Here at Spiroflow, we receive dozens of calls every day from customers searching for the best bulk bag filler for their application. And nearly every one of these customers has one critical question on their mind: “How much can I expect to pay for a bulk bag filler?”
Having provided bulk bag fillers to customers around the world for over 45 years, we understand how frustrating it can be getting an answer to that question. To be fair, finding such an answer online can be very difficult, primarily because there are so many factors that can influence the final price you might expect to pay for a bulk bag filler. But as part of our commitment to educating all of our customers, we’ve decided to write an article that details all of those potential factors so that you have a better understanding of why the prices may vary.
Understanding all of your requirements is vitally important in order to provide the safest and most efficient bulk bag filling system possible. So, in order to help you figure out what you might be expected to pay for a bulk bag filler, we’re going to need to ask you a variety of questions.
But first, what should you expect from the right bulk bag filling system?
- A safe, robust and ergonomic design
- Dust-free bulk bag filling and total containment of your material
- Accurate weighing (if filling by weight)
- Meet or exceed your required filling rates
- Material densification if your material is easily aerated
- Design modifications to meet your layout restrictions
- Flexibility to fill various sized bulk bags, boxes/octabins, and rigid bins/totes
- Semi-automatic systems and controls for optimal automation
There are several bulk bag filler designs to choose from plus a variety of options – which will affect the price. They are built to fit your unique requirements. So whether it is a combination of our existing filler designs and options, or a custom design, we need to understand your requirements in detail. Here are some questions you’ll be asked. And by the way, custom doesn’t necessarily translate to expensive.
What are Your Bulk Bag Handling Requirements?
Bulk bag fillers are designed for you. The answer to this question will help us narrow down the right filling options for your process.
- Are you filling by volume or weight?
- How will you remove filled bulk bags?
- Will you handle the bulk bag on a pallet, by their loops, or utilize a conveyor? If you are removing the filled bags by a pallet, will you use a forklift or pallet truck?
- What bag styles and sizes do you use? Do you have varying bag heights? If so, you will need a bulk bag filler with an automatic height adjustment feature.
- Would you like to automate your bulk bag filling process?
- Will you be filling anything other than a bulk bag? Boxes, drums, or rigid bins? If so you will want a box, drum and/or rigid bin filling attachment.
- Do you need to stack the filled bulk bags? Stacking bulk bags can save on warehousing costs.
- Do your bulk bags have liners?
What are the Characteristics of Your Material?
It’s important that we completely understand all of the materials you handle. It’ll help determine the bulk bag filling options needed for your application.
- What are all the materials you are filling the bags with?
- What is the bulk density of each material?
- What form is your material – granular, pellet, powder, flake, fiber, or something else?
- What is the particle size of your material?
- What is the temperature of your material?
- Is your material very free-flowing, free-flowing, semi-free flowing or non-free flowing?
- Does your material bridge or rat hole?
- What are the characteristics of your material? Is it cohesive, abrasive, friable, dusty, hazardous, toxic, corrosive, explosive or flammable? Does is pack or aerate? Is it hygroscopic?
- What is the liquid content of your material? How much water, fat or oil is in your material?
- Is your product highly aerated? Densification or vibration of your material may be required.
What are Your Bulk Bag Handling Needs & Limitations?
Once we know what kind of bulk bag filler you need, we need to know more about where the filler will go. Learning more about your layout and more about your process will help us fine-tune your machine.
- What are the dimensions – the length, width, height, spout length, spout width?
- What is the filling source – a conveyor, a hopper or something else?
- Are you filling by weight or volume?
- What is the weight of the filled bulk bag?
- How much time is required to fill a bulk bag?
- How many bags/hour need to be filled?
- If weighing, what weighing accuracy is required?
- Is valve control required?
- Are there headroom limitations?
- Will filled bulk bags be removed by an integral roller conveyor, forklift or pallet truck?
- Do you need the Bulk Bag Filler to be mobile?
What are Your Equipment Specifications?
We understand that equipment specifications are different for everyone. These questions will help manufacturers design your perfect filler.
- What finish specification is required for the support frame and non-contact surfaces?
- What finish specification is required for material contact surfaces?
- What are your electrical requirements? Standard NEMA 4 (ATEX) or explosion proof?
- What motor class do you require (Class/Div/Group)?
- What power is available on site (Volt/Phase/Hz)?
What are Your Bulk Bag Filling Requirements?
These questions about your bulk bag filling requirements will not only address your needs but it will help the engineers determine the best system for those needs.
- How many bags/hour do you want to fill?
- Do you have low or high volume filling requirements?
- Do you want your Bulk Bag Filler system automated with controls?
- What upstream equipment will deliver material to the bulk bag filler?
- What type of filling valve is required?
- Light-duty or heavy-duty use?
- Do you require an access platform?
- Do you require a complete semi-automated system?
What Options are of Interest?
Manufacturers offer options or add-ons that could help your process move more effectively. Take a look at this list. Feel free to ask about any of the items listed.
- Seismic Zone 4 load cells
- Vibration
- Deaeration
- Access Platform
- Weigh Batch Controller
- Weight Display
- Fill Control Valve
- Pneumatic Bag Neck Seal
- Bag Liner Inflation
- Motorized or Gravity Roller Conveyor
- Take Away Roller Conveyor
- Manual or Automatic Bag Loop Release
- Sampling Port
- Drum/Box/Tote Filler Attachment
- Gain-in-weight Load Cells
- Fill Nozzle with a Dust Extraction Vent
- Mobile Base
Bulk Bag Filler Cost
It’s difficult to give a set price because, as you’ve seen above, there are so many factors to consider. The bottom line is that you can expect a basic Bulk Bag Filler to cost in the range of $10,000 (£7,000), while the most sophisticated Bulk Bag Fillers can cost as much as $120,000 (£92,500). These high-end bulk bag fillers deliver high-volume, high-speed bulk bag filling at 30-35 bags/hour! Spiroflow can provide a free quote. Need some help? Give us a call or click the button below.
A Bulk Bag Filler by Any Other Name
Depending on where you are located and when you entered the industry you may refer to bulk bag fillers as big bag fillers, big bag filling machines, big bag filling stations, big bag handling system, big bag filling systems, big bag handling equipment, bulk bagging equipment or bulk bag loading systems.
At Spiroflow, we have solved bulk bag filling challenges for customers around the world. So if you need some advice or have a project to discuss contact us!