SWL & SF

SWL & SF

SWL: SAFE WORKING LOAD - Maximum carrying weight of a big bag

The Safe Working Load (SWL) indicates the maximum safe loading weight of the big bag.

FIBC (Flexible intermediate big containers) are designed for a specific SWL.

Common SWLs are 500kg, 1000kg, 1200kg, 1250kg, 1500kg or 2000kg. The SWL is determined by the customer.

Often the safety work load is chosen to achieve a maximal load weight on a truck of 24 or 25mt.

SF: SAFETY FACTOR

The Safety Factor (SF) reflects the ratio of the actual strength of the bag versus the safe working load.

ONE WAY VERSUS MULTI TRIP BIG BAG

One way big bags:

Big Bags are usually used only one time. They are filled and sold to a customer where they are emptied.

Usually it is not economical to collect the FIBC afterwards or to ask the customer to return the empty bag.

Often FIBC are used in food industry where it would not be hygienic to reuse them. Sometimes the FIBCs are never emptied and serve as a permanent waste bag.

The Safety factor (SF) for one way FIBC is 5:1, meaning that the big bag did burst only after reaching five times its safety work load (SWL) in the test rig.

A 1000kg big bag did therefore burst on more than 5t load. A 2000kg big bag bursts after 10t load in the test rig.

One way big bags cannot be “repaired”. It is not allowed to reuse these big bags.

Multi trip big bags:

Sometimes a multi trip big bag is more economical than a single trip one.

This is usually the case when all big bags are emptied at the same place and can be easily collected.

Furthermore, it should not be a food big bag. In this case the big bags can be returned to the filling place and reused for a limited number of times.

These multi trip big bags are constructed stronger and achieve a safety factor (SF) of 6:1 which means that the big bag did burst after more than six times its safety work load (SWL) during testing. On multi trip big bags an additional multi trip label can be added to count the number of circles.

Of course multi trip FIBC cannot be used infinite times. However there is no rule how often they should be used.

Multi trip big bags cannot be repaired. Damaged multi trip big bags must not be used. It is not allowed to fill in different materials into the FIBC on its different trips.

CERTIFICATION OF SWL AND SF​

All our FIBCs are tested either in house or certified by respected testing institutes. The certificates name the safe working load and the safety factor.
On request we will deliver the test reports for your FIBC.
Safe Working Load (SWL)
Single Trip SF
Standard Duty
Reusable SF
Heavy Duty
Reusable SF
500kg.
5:1
6:1
8:1
1000kg.
5:1
6:1
8:1
1250kg.
5:1
6:1
8:1
1500kg.
5:1
6:1
8:1
2000kg.
5:1
6:1
8:1

LABELLING

DOCUMENT POCKETS & LABELLING

DOCUMENT POCKETS

 

Big Bags are usually equipped with a document pocket which allows to attach informative documents and labels about the filled product.

  • Quantity : 1, 2 or more pieces
  • Size : DIN A5 , DIN A4(The most common type) , A3 or customized type
  • Alignment : Vertical or Horizontal
  • Location : Top seam , side seams or in the middle of the body
  • Opening : From side, opening from top, opening from backside
  • Closing : Optional zip closure or simple cut
  • Electrostatic properties (Type A, Type B , Type C , Type D)

Choose an individual number and position of document pockets for better product information

LABELLING

 
 

All FIBCs shall be durably marked by means of a permanently attached and easily visible and readable label or durably printed on the body so that it is easily visible and readable after the FIBC has been filled, with the following data:

  • Name and address of the manufacturer
  • Manufacturer´s reference which shall be unique to any one FIBC type
  • Name and address of the supplier (if required)
  • Safe working load (SWL) in kilograms
  • Safety factor (SF), i.e. 5:1, 6:1 or 8:1 as appropriate
  • Reference to the Test Standard
  • Class of FIBC, i.e. "heavy duty reusable", "standard duty reusable" or "single trip"
  • Type test certificate number (which shall be unique to any one type) and the month and year in which the type test certificate was issued
  • Date of manufacture of the FIBC, i.e. month and year
  • Pictograms of the recommended handling methods
  • Details of any special treatments (i.e. UV-stability, Antistatic)
  • Where the FIBC is certified in relation to a specific product, the description of that product.

