Skip to content
Sales and quotations+90 332 226 07 76 Request a Quote TREN
bilgi@meramkantar.com
Catalogue Downloads Technical Service
Request a Quote
Send an e-mailMessage us on WhatsAppLinkedInInstagramFacebookRequest a Quote
+90 332 226 07 76Message us on WhatsApp

Automatic Filling and Bagging Machines

Big Bag Filling Machines

What is a big bag filling machine?

A big bag filling machine fills powders and granules by weight into large bags holding 500–2000 kg. These bags are also known as bulk bags, jumbo bags or FIBCs. The bag is hooked by its lifting loops onto a frame fitted with load cells; as the product flows in, the machine tracks the weight continuously, slows the flow near the target and cuts it off at the set value.

Filling a big bag by hand under a silo outlet, on forklift forks or on a floor scale is slow and error-prone. Watching the display out of the corner of an eye, the operator tends either to overfill or to stop short at the end. When a whole tonne leaves the site in one bag, even a few kilograms of error repeat on every bag and add up to a real difference by the end of the month. A big bag filling system handles that last part with a slow, controlled feed; BBF fills 15–30 big bags per hour, depending on the product and the way bags are changed.

Which feeding method should I choose?

BBF is a single model, but the feed that brings the product to the bag is built in one of three ways to suit how the product flows. In short:

  • Free-flowing granules, pellets and grain: gravity feeding
  • Products arriving from a distance or with uneven flow: belt feeding
  • Fine powders that bridge or form lumps: auger feeding
  • Upright, well-formed bags with light, bulky powders: vibration during filling to settle the product

Technical summary

FeatureBBF
Bag weight500–2000 kg
ProductPowders and granules
FeedingGravity, belt or auger
Output15–30 big bags per hour (product and operator dependent)
WeighingLoad-cell hanging frame, fast and slow filling
Bag removalForklift, pallet truck, roller conveyor

How weighing works: fast and slow filling

When filling starts, the feed is fully open and the bag fills quickly. As the weight approaches the target the feed is throttled; the final part goes in at a low rate and the flow is cut at the set value. This gives precise filling over the final kilograms without giving away much hourly output. Because the target is entered on the indicator, moving from a 1000 kg bag to a 1500 kg bag is a matter of a setting.

Feeding options: gravity, belt, auger

For products that flow under their own weight, such as granular fertiliser, plastic granules or grain, gravity is the simplest solution: the product drops straight from the silo into the filling spout. If the product reaches the machine along a conveyor line, or its flow surges, a belt feed gives a steadier rate. For powders that bridge in the hopper, such as flour, lime or mineral dust, an auger pushes the product forward in a positive, measured way. BBF is built to suit your existing silo and conveyor layout.

Removing the filled bag

At the end of filling the loops are let go and the bag leaves the station. Depending on the plant layout this is done with a forklift or a pallet truck; on lines that run continuously, a roller conveyor that moves the full bag away from the station lets the next bag be hung sooner. The removal method decides hourly output almost as much as the machine itself.

Big bag filling step by step

A big bag filling cycle depends as much on how operator and machine work together as on the machine itself. A typical cycle has these steps:

  • Hanging the bag: the lifting loops of the empty bag are placed on the hooks of the frame
  • Connecting the inlet: the bag’s top filling spout is pulled over the machine’s filling head and clamped
  • Tare and preparation: the empty bag weight is zeroed and, if needed, the bag is opened out into an upright shape
  • Fast and slow filling: the product flows at a high rate first and at a low rate near the target
  • Compaction: with light, dusty products the bag is vibrated during filling
  • Tying off and removal: the spout is released and tied, the loops are let go and the bag leaves the station

This is also why hourly output sits in a range as wide as 15–30 big bags: filling time is governed by the product’s flow, while hanging and removal time depends on the operator and the plant layout. The two can be improved independently.

Opening the bag and keeping it upright

An empty big bag is folded and creased. If product catches in these folds in the first seconds of filling, the bag fills lopsided, the corners stay empty and the full bag does not form a neat block for stacking. In general practice, therefore, the bag is opened before filling by tensioning it from the loops or by inflating it with air, so that product rises in an even column from the base. Which method is needed is assessed from the bag type and how the product flows.

