necessary to ensure economically viable and environmentally responsible operation and, first and foremost, cost efficiency.”

When it comes to dry bulk handling equipment, BEUMER Group is there to help. The system provider supports operators – starting with every aspect of conveyor technology and through to the loading of the ships

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The market for potting soils such as peat, humus and alternative plant substrates is growing. The BEUMER Group supplies tailor-made packaging solutions based on standardized machine concepts to pack these materials safely and ready for transport, although they are often very different in their consistency. The customer receives robust, durable and highly available systems for stable and palletized product stacks. 

“The corona pandemic has certainly fueled the demand for potting soil, peat, humus and alternative plant substrates considerably,” says Jörg Spiekermann, Head of the Consumer Goods Sales Division at the BEUMER Group. “During the pandemic, people couldn’t travel anymore, so they took more care of their gardens and patios.” This trend is still continuing.

However, the customers also include large retail chains, horticultural markets and owners of large garden areas who cultivate various types of vegetables in the professional and hobby sectors. The producers of potting soils come mainly from Europe, where the largest peat deposits are located. The BEUMER Group supplies these producers with complete packaging lines, including high-performance palletizing and packaging machines. For bagging and processing such as dosing, sieving and even chopping, the system provider works with partner companies, and assistance is also provided in selecting partners for consumables. Customers receive everything from a single source.

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Pushing the limits of technical feasibility

How can mining companies make their operations more sustainable to reduce their environmental footprints? One element that can be perfectly adapted to match the conditions is the efficient transport of the mined material. Here overland conveyors that can move large quantities of material over long distances are required. BEUMER Group relies on modern planning and layout tools to support operators at an early stage of the project and design the ideal conveying solution together with the customer.

BEUMER Group installed the first overland conveyor with horizontal curves as early as 1969. Since then, calculation methods and components such as idlers, belts and drives have undergone constant development, resulting in the implementation of increasingly efficient conveying systems for routes that are often complex. Mine operators can use BEUMER curved troughed belt and pipe belt conveyors to transport raw materials over routes with steep inclines and narrow curve radii.

“We can exactly match our systems to the required conveying task and topography,” says Dr. Kilian Neubert, Global Head of Mining at BEUMER Group. “We rely on state-of-the-art planning tools to provide our customers with an efficient, sustainable and cost-effective material flow.”

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Downtimes? OK, but only if they’re pre-planned!

Machines used in petrochemical plants must be especially reliable and robust. Because if breakdowns occur, the owner can face costs in the millions. The BEUMER Group supplies complete packaging lines, from bagging to packing. At ACHEMA in Frankfurt, the system provider informed visitors about the new modular design of its machines and increasing connectivity and digitalization, including service. BEUMER expert Rafael Imberg explains in detail how users can profit from all these factors.

“The packaging line is at the end of the process chain. If it comes to an unexpected breakdown forced by a machine failure, there is a high risk that the upstream equipment such as extruders have to be stopped as well,” says Rafael Imberg, Head of Petrochemicals Sales at the BEUMER Group. “Every hour of such a shutdown can cost a company hundreds of thousands of euros – in one day, that can run into the millions.” Then you have the costs for operating resources, spare parts and maintenance needed to eliminate the problem – and let’s not underestimate lost business opportunities and damaged customer confidence. “In the petrochemical industry, robust and reliable operation of the machines is becoming increasingly important,” says Imberg. “This is why we’ve revised the design of our packaging equipment and made it modular.”

Complete packaging lines in the program

At ACHEMA 2022 in Frankfurt am Main, the full-range supplier for packaging lines presented its BEUMER fillpac FFS on a booth area of 125 square meters. The system forms bags from a prefabricated PE tubular film and fills them reliably and gently. After filling, the bags are sealed. The machine is designed for a speed  up to 2,800 bags per hour in this way.

“We’ve installed the machine on a movable platform for the trade show,” Imberg reports. “We aim to show our visitors how they can flexibly fill their products in practice and with maximum performance at customers with several silos.”

After closing, the bags are safely and reliably stacked on a pallet for transportation. The BEUMER paletpac is ideal for this process. The system can also be individually adapted to the different requirements of the chemical industry. It achieves a throughput of up to 3,200 bags per hour. The system provider’s product range includes the BEUMER stretch hood high-performance packaging system for end-of-line packaging. The stretch film adapts to any stack. It is very stretchable and fixes the material on the pallet using horizontal and vertical contracting forces – so this process offers high load stability.

Modular for more simplicity

“Not only have we designed all these series to be tough and resilient, but with the new modular design, the same or similar components and modules are also installed in the systems, and – wherever feasible – we’ve implemented as identical a design as possible,” says Imberg. This reduces the number of spare parts, speeds up delivery times and makes maintenance easier. All the series in the packaging line also have the same look and feel, so an employee can easily operate a BEUMER paletpac, even though he had only worked with the BEUMER stretch hood, for instance. This also helps get to know the different machines more quickly.

The modular design also creates even more advantages. “If the user demands more performance, we can increase it on the machines relatively easily at a later date. All we have to do is reach into the construction kit,” says Imberg. Customers expect ever-higher performance, and suppliers drive each other due to fierce competition. This is what we need to respond to. Whether the system needs to be retrofitted or damage needs to be repaired, the user benefits from a significant time advantage with the new design.

