When you open a packet of paracetamol, tear off a bag of bird seed or open a tin of beans, you probably don’t think about how they came to get in the tin or blister pack in the first place. Everything has to be stored somewhere before it goes out to retail. The same is true of small bulk items like this. It would take us ages to transfer them via a scoop or by hand, plus it runs the risk of human contamination. So, what do we use to transport these fiddly bits of essential stock?
The answer comes in the form of Pneumatic conveying systems like those provided by companies such as Aptech. It would take too long and be too risky for the products if any other way was used. Pneumatic systems use high-powered suction and vacuums to move loose items around the warehouse to where they need to be. These pipes are sealed so that nothing can escape or get in. It’s also the system used for gases and liquids.
When a truck comes to take the goods to the canning factory, the vacuum conveying system will power the goods into the trucks, ready to be taken away. A complex system of valves channels the goods back into the storage tanks, only allowing the correct amount to leave for shipment. A similar process will be at the receiving end.
