Bulk Bag Unloading

How it Works

VAC-U-MAX Bulk Bag Unloading Systems are specifically designed to provide an easy, clean and economical way to discharge the entire contents of bulk and semi-bulk bags, especially when the material is less than free-flowing.

Our systems are highly customizable, with a wide variety of features, accessories, and discharge options based on the parameters of your application.

FRAME CONFIGURATIONS

Bulk bag unloading systems feature heavy-duty welded tubular frames. VAC-U-MAX models have three base frame configurations:

1: Basic Bulk Bag Unloader

• Bag lifting and stabilizing provided by customer
• Stainless Steel product contact areas
• Carbon steel or stainless steel frame

2: Forklift Frame Bulk Bag Unloader

• Bag lift-frame placed by forklift
• Spring-loaded bag extension
• Stainless steel product contact areas
• Carbon steel or stainless steel frame

3: Upper Frame & Hoist Bulk Bag Unloader

• Self-contained bag lifting and placement
• I-Beam with hoist and operator pendant
• Engineered for 4,000 lbs (1820 kg) lift
• No forklift required
• Stainless steel product contact
• Carbon steel or stainless steel frame

DISCHARGE OPTIONS

Whether you’re feeding into a pneumatic conveying system, AEROFLEX centerless screw conveyor, Aerocon aero-mechanical conveyor, or directly into your process, there are several discharge options based on your material and application. Discharge options include:

• Pick-Up Adapter connected to the vacuum conveying system
• Screw Discharger for non-free flowing material or loss-in-weight feeding, or rotary air lock for applications requiring higher convey rates or controlled feeding
• Feed-bins and surge hoppers with single or multiple outlets, capacities from 2ft³ (60L) to 50ft³ (1.4m³), for vacuum, flexible screw or aero-mechanical conveying
• Lump-breakers for agglomerated chunks of material

Features

• Heavy-Duty Welded Square-Tube Frame
• Optional Massage Paddles Maximize Flow Promotion
• General Purpose or XP UL-Certified Controls
• Many Bag Size & Bag Handling Options
• Iris Valve & Partial Bag Cutoff Options
• Discharge Options: Pick-Up Adapter, Screw Discharger, Rotary Airlock, Feed Bins and Lump Breakers
• Easy Access Door to Untie Bag Spout
• Optional Glove Box
• Optional upper frame with motorized hoist, remote pendant, for bulk bags from 36″ (900mm) to 72″ (1800mm) tall
• Standard Low-profile Bag-Lift X-Frame Saves 12″ (300mm) of height

Optional Features

FUGITIVE DUST COLLECTOR

• Reduces operator exposure to dust during bag changes
• Pulse-jet filter cleaning & controls
• Collected dust returned to process

IRIS VALVE BAG CUTOFF

• Manual Open / Close
• Tie / Untie bag spouts easily
• Wide operator access door

ACTIVATOR™ BAG MASSAGERS

• Four pneumatic paddles contact all bottom sides of bulk bag to promote maximum powder flow
• Massaging program alternates opposing pair of paddles in sequence
• Learn more about the VAC-U-MAX Activator™ Bulk Bag Unloader.

SURGE BIN

• High throughput with one bulk bag on stand-by for unloading

LOSS-IN-WEIGHT FRAME

• Split-frame design takes load cells off the floor
• Rotary valve or screw discharger meters the material

PARTIAL-BAG CUTOFF

• All-pneumatic squeezer bars and controls
• Large-operator access door with lockout of stored energy when open
• Maximum closure force for heavy powders

INTEGRAL BAG DUMP STATION

• This option allows you to use bulk bags for major ingredients and manual bags for minor ingredients

STAINLESS STEEL CONSTRUCTION

• Bead blast or polished surfaces
• 304SS or 316SS

SCREW DISCHARGER

• Controlled discharge of stubborn or fluidized powder into convey line
• For convey distances over 100ft (30m)

BULK BAG SLITTER

• Opens single-use bulk bags of free-flowing materials

OTHER OPTIONS

• Seismic designs with certification
• I-Beam and channel steel construction in lieu of square or round tubing
• Control enclosures: NEMA 4 (standard), NEMA 4X (304SS or 316SS) or NEMA 7/9
• Lump-breakers
• Clean-in-Place adapters for product contact surfaces
• Heavy-duty casters for empty-frame portability (basic or forklift designs only)
• Custom colors for carbon steel construction surfaces
• Custom hoist specifications

Featured Option: The Activator™

The VAC-U-MAX Activator™ Bulk Bag Unloading System is a specialized variation of our bulk bag unloaders.

The Activator system features four pneumatically operated actuator paddles that massage the bottom of the bulk bag in an alternating side pattern, promoting material flow toward the center of the bulk bag and ensuring full, clean emptying of even the most difficult materials.

Activator™ paddles are powered by “No Maintenance” lubrication-free pneumatic lifters. They consume 50% less compressed air than air-cylinders, and there are no rods to lubricate or replace and no seals to wear out. The Activator system eliminates traditional, wear-prone hydraulic/pneumatic cylinders (rods) and seals, reducing maintenance requirements and lowering operating costs.

The VAC-U-MAX Advantage

THE VAC-U-MAX DISTINCTION

• Faster processing time
• USDA designs & materials of construction
• Easy, quick-clean and take-apart features
• Minimal footprint
• Made in the USA
• Local product support
• Performance guarantee
• Maximize regulatory compliance including (FSMA) sanitation and OSHA (Walking/Working Surfaces)
• Custom-engineering to meet overhead restrictions and/or custom bag sizes

HOW TO GET STARTED

Getting started is easy! Simply contact us and tell us a little bit about your process.

With over 70 years of experience in bulk material handling and 10,000+ materials handled, VAC-U-MAX is the partner you want for precision, performance, and smart safety. All equipment is engineered, manufactured, tuned, and tested right here in New Jersey and will arrive at your facility fully configured and ready to go.

We’re with you every step of the way, through installation, startup, operator training, and beyond. And every system is backed by the VAC-U-MAX air-tight performance guarantee.