What factors should be considered when selecting FIBC bags?
Sudarshan Addpack is one of the TOP FIBC bags manufacturers from INDIA, offers durable, versatile, and customized FIBC bags for various industries and applications. We offer services across different sectors and guarantee secure and dependable packing and shipping. Sudarshan Addpack provides FIBC bags that are quality FIBC bags that meet industry standards and customer expectations.
Type of Material to Be Stored or Transported:
It is also imperative to understand that there are different handling requirements for different materials. For instance, fine powders, granular substances, and large chunks of material require different kinds of FIBC bags. Ensure that the fabric and design of the bag are suitable for the nature of the product or material being contained, whether it is food, chemical, agricultural or industrial goods.
Bag Capacity and Size:
Learn the volume and the weight that can be contained in the FIBC bag. The bags come in various sizes and can hold between 500 to 2000 kilograms. It is therefore important to select the appropriate size and capacity for transportation, loading and storage.
Bag Capacity and Size:
The Safety Factor is the Safe Working Load divided by the maximum load that the bag has been subjected to. Commonly, FIBC bags have typically SF of 5:1 or 6:1, this means that they are subjected to a load equivalent to five or six times their SWL. It is also necessary to ensure that the bag that you are going to use is suitable for your application in terms of SF to ensure safety.
Bag Construction Type:
FIBC bags can be of various types including the U-panel, Circular, Four-Panel and Baffle Bags or Q-Bags. This depends on the application that is intended for it as well as how it will be managed. For instance, the Baffle Bags retain the square shape even when filled; this helps in multiple stacking thus conserving space.
Filling and Discharge Options:
When selecting the filling and discharge mechanism, it is imperative to consider your needs. These are spouts, duffle tops, open tops, discharge spouts, and full open discharge bottoms. Proper filling and discharge design ensure that the material can be easily handled and there is minimal spillage and wastage.
Breathability:
In cases where the product for packaging requires perforations to allow for airflow like vegetables and certain chemicals, PP woven fabric can be made to allow for ventilation by perforating. It can be woven such that; air can pass through it to avoid humidity, and moisture and thus prevent mould and spoilage of the contents that may be packed in the fabric.
Handling Requirements:
FIBC bags can have different types of lifting loops: All the available systems come with one, two or four loops. Ensure that the loop design reflects your equipment and handling practices, such as forklifts or cranes.
Liner Requirements:
Certain items might require additional treatment against moisture, contamination, or static electricity. FIBC bags can also have liners to provide an extra shield. There are also polyethene liners, foil liners, and conductive liners among them.
UV Protection:
If the bags are to be kept or used in an outdoor environment, they must be protected from UV rays to prevent deterioration. If the bags are going to be used in the sun frequently, then the bags should be treated with UV inhibitors.
Static Protection:
In the case of flammable or combustible products, it is recommended that the FIBC bags should be anti-static or conductive to avoid the building up of static electricity that can cause fires.
Regulatory and Compliance Requirements:
Ensure that the FIBC bags meet the required standard and code especially if the products are food, drugs or dangerous goods. ISO, HACCP and UN certification for hazardous materials is a must.
Reusable vs. Single-Use:
Determine if the bags will be reused or disposed of after one use. Usually bags having SF 5:1 are regarded as Single Use, while bags with SF 6:1 also know as Multi-trip can have multiple use, but note more than twice or thrice.
Cost Considerations:
Consider the cost of the performance and safety considerations. Although it is important to cut costs, it is risky to compromise quality because that will lead to costly errors, accidents, or penalties.
A Guide To FIBC Terminologies That You As A Consumer Must Know!
A flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC), or sometimes referred to as jumbo, bulk bag, super sack, or big bag, is a bag that is used by a multitude of industries for storing and transporting dry content or flowable products. These are made from a thick, woven polypropylene that comes with a UV treated finish and extensively used to store products like sand, fertilizer, dry pet food, and granules of plastic.
There has been a significant increase in the demand of FIBC bags with the growing requirements to reduce the overall weight of the bulk packaging and transporting materials.
If your work repeatedly requires you to interact with the FIBC market, then it can be helpful for you to learn a bit more about this world. And, so, for a well-informed purchase, know about the FIBC related terminologies mentioned below –
- Baffle:
A baffle is an extra fabric panel or piece of string sewn into each of the 4 corners of a four-panel or tubular-shaped bag. This added strength allows the bag to hold its square shape better when filled, and also increase the stability of the load. It also helps in maximizing space.
