The AZO Cleandock innovation enables docking between stationary dosing devices and mobile IBC's, drums, bigbags etc. If docked, a dustproof connection is ensured. If undocked, the stationary component and the mobile member of the AZO Cleandock are securely closed for preventing environment contamination. The mobile IBC's, drums, bigbags etc. could be mounted on a scaling system. When docked, the AZO Cleandock device can not force any mechanical interference into the scaling system. The safe design eliminates any cross-contamination possible between individual pick-up and dosing positions. According to the construction, a zone definition according ATEX regulations not requested.

System Design

Each dosing station's outlet has the "active part" of the AZO Cleandock attached for dust-tight sealing of the corresponding dosing device. This area has all supplies like electrical power, compressed air and a venting system available. Each trading unit mounted on a scale is equipped with the "passive part" of the AZO Cleandock closing the trading unit as long as not docked into a dosing position. For docking, the active and the passive part are centered and lined up. After locking, both parts will open contiguously. The AZO Cleandock's well-engineered design uncouples the dosing device from the trading unit and allows accurate weighing results.

Functional Principle

The trading unit located on the scale is positioned below the dedicated dosing location. The claws of the active part are lifting and centering the passive part's connecting disc. If weighing of the trading unit is requested, the scale will tare. After calibration the AZO Cleandock opens the dust-tight product connection and product filling starts. Course- and fine dosing streams allow the best possible weighing accuracy. After reaching the target weight, dosing stops and the dust-tight product connection will close. The claws of the active part are lowering the lifted passive part down. The trading unit is disconnected and can move to the next dosing location.

Fast, Accurate and Contamination-Free Batch Preparation

AZO's first time on a show introduced Shuttledos-System is highly predestinated for the paint- and lacquer industry, requesting fully automated batching systems with an extremely large number of formulas consisting of many different components. These systems are requesting totally closed environments with strictly requested line separation and cross contamination. Requests for 20 batches per hour consisting of up to 10 or more precise scaled components are staff of life.  Special pose of challenge is the required weighing range. Quantities of less than 100g up to several 100kg are requested, sometimes from the same individual component. The requested degree of accuracy could vary from +/-2 g to +/-1 kg. Another main issue for handling these large quantity of different products is fast recipe change and the reducing of cleaning- and downtime.

Fast Batch Preparation Solution

Components are metered into mobile containers using the new and fully automated Shuttledos system. Therefore, it is irrelevant whether these raw materials are stored in silos, supplied in big bags or in containers or from sacks via a feeding hopper. The system makes optimum line configuration possible. Separate lines can be set up for large, medium and small components that are then linked with one another by cross-transport systems.  The Shuttledos system convinces customers with its innovative design: the storage container outlets protrude through the ceiling from above or are housed in a rack. They are equipped with powerful discharge and metering organs. The tracks for the AZO Shuttledos system are suspended from the ceiling. No parts are therefore attached to the ground.

In order to achieve high throughput rates, each dosing station is equipped with its own weighing unit. When operating at lower output rates up to four components can be weighed together on the same unit. These can be adjusted both to the container size and to the precision of the required weighing and metering. Stations, where the empty containers are transferred into the system, are defined for safety reasons. The mobile shuttle units transport the empty containers to the individual dosing stations according to the recipe. There the components are metered and weighed precisely by means of rough/fine dosing. The shuttle units can pass by the outside of the containers that are currently being filled and move on other containers which have completed the dosing process. A very high degree of flexibility is thereby achieved. Thanks to this intelligent concept, cycle times can be reached that were previously considered unachievable. The entire system is operated, controlled and monitored by a process control system. The fully automated production area can therefore be designed in such a way that it is fully self-contained and monitored by cameras. This means, people do not have to be present.

New Linear Weighing System

This new development is characterized by its absence of ground contact and its precise dosing and weighing. Up to 20-30 containers can be filled per hour with five to ten precisely weighed components per container. The Shuttledos system handles this large number of batches in this way as each dosing station has its own weighing station: weighing is carried out in parallel to save time. When operating at lower output rates, two or four components can be weighed together on the same unit. The weighing stations can be calibrated both to the container size and the required weighing and dosing accuracy.

Whenever ultra-precise weighing is required, negative weighing systems such as Azodos can be used. The tightest of tolerance limits can thereby be achieved, even if the required quantities of individual components are very different.

Shuttle - The Fast Transport System

This transport system is substantially more cost-effective than the familiar driverless transport vehicles. Linear systems have the advantage of fast batch preparation. On the other hand, easy-to-program, driverless transport vehicles are more advantageous when individual delivery stations need to be approached. Therefore, it is important to an experienced plant constructor that he has wide-ranging expertise of both systems and can utilize this knowledge when planning the project.