AZO GmbH & Co. KG products

The AZO COMPONENTER® in circular design is recommended when a small number of components need to be automatically weighed. Following this principle the surge bins, such as feeding hoppers for sacks, pneumatically fed receivers or small silos are arranged in a circle above the collection vessel. They can be fed by vacuum or pressure conveying. Each component has its own discharge, dosing and scale optimised to the specific raw material. Thus, parallel weighing processes and feeding of several mixing lines are possible. The AZO vibration bottom employed here ensures reliable transfer even for small components with poor flowing characteristics. The vibration dosing screw with locking device guarantees highly accurate dosing. 

This version of the AZO COMPONENTER® is particularly useful where contamination-free solutions are needed, such as in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries or for raw materials with difficult discharge characteristics. Components included in the recipe are buffered in raw material containers which are docked at a row of container discharge bases and kept free of dust by a patented docking collar; here, they are automatically identified and registered. For reliable discharge and exact dosing, the container discharge stations are equipped with dosing screws. Beneath the discharge bases, a mobile, recipe-controlled floor scale is used to prepare the batch. Atop this scale is an AZO BATCHTAINER® in which frequencycontrolled coarse / fine flow dosing takes place. 

Where many components are automatically processed, the linear design of AZO COMPONENTER® is recommended. Here, each of the surge bins, e.g. discharge bases for sacks and Big-Bags, pneumatically fed receivers or containers, is equipped with its own discharge and dosing unit arranged in opposing rows. Special docking possibilities enable Big-Bags and containers to be changed quickly as called for by the recipe at any time. Depending on the arrangement, the feeding hoppers can be filled through a central aisle or from the outside with very low dust emission. The individual discharge and dosing units ensure reliable discharge and high dosing accuracy for all components. The raw materials are typically weighed according to recipe in an additive process.

Until now, minor and micro components had to be weighed manually, thus entailing risks and potential errors. These increase with the number of components and batches, and with the required weighing and metering accuracy. This has an adverse effect on product safety and quality overall. Manual operations may require a large number of staff and demands a high degree of concentration from them during weighing processes. They are to some extent exposed to relatively high amounts of dust. 

As a transport and storage container for medium throughputs. Also ideal in automated systems as a transportable storage container for bulk materials received in bags. In such systems, bulk materials are emptied into containers in during the reconfiguration step.

Bulk bag dump stations are specialized equipment designed for efficient and safe handling of bulk ingredients. There are two types of bulk bags: 50- to 100-pound bulk bags or 1,000- to 2,000-pound super sack bulk bags. Super sack bulk bags — commonly known as bulk bags, super sacks, or flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs) — are perfect for materials such as powders, granules, or pellets. Because there are two different bulk bag types, there are likewise two different types of bulk bag dump stations. A hand dump station, used to unload 50- to 100-pound bags, typically consists of a frame with a bag support tray, an enclosed bin with a door and integrated dust collection system, and a discharge chute. After placing the bag on the tray, the operator cuts it open and manually dumps the bag into the bin. The dust collection system captures any airborne particles, ensuring a clean and safe working environment by pulling clean air into the bin and keeping the material dust away from the operator. The discharge chute, located at the bottom of the bin, allows the powder to move to production.

Measures taken to improve material flow of powdered or granular ingredients from bulk storage into a pneumatic conveying system are known as material conditioning. If material is clumping together or has poor flow characteristics, there are multiple ways to address these issues. Some are manual but can be time-consuming and labor intensive. Others include features built into the equipment to exponentially enhance material flow. Bulk bag conditioning is a crucial process in bulk material handling that offers several benefits across multiple applications. It ensures the efficient and effective discharge of bulk ingredients from bags or storage bins by breaking up any clumps or compacted material. This results in improved flow and reduced downtime during the material handling process.

The terms “controls" and “automation" are closely related and often used interchangeably. At AZO, we prefer not to use them this way, as each has specific functions related to plant processes.

Bulk ingredient delumping crushers break down large clumps or agglomerations of powdered or granular ingredients into smaller, more manageable particles for easier handling. This equipment is found throughout multiple industries. Many materials or ingredients have a natural tendency to clump or agglomerate, especially when environmental conditions like high humidity or temperature increase this effect. Utilizing delumping crushers as part of the bulk ingredient handling process improves overall production quality and efficiency. When ingredients form clumps or agglomerations, they become difficult to move, measure, or mix. This can lead to inconsistencies in product quality, as well as difficulties in achieving desired texture, taste, or chemical reactions in the finished product.

Bulk discharging of large quantities of solid ingredients or materials is a common process in nearly every industry. No matter what the material might be, efficient operations require large volumes of raw ingredients to be unloaded, moved, or transferred for further processing or production. When properly designed and engineered, a bulk ingredient discharging solution streamlines these operations, saving time and reducing costs. Systems utilizing custom designed equipment — such as conveyors or bins — enable operators to quickly and safely unload ingredients in a controlled manner, minimizing the risk of contamination or slowed production. By facilitating smooth material flow, a bulk ingredient handling system allows a manufacturer to meet production demands while maintaining a high level of product quality.