- Bag Height:
The height dimension of an FIBC bag measured from the top seam to the bottom seam is the bag height.
- Belt Patch:
Belt patch is a piece of fabric that is sewn either amidst the bag body’s main fabric and the Lift Belt or on top of the Lift Belt, within the belt sewn portion. It is used to enhance the safe working load (SWL).
- Bias Strap Or Tape:
Also known as web tie or tie strap, these are made of multifilament yarns or polypropylene and are used to tie inlet and outlet spouts.
- Coated And Uncoated Fabric:
Fabric or bags which are coated/laminated with a protective polypropylene layer that reduces moisture intrusion or sifting of the product inside, are called coated fabric bulk bags or non-breathable or laminated fabric bags.
The other one is called breathable or uncoated fabric bulk bags; these bags don’t have the polypropylene layer laminated on them.
- Denier:
It is a unit of measurement that expresses fibre thickness of individual threads used in a fabric. To be more specific, it is the weight of the yarn in grams per 9,000 meters. Also, it is considered that the higher the denier count, the more durable the fabric will be.
- Discharge Spout:
As the name indicates, the discharge spout or the bottom spout is used as an outlet to empty the products filled in the FIBC bulk bag.
- Document Pouch:
Designed or fabricated by polypropylene, it is a pouch where shipping or identifying documents are usually stored. It is also known as an envelope or pocket.
- Circular Woven Bag:
Also referred to as a tubular bag because of the unique tube-like shape, the circular woven bags are shaped and woven on a circular loom before cutting to the properly specified bag height. This bag has no corner seams or angular edges.
- Duffle Top:
A type of FIBC bag top which is similar to the duffel bag. The inlet extends from the top seam, and it can be tied from the top. It is also known as the skirt top.
- Loop Height:
It is the height or the measurement from the top of a bag to the loop’s apex when laid flat.
- Polypropylene:
It is a type of polymer made from the combination of propylene monomers. It is used in a variety of applications such as packaging bags for products, plastic parts, automotive industry, textile industry, etc. It is environment friendly and can be recycled.
- Safe Working Load:
SWL is the safe amount of load which a bag is designed to carry. You must always check with the SWL factor to avoid worst situations like damage to the bag and the product sifting.
- Safety Factor:
It is normally written in ratio like 5:1 SF, and it signifies how much stronger a bag is than it needs to be for an intended load. The 5:1 indicates that it should be 5 times the Safe Working Load.
- Food Grade:
The conditions under which the bulk bag has been manufactured and stored before being delivered to the end customer is all about food grade. These conditions have to be strict and quality-driven to produce bulk bags that are suitable for use. Under this comes –
- Cleanroom for manufacturing as well as the storage facility.
- BRC compliant food grade bulk bags are the bags manufactured and stored in strict conditions to meet the BRC standards.
This ensures that the bulk bags are suitable for storing products without any contamination.
- Velcro:
Velcro are straps used for proper closing of the bags. These are strong, lightweight, easy-to-adjust, and secures the content inside the bag. It is used for the fastening purpose.
- Dustproof:
The transportation of finer materials through regular FIBC bags has a possibility of leakage and to prevent this; dustproof FIBC bags are the best. There are different types of dustproof bags according to the requirements like –
- Single dustproof – These FIBC bags have single stitches and a single dustproof tape.
- Double dustproof – Products which have high chances of sieving or leaking are kept inside this bag as it has two stitches and two dustproof tapes.
- Triple dustproof – For extra safety of products, these FIBC bags have three sealing strips. This type involves sealing with two dustproof tapes and a third tape is put between the fabric.
- Tunnel bag:
These are popular bags that have a unique design of Tunnel lift bags that has 4 standard loops and 2 side tunnels. This helps in reducing the labour cost as it can be easily picked up.
- Two-panel bag:
These FIBC bulk bag are constructed with three body panels; one of them runs the full length of the bag forming the bottom and the other two sides and two fabric pieces sewn into the larger piece to form the other two sides. These bags have a square shape when filled, plus they offer high SWL and amazing durability because of the sturdy construction.
- Iris closure:
The iris closure can be on the top and bottom; that is, for discharge and filling. For the bottom, these are a safety valve that is ideally suited for choking the necks and also it gives the control to maintain the flow of material. And for the top, these are used for additional protection after filling.
- Petal closure:
This spout construction showcases four-petal like structure that works together to hold the spout closed when it is not in use.