Interconnected and intelligent

“If desired, we can also connect all the machines and components with a higher-level control system – the BG Software Suite,” says BEUMER expert Imberg. The BG Fusion visualization also provides the operator with a web-enabled user interface for configuration, monitoring and reporting. With this module and the dashboards, all the information that the system provider collects using data analytics in the machine can be clearly and understandably displayed. Machine data, error messages and information on operation and maintenance are prepared so that each user finds it a simple matter to start using the data – for predictive maintenance, for instance.

Know when the machine fails

The big question: How can maintenance be planned so we can rule out a sudden shutdown? For example, the customer wants a maintenance shift once a month. In other words, he deliberately shuts down the machines but also wants to ensure that they’ll operate perfectly afterward. If an unplanned failure occurs, he won’t always have the necessary tools or personnel on hand to get the system up and running again.

Data analysis can also be used to extend the service life of the components. “Time and again, our customers approach us and ask when a certain component, such as an engine, needs to be replaced,” says Imberg.

“After 10,000 hours of operation? We can rarely make a sweeping statement like this because it always depends on the environmental conditions. How is the machine set up, for example, and how is it maintained?”

If it is possible to monitor engines, sensors and cylinders in operation, for example, and to detect weak points electronically, a replacement can be scheduled for the most suitable time. One example: If the engine becomes unusually hot, the service technicians can deduce its condition from this. This information avoids a sudden failure because the software gives an alarm in time.

Networked from silo to warehouse

The system provider’s scope of supply starts at the customer’s site below the silo. The product falls into the bag, which is palletized, and the entire stack is covered with a stretch film hood. The BEUMER Group’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) can also be connected via the BEUMER software. This can assign the goods for storage, via barcode, for example, or via an RFID or QR code. Forklifts equipped with readers “know” where to take the pallets and feed that information back to the system. “Our software can network the entire system from the silo to the warehouse,” says Imberg. “Our goal is to minimize interfaces and offer the customer everything from a single source.”

The petrochemical industry is still a relatively conservative sector and is reacting very hesitantly to digitalization, despite the high level of data security. “We naturally mention this possibility to users,” Imberg reports. “And we’re noticing that interest is growing.”

Making work easier with intelligence

“In terms of operation and maintenance, we want to relieve our customers of as many tasks as possible – the keyword here is Smart Factory,” says Imberg. “We’re working hard on that.” The personnel’s level of knowledge can vary considerably depending on the location, and employees in emerging markets are increasingly unwilling to take on repetitive tasks. The outcome of this is that fewer and fewer workers are available. “With our BG Fusion software, we can provide our customers with excellent support in this regard and make their work easier. However, the topic is far from exhausted,” says BEUMER expert Imberg. “At the BEUMER Group, we leverage our experience and developments from the Airport and Logistics business segments, such as intelligent service and visualization concepts, and are determining whether we can apply them to our packaging solutions.”

Service with BEUMER Smart Glasses

However – what if a malfunction occurs or the machine fails? “We send our localized technicians to customers worldwide to support operators and prevent longer downtimes,” explains Imberg. BEUMER Customer Support also offers a hotline available around the clock every day of the year. However, a complex problem cannot always be described quickly and clearly on the phone.

This is why the BEUMER Group developed a futuristic product – the BEUMER Smart Glasses. “We use it to virtually look over the shoulder of the customer’s service technician and troubleshoot together with images and sound,” says Imberg. The customer can use the Smart Glasses to quickly send a picture to the BEUMER expert, who can also send a picture back. This digital solution reduces time-consuming travel and high additional costs. “The next level of remote diagnostics used to be the telephone, but now it’s voice and picture,” says Imberg.

For greenfield and brownfield projects

BEUMER Group develops its solutions for both greenfield and brownfield projects. This is important because the system provider supports many systems that have already been installed worldwide. Many customers often opt for a retrofit years later, and in most cases, this is also unavoidable due to the spare parts situation or process changes. In these cases, BEUMER technicians replace older components and increase performance via the software.

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Sustainability is key: They should be more sustainable and energy-efficient. To achieve this, they must be able to process more films made from recyclates – the demands placed on packaging equipment by operators are constantly increasing. What are the operators’ main concerns, and how does the BEUMER Group meet the requirements of its customers? Jörg Spiekermann knows the answers.

“Energy efficiency is foremost on everyone’s mind these days,” says Jörg Spiekermann, Head of Sales for Palletizing and Packaging Systems Consumer Goods at the BEUMER Group. “On the one hand, rising energy costs mean we must manufacture our systems and machines energy-efficiently. To achieve this, we rely on sustainable production at our sites in Germany.” For example, a photovoltaic system on the roof of BEUMER’s company headquarters produces enough green electricity to cover around 20 percent of the total energy requirements in Beckum. On the other hand, customers demand that BEUMER solutions enable them to work energy-efficiently. Spiekermann says, “These customer demands are aimed at our packaging systems and other products – a strategic factor for remaining competitive.”