FABRIC TYPE

FABRIC TYPE

The body of big bags are made from woven polypropylene fabric (cloth). Fabrics can be classified by;
  • Weaving technology ( Flat or circular)
  • Fabric weight (e.g 160 gr/m2, 180 gr/m2, 200 gr/m2)
  • Fabric width (30-360 cm)
  • Coating (none or + 18/20/25/30 gr/m2)
  • Colour (typically white or others)
  • UV resistance (150-300 kly)
  • Electrostatic properties (Type A, Type B, Type C, Type D)
  • Weaving density and mesh (standard, ventilated, net fabrics )
  • Hygienic requirements (standard grade, hygienic grade)
At ATEA we are able to supply both flat and circular woven fabrics in different width and weight options.

We can produce both reinforced or unreinforced circular fabrics with a weight range of 50-240 gr/m2 and width range of 30-225 cm

The fabrics with different widths and designs can be woven in the flat weaving looms which allow lower rate of waste and high resistance. Our flat fabrics are in a weight range of 80‑265 gr/m2 and width range of 50‑360 cm

Fabric weight depends mostly on the SWL and SF of the big bag.

Usually the customer does not have to decide which fabric strength the FIBC must have as this is decided by ATEA sales agents according to the SWL and SF and the respective certificates.

However, a customer can always order an upgrade on fabric weight to get a stronger big bag.

Higher fabric weight (gsm) will lead to less bulging of the full big bag and make it more resistant against physical damages. Standard cloth weights are 165, 180 and 200g/m2.

Big Bag fabric can be coated or uncoated. The coating is an additional polypropylene layer of 18-30 gr/m2.

This makes the fabric waterproof so no moisture can get through the fabric and leakage of fine materials from the FIBC is prevented.

Coated big bags usually also have dustproof sewing to seal the seams of the big bag.

An additional advantage of coating is that it “glues” the fabric together so no loose threads will fall off and cause contamination.
The disadvantage of coating is slightly higher cost and reducing the air permeability for organic products.

The most common colour for FIBC is white with a market share of almost 95%.

We are able to produce big bags in any colour, however, this is only economical for big orders.
No matter which colour the cloth has, it can be printed accordingly.

Fabric Test

There are four approved options in the measurement of fabric mass per unit area:

Option A, Option B, Option C, and Option D. Option A may be used for acceptance testing of commercial shipments since it has been used extensively in the trade. The second option is Option B which is applicable to a full-width sample cut from a full piece, roll, bolt, or cut. Unless otherwise specified, these results will include selvages and will be on the basis of conditioned fabric. Option C on the other hand is applicable when a small swatch of fabric is sent to the laboratory to be used as the test specimen. The results are considered to be applicable to the sample only and not necessarily to the lot from which the sample was taken.

Measurements by this method do not include selvages and should be reported as such, unless a selvage allowance is specified. The last option is Option D which is intended for use with narrow fabrics as so designated by the trade. This abstract is a brief summary of the referenced ASTM standard. It is informational only and not an official part of the standard.

These test methods cover the measurement of fabric mass per unit area (weight) and is applicable to most fabrics.

There are four approved options:

1.Option A—Full Piece, Roll, Bolt or Cut

2. Option B—Full Width Sample

3. Option C—Small Swatch of Fabric

4. Option D—Narrow Fabrics

PACKAGING

PACKAGING

PACKAGING OPTIONS

FIBCs are usually packed on wooden pallets, however there are other options and variations of packaging depending on the purpose of usage. Please see below for details of FIBC packaging.

1. Packaging Type:

Pallets are the most standard way to pack FIBCs. Wooden pallets and plastic pallets are available. Wooden pallets need to be heat treated when FIBCs are exported. (See ISPM Section below.) Plastic pallets are used to pack hygienic and food grade FIBCs.

Bales are the simple and economical way of FIBC packaging. No pallets are used, so container or truck space is used almost 100%. Bales need manual handling , more costly to handle when compared to pallets.

