Hopper simulation

As the global technology and market leader in the field of feeding system technology, RNA is constantly developing its simulation and AI tools. Recently, we have started to use a special in-house developed software for fully automated hopper simulation in project planning and engineering. With a simple drag & drop of the 3D CAD conveyed material, the simulation starts fully automatically and gives the fill density for storage bins. Thus, we digitally secure autonomy time and layout dimensions for our customers.

As the degree of automation increases, so does the requirement for autonomy time. The autonomy time indicates the time span until a feeding system has to be refilled with bulk material by the production personnel. In most cases, this is at least 120 min. To ensure the autonomy time of a feeding system, RNA uses so-called storage bins (= hoppers). These hoppers are positioned relative to the feeding system and can take up a large amount of space depending on the required autonomy. Since space in factories is expensive and scarce, feeding system engineers are always faced with the complex task of deciding between sufficient hopper dimensioning and the smallest possible space requirement. A miscalculation can lead to the need for shorter replenishment cycles. This increases production costs for the plant operator and ties up additional plant capacity.

In the conventional world of feeding system technology, autonomy was previously secured in such a way that the customer had to send the technician a large quantity of real sample parts from the conveyed material. These were then placed in a hopper in an experiment to see how many parts would fit in at all. The feeding rate in parts per minute could then be used to calculate the autonomy time. This process step takes several days and requires the customer to provide the logistics of the sample parts at a very early stage. Because the following applies: without knowledge of the dimensioning of the hopper, no final system layout with dimensions is possible.

The result of the filling, the filling density and the total filling weight is output in an automatically generated report, including visualization. Thanks to our digital technologies, we are thus able to digitally secure autonomy promises at a very early stage of the project and to discuss the exact plant layout with the customer - even before sample parts exist.

Would you like to learn more about the possibilities of simulation and AI? Feel free to contact our team at RNA Digital Solutions in Munich: kontakt@rnadigital.de and at +49 (0) 15 15 / 99 28 255.