Why vibration compaction helps

Light, bulky powders carry a lot of air into the bag. When that air escapes over time the product slumps, the bag sags and stacking height in the warehouse drops. Vibrating the plate the bag stands on during filling lets the air escape early; more product fits in the same bag and the full bag stands upright. Vibration is usually applied in short bursts at certain stages of filling; continuous vibration can make some blended products separate by particle size.

Approaches to dust control

In big bag filling most dust comes from two places: the gap between the filling head and the bag inlet, and the air displaced by product entering the bag. The first is reduced by clamping the bag inlet to the filling head with a dust-tight seal. For the second, a common approach is to route the air leaving the bag to an extraction line and filter it. Suction should be kept balanced; extraction that is stronger than needed can pull fine product back out of the bag and affect the weighing result too. How much dust matters depends on the product and the surroundings; if fine powder is filled indoors, this should be discussed at the very start of machine selection.

Models

Applications

Big bag filling replaces small-bag shipping wherever bulk products are stored or dispatched by the tonne:

  • Food and grain: bulk shipments of flour, sugar, grain and pulses
  • Chemicals: powdered and granular chemicals, plastic raw material granules
  • Fertiliser: granular fertiliser sent by the tonne to dealers or stores
  • Mining: ground minerals such as calcite, quartz and feldspar
  • Building materials: sand, pumice, lime and mortar raw materials
  • Animal feed: pellets and ground feed shipped to large farms

How to choose a big bag filling machine

With big bags, problems usually come not from the machine itself but from how it fits the plant. When preparing a quotation we consider these points together:

1. Product flow. A free-flowing granule can drop straight from the silo into the bag. A powder that bridges, absorbs moisture or forms lumps will not give a steady rate unless it is carried by auger or belt, and accuracy over the final kilograms suffers.

2. Density and bag volume. The same weight takes up very different volumes depending on density. At 0.5 t/m³, 1000 kg occupies about 2 m³; at 1.2 t/m³, the same weight stays below 1 m³. Bag size and the height of the hanging frame are chosen from this calculation.

3. Real output requirement. Dividing daily tonnage by bag weight is the first step: 160 tonnes in an 8-hour shift with 1000 kg bags means 20 big bags per hour. If your target approaches the upper end of the 15–30 range for your product and removal method, bag handling needs to be planned around it.

4. Dust and environment. With fine powders, how the spout seals against the bag and how released dust is collected must be considered from the outset. Indoors, this matters for both workplace safety and housekeeping.

5. Height and layout. Stack the silo outlet, feed unit, hanging frame and a full bag on top of each other and the machine needs considerable headroom. Under an existing silo, this dimension often matters even more than the feeding method.

6. How the bag is removed. Forklift access, pallet trucks or a roller conveyor each mean a different clear area around the station and a different cycle time.

Big bag types and their effect on the filling station

Big bags are not all alike; the bag you choose directly affects how the filling station is set up:

  • Filling inlet: bags with a narrow filling spout on top suit a dust-tight connection for powdery products; fully open-top bags allow fast filling of coarse, dust-free products
  • Discharge outlet: on bags with a discharge spout in the base, check before filling that it is closed and tied
  • Number of lifting loops: four-loop bags are common; one- and two-loop bags need a different hanging arrangement
  • Inner liner: the liner used for moisture-sensitive products is connected to the filling head separately
  • Safe working load: each bag’s label states the load it can carry; the fill weight must not exceed it

Big bag makers design bags to withstand a set multiple of their safe working load and state this safety factor on the label. The factor differs between single-trip and reusable bags. Whether bags will be reused should be settled at the outset, both for safety and for the filling routine.

Suspended loads and workplace safety

A full big bag puts a load of between half a tonne and two tonnes in the air. These rules should be set at the filling station from day one and given to operators in writing:

  • Nobody stands under the bag, or right next to it, during filling or while it is lifted
  • Filling does not start until all lifting loops are fully seated on the hooks
  • A bag taken by forklift is carried evenly by all its loops, never pulled by a single loop
  • Torn, damaged bags or bags with weakened loops are not used
  • The bag removal area is separated from pedestrian traffic and marked on the floor

Layout: under the silo or a separate station?