The BEUMER Group offers complete final packaging lines that match customer specifications. One component of these lines is the new, modularized BEUMER stretch hood A. It’s a high-performance packaging system, which the Group presented at the Duesseldorf interpack trade fair.

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Rethinking the Machine

 The BEUMER Group has completely redesigned and overhauled its paletpac range of robust palletizers. The modular machines now have identical or similar components and modules and – wherever possible – are based on the same design. The total number of components has been reduced and faster deliveries are possible. If replacement parts are later needed, this will also go faster. BEUMER configures the modules according to each customer’s requirements, tests them in-house and installs them on the customer’s premises, saving time and money.

The BEUMER Group, a full-service provider of palletizing and packaging lines, offers highly efficient palletizers that deliver many years of service even under tough conditions. “Our paletpac series is keyed to the characteristics of the packaged goods and complies with the customers’ requirements for packing patterns and pallet dimensions,” says Kay Wieczorek, Divisional Director of Product Business at BEUMER. The systems gently handle packaging units of all kinds.

“We’ve redesigned our BEUMER paletpac and given it a modular structure,” says Wieczorek. “This has a number of big advantages for our customers.”

 

For example, the performance of the machines can be modified at a later time if necessary, and if there is ever a need for retrofitting or repairs, the new design saves a lot of time.

Simpler installation

The new model range not only makes configuration easier, it also simplifies installation.

“Previously, it was necessary to use forklifts with a capacity of up to eight tons,” says Wieczorek. “Now a capacity of five tons is sufficient.”

The modules are designed so that they can be picked up from two different sides. This simplifies assembly in confined spaces. Customers formerly received two large modules; now they get three that are more compact, which makes handling simpler.

“We now only need standard shipping containers,” says Wieczorek.

In view of the container crisis caused by the pandemic, this is a real advantage.

Optimized components

BEUMER has redesigned all the modules in its paletpac series in terms of function and utility. It has optimized the motors and drives in the belts and streamlined the design at transfer points, making transport processes much gentler. The size of the assemblies has also been modified for greater efficiency, boosting the performance of certain modules.

The new BEUMER paletpac has been equipped with a larger deposit table. With maximum layer dimensions of 1,500 x 1,300 millimeters, it can accept bags filled with bulk materials on euro pallets or pallets with other formats.

The developers have also redesigned the pusher, which is used in all BEUMER paletpac models. The undercarriage is the same for both single and double pushers, enabling users to increase the performance of the system at a later time without making big adjustments to the modules.

“Different packing patterns are also possible,” says Wieczorek.

This starts at the layer preparation level. The machine places the bags on the lifting gear in alternation. If the material in the goods is nevertheless unevenly distributed and cannot be equalized when the bags are fed, the BEUMER paletpac can be supplied with a turning device in the lifting gear. Rotation of the bags by 180° prevents uneven stacking.

Control system adapted to the available space

When they modernized the paletpac, BEUMER’s developers also improved its footprint. The control cabinet bays have a standard configuration, but a space-saving offset arrangement is also possible if required by the customer. The enclosure for the lifting gear also saves space. “We gave this series a slim design,” explains Wieczorek. The Human Machine Interface (HMI) is located on the maintenance platform at the layer preparation level. If the operator needs to make adjustments, he or she can see the whole machine at once. Additional control units, for example in the area of the lifting gear, can optionally be installed for even greater convenience.

Focus on energy efficiency

For drive technology, the BEUMER paletpac relies on the MOVI-C modular automation system from SEW. This centralized approach requires less space in the control cabinet and reduces the number of components in the bay. Energy savings of 20 to 30 percent can be achieved by means of a common DC link in the frequency converters and optimized motion sequences. Energy storage units are another option:

“These are an efficient means of eliminating peak loads. They also cut operating costs for users and reduce the carbon footprint,” says Wieczorek.

BEUMER has gone to great lengths to ensure reliable operation of the new paletpac generation. One such measure was to subject the palletizers to tough endurance tests. Service technicians now have it much easier if modules have to be serviced or components replaced. For example, belt changes take much less time thanks to better accessibility.

The BEUMER paletpac range continues to offer a wide range of models at different capacity levels. Machines in the low-throughput range stack up to 1,800 bags per hour. Those in the medium and high-throughput ranges stack up to 3,200 and 6,000 bags per hour respectively.

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Mr. Imberg, the chemical/petrochemical industry is managed by the BEUMER Group as a separate division. Why does this make sense?

Rafael Imberg: There are many product specifications in the petrochemical industry. Our customers can react to these by placing particular demands on the design and safety of the machines and systems. An extensive customer support network with various service agreements plays an increasingly important role in ensuring high machine availability. As a supplier, we also focus on being able to integrate the systems into the overall petrochemical complex. This requires a great deal of machine technology and process know-how, so we’ve set up a team that can support our customers in this industry using its specialist knowledge.

We incorporate our knowledge into the systems. The increasing generation of data at the plants is playing an increasingly important role in making processes more efficient – the keyword here is data analytics. It’s the only way the processes can be prepared for the growing demands of the markets. We can also provide our customers with extensive support in this regard.

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