2. Our Standard FIBC Pallet Sizes

Max pallet height for two high stacking

Pallett Size
HC Container
Truck
100×120
120cm
130cm
115×115
120cm
130cm
80×120
120cm
130cm

Typical loading quantities are as follows : 42 pallets of 100×120 cm pallets in 40 HC container , 52 pallets of 100×120 cm pallets in trucks, 40 pallets of 115×115 cm pallets in 40 HC container.

3. FIBC pallets are prepared under 20-40 tons of pressure in order to achieve the maximum number of FIBCs per pallet. This is to save freight cost when empty FIBCs are transported.

Pressed FIBC pallets are tied with PET stripes to keep them pressed. Metallic attachments are not recommended for hygienic purposes.

4. Our FIBC pallets are covered by coated PP fabric and also with an additional PE cover for hygienic and waterproof packaging. Empty FIBC pallets must be stored in covered and dry places.

5. FIBC pallets need to be clearly marked with the details of the FIBC packed inside. Article nr, Order Nr, Quantity of bags . Optionally barcode , customer name, weight and size of pallet can be written.

6. ISPM

International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15)
No, plywood, particle board, oriented strand board or veneer that has been created using glue, heat or pressure, or a combination thereof is of sufficiently low risk and to be exempted from the provisions of the ISPM standard.
No. A unit of wood packaging material that has been treated and marked in accordance with the ISPM15 standard and that has not been repaired, remanufactured or otherwise altered does not require re-treatment or reapplication of the mark throughout the service life of the unit

The standard describes phytosanitary measures that reduce the risk of introduction and spread of quarantine pests associated with the movement in international trade of wood packaging material made from raw wood. Wood packaging material covered by this standard includes dunnage but excludes wood packaging made from wood processed in such a way that it is free from pests (e.g. plywood). The phytosanitary measures described in this standard are not intended to provide ongoing protection from contaminating pests or other organisms.

Since 2015 is heat treatment, HT the only treatment which can may be used for common applications. The wood needs to be heated until its core reaches 56 °C for at least 30 minutes.

The following articles are of sufficiently low risk to be exempted from the provisions of the ISPM15 standard:

  • Wood packaging material made entirely from thin wood (6 mm or less in thickness)
  • Wood packaging made wholly of processed wood material, such as plywood, particle board, oriented strand board or veneer that has been created using glue, heat or pressure, or a combination thereof.
    barrels for wine and spirit that have been heated during manufacture
  • Gift boxes for wine, cigars and other commodities made from wood that has been processed and/or manufactured in a way that renders it free of pests
  • Sawdust, wood shavings and wood wool
  • Wood components permanently attached to freight vehicles

The regulations are to help prevent the worldwide spread of plant pests and diseases by using specially treated wooden packaging material (WPM).

As part of the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) controls the regulations through the cooperation of member governments of the UN.

ISPM15 applies to coniferous softwood and non-coniferous hardwood used as raw wood packaging material. The standard does not apply to wood packaging made wholly of manufactured wood-based products such as plywood and veneer, reconstituted wood products (particle board, chipboard, Presswood, oriented strand board, high density fibre board, and medium density fibre board) or products created using glue, heat and pressure or a combination thereof.

All treated WPM will have the IPPC mark, as explained section below:

What do the markings indicate?

The markings must be within a rectangular border with a vertical line separating the IPPC logo (on the left) from the identifying data. The border lines may be solid or broken; and the corners may be rounded.
  • XX indicates a two letter ISO country code.
  • 0000 the next series of letters/numbers is the unique identification mark of the wood treatment agent or packaging manufacturer.
  • The number of letters or digits may vary according to each country. The country code and treatment agent or manufacturer code must be separated by a hyphen.
  • YY This indicates the type of treatment, and will either be HT (Heat Treatment) or MB (Methyl Bromide).
  • The marking DB (indicating debarking has taken place) is no longer used. However, as pallets may last several years, the older style of ISPM15 marking is still permissible.

UV

UV PROTECTION

FIBCs and UV Stabilisation

Big Bags are most commonly made of woven polypropylene, a polymer that, like other materials, is damaged by exposure to sunlight over time.

This degradation process can ultimately cause the fabric to tear when exposed to strain and put both content and personnel at risk.

