ILC Dover has introduced its new Xtrakt System, which it claims will significantly reduce waste and the environmental impact of bulk liquid dispensing.
The system has been designed with a goal to deliver virtually complete extraction of low- and high-viscosity liquids alike. This includes lotions, gels and creams that are dispensed from shipping and transfer totes using liquid liners in intermediate bulk containers (IBCs).
Simultaneously, the system enhances safety of operator while ensuring sanitary handling of product all through the shipping, transfer and dispensing process.
Its performance is said to have been validated in various customer trials in which it has shown its ability to cut down residual product in a bulk liner to 0.1% of the liner's capacity.
ILC Dover VP & packaging division manager Glenn LeBlanc said: "Using a systems approach and their extensive knowledge of advanced films and packaging technology, our team of engineers at ILC Dover have developed a system that efficiently dispenses liquids from bulk containers.
“We believe our Xtrakt System represents a new standard in bulk liquid handling, especially for viscous products."
The Xtrakt system could save customers from $40 to $570 per liner-dispensing-cycle based on estimated product values anywhere in the range of $5 to $15 per kilogram.
ILC Dover said its engineers have developed a double-walled liner built from a strong polymer having special surface texturing that guides the drive unit along the full length of the liner thereby continuously pushing product to the discharge pump.
ILC Dover chief engineer Tony McKee said: "In one trial, where high residuals of a particularly costly product had been the norm, test data proved that using the Xtrakt System not only saved processing time and cost, but—because the operator no longer had to slit the bag open to manually extract the remaining high-value product—it also eliminated a source of potential product contamination, allowing the operator to maintain sanitary conditions throughout the process."
The operation of the Xtrakt System has low levels of injury risks as the operator doesn’t need to push, pull or manipulate the heavy liner.