A big bag filling station is set up in one of two basic layouts. In the under-silo layout the machine sits directly at the silo outlet; product drops by the shortest route into the bag and no extra conveying equipment is needed. On the other hand, headroom is limited and the area where the forklift reaches the bag is confined between the silo legs. In the separate-station layout the machine stands in a roomier area away from the silo and product is brought by belt or auger. This needs more space and equipment, but it makes forklift access, dust collection and adding a second station later easier. In existing plants the choice is usually decided by the clear height under the silo and by forklift traffic.

Pallet and forklift flow

How the full bag leaves the station determines the line’s real output. If the bag fills on a pallet, the pallet is removed by pallet truck or forklift when filling ends and an empty pallet is put in its place; this is simple but keeps the operator waiting. With a roller conveyor, the full bag leaves the station on its pallet, the next empty pallet is ready and waiting, and the forklift collects full bags from the end of the conveyor. A simple calculation shows the difference: if filling takes 90 seconds per bag and removal plus preparing the next bag another 90 seconds, 20 bags are filled per hour. Cutting removal and preparation to 30 seconds with a conveyor raises output to 30 bags per hour.

What to check at the installation site

  • Ceiling and silo outlet height: there must be room for a full bag, the hanging frame and the feed unit
  • Floor: level and solid; a full big bag can put up to two tonnes on the station
  • Forklift space: the direction and distance for removing full bags are fixed in advance
  • Utilities: power and, where required, compressed air are brought to the station
  • Dust collection: indoors, the point where dust is extracted from the spout is planned

What to send us for a quotation

So that BBF can be configured for your plant, please tell us:

  • The product and its form (powder, granules, pellets), with bulk density
  • Fill weight per bag and the hourly or daily target
  • Whether the product is fed from a silo, a hopper or a conveyor
  • Floor dimensions and ceiling height where the machine will stand
  • How the full bag will be removed: forklift, pallet truck or conveyor

We reply to quotation requests within 3–4 hours.

Frequently asked questions

What hourly output can a big bag filler reach?

BBF fills 15–30 big bags per hour. Where you land in that range depends on the product’s flow rate, the bag weight and how long it takes to hang and remove each bag. Free-flowing granules and bags taken away on a roller conveyor push towards the top of the range; slow-flowing powders and bags lifted off one by one with a forklift sit nearer the bottom.

What bag weights can it fill?

BBF is designed for big bags between 500 and 2000 kg. The target weight is set on the indicator. The bag’s volume must also match the product’s density, though: a light product needs a bigger bag to hold 1000 kg.

Are bulk bags, jumbo bags and FIBCs the same thing?

Yes. All three names describe the flexible large bag with lifting loops that carries between half a tonne and two tonnes of bulk product. The terms are used interchangeably across the industry.

Will the bag stay upright with powdery products?

Light, bulky powders settle loosely, so the bag leans and is hard to stack. Vibrating the bag during filling compacts the product and the bag stands upright with a neat shape. How dust is contained at the filling spout is planned at the quotation stage to suit the product.

Can it be installed under our existing silo?

Yes, BBF is built to suit the silo or conveyor line you already have. The deciding factor is the height between the silo outlet and the floor: a full big bag, the hanging frame and the feed unit all have to fit into it. So before quoting, we ask for the site dimensions and ceiling height.

What determines the price of a big bag filling machine?

The main factors are the feeding method (gravity, belt or auger), whether vibration is needed, how the full bag is removed and any extra steelwork needed to fit the machine to your silo. Once we have these details, we prepare the quotation for your product.

How is the tare taken in big bag filling?

Once the empty bag is hung and connected to the filling head, the indicator is zeroed, so the measured value is the product alone. Even if bag weights are similar, re-taring every bag removes differences that can arise with lined bags or bags from a different supplier.

Can the same machine fill different products?

For products that flow in a similar way, yes; the target weight and filling stages are changed for each product. Moving from a free-flowing granule to a powder that bridges also requires a suitable feed type. If you switch between products often, cleaning time and the risk of cross-contamination should be considered from the start.

Not sure which model fits?

Tell us the capacity, platform size and site; we will work out the right model and price together.

Request a Quote WhatsApp