Container Tipper & Bulk Loader

Client: NZ Express Transport Christchurch Limited

Category: Design and Certification

Background

In 2004 Motovated Design & Analysis was approached by NZ Express Transport Christchurch Limited to help in the development of an innovative idea for loading grain and bulk products into containers. NZ Express was a freight distribution company, covering shipping, rail, road transport and warehousing until October 2005, and is now represented by Bedrock Trading Ltd.

The design specifications to be met were:

  • Meet on road transport standards for size and weight.
  • Incorporate a weigh bridge using load cells.
  • Self sufficient operation.
  • Allow access to container door when vertical.
  • One hour container fill cycle.
  • Open and close container doors in any orientation.

Solution

The Container Tipper and Bulk Loader (Figure 1) allows a standard 20 foot container to be stood vertically, and grain to be fed from the hopper into the container by the conveyor. The built-in weigh bridge measures when the desired transport load is reached, and filling is stopped.

Design features were added to allow the loader to be collapsed and loaded onto a truck for transport (Figure 2). Key features include:

  • Single person operation, moving over 23 tonnes of grain in half an hour .
  • The generator, power pack and load cells are housed on board the main base, allowing independent on site operation.
  • A simple hydraulic lever system to open and close the container doors.
  • Strength verification of the design using Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
  • Optimal location and size of the tipping hydraulic cylinders .

Results

The loader is entirely multi-functional, and may be used with a variety of filling     methods, from silo tubulators and augers to direct filling from a truck or bucket    loader.

The weigh bridge removes guess work and ensures that over-weight pay loads are no longer a worry. With a significant increase in gross turnover, the initial investment in design and fabrication was exceeded many times over. Motovated provided:

  • Profile, weldment and assembly drawings for manufacture.
  • Specifications for electrical and mechanical control features for the correct and safe operation of the equipment.
  • Onsite reviews and technical assistance.

Figure 1: Container Tipper and Bulk Loader, in filling position

Figure 2: Container Tipper and Bulk Loader, ready for transport