Fortunately, through the use of UV stabilisers in the polymer and the proper handling of FIBCs, the risk of photochemical damage can be reduced to a minimum.

It is, however, vital that FIBCs are covered or stored away from the sunlight during usage, transport and storage.

ATEA Fibcs are made of UV stabilised fabrics , in which high quality UV masterbatches are used from select brands.

No UV exposure

No UV damage through covering or screening.

UV exposure

Protection through UV light stabilizers (HALS) or UV absorbers and pigmentation.

General Remarks:

Materials often undergo rapid photochemical degradation under the influence of sunlight, unless they have been stabilised in a durable fashion.

A number of factors of uncertainty are inherent in the procedure, so comparisons should be available between the method used and exposures in the environment in which the product is to be used.

● Ultra violet degradation may be indicated by the softening of the material, so that the outer surface may be rubbed off or plucked off, and in extreme cases, the outer surface may become powdered.
● Certain types of UV stabilising additives are rapidly leached out, especially in an alkaline environment, which should be taken into consideration in applicable situation.
● The performance of UV stabilised additives may be affected by colour and the type of pigment used. Therefore, each combination of UV stabilising additive and pigment should be tested separately

Test Procedures

The test apparatus shall be in accordance with ASTM G53/96 using a fluorescent UV-B lamp.

The specimens are alternately exposed to UV light alone and to condensation alone in a repetitive cycle for at least 200 h using a test cycle of 8 h at 60 C with UV radiation alternating with 4 h at 50 C with condensation.
After exposure is complete, the specimens are checked for breaking force and elongation at break in accordance with ISO 5081
and the values are compared with results performed on simultaneously cut test specimens that have been stored under dark and cool conditions.

All load bearing materials of the FIBC shall, after tested retain at least 50% of the original values of the breaking force and elongation of the materials.

Testing machine for accelerated UV test

Inside the UV tester

Test specimens inside the UV tester

The most obvious way to mitigate the degradation of FIBC due to UV radiation and other weather impacts is to physically protect the big bags from the elements. Although FIBC handling instructions routinely advise against outdoor exposure, this is not always practical for users and certainly not controllable by FIBC producers and traders.

Chemical alternatives are available and widely used to help polymers like polypropylene maintain their properties longer against degradation through environmental influences. To counter the harmful effects of UV light on FIBC, two main methods are used: UV light absorbers, e.g. Triazine or Benzotriazole, and light stabilisers, i.e. HALS (Hindered Amine Light Stabilisers).

These additives, which absorb or stabilise UV light respectively, are often introduced to the base formula for the polypropylene material out of which the FIBC are woven.  Both methods can retard the damaging effects of UV light but cannot stop it altogether.
Either way, photochemical degradation remains a reality that must be taken into consideration. The question becomes how well we can predict the lifespan of the FIBC given that it will be exposed to environmental stress. This is the job of the testing system.

The aim of testing is to recreate environmental strains in a controlled laboratory environment and examine the durability of samples against a battery of tests. In this way, accelerated laboratory UV tests allow quality control on FIBC without performing extended outdoor tests. Ideally, the results confirm the load-bearing capacity of the FIBC upon which decisions on usage of the FIBC are based.

Specific mention of UV resistance requirements had already emerged in European regulations for polypropylene sack used for transporting food aid in 1989. Since then the governing international regulation is the UV resistance Annex to ISO 21898:2004. The regulation lays down rules for laboratory tests using UV B lamps (based on ASTM – G154-98). In a cycle that alternatively subjects samples to 8 hours of UV light at 60°C at a time and then 4 hours of condensation at 50°C at a time for at least 200 hours, the weathering strain on FIBC is simulated. Once the exposure is complete, the samples are to be tested for their breaking force and the elongation of the fibre at the breaking point. The results are then compared to a control sample.

The UV resistance tests under ISO 21898:2004 give a common set of accelerated laboratory testing procedures that are repeatable and require the results of the tests to be expressed in terms that are comparable.  Still, the International Standards Organisation concedes that “a number of factors of uncertainty are inherent in the procedure, so comparisons should be available between the method used and exposures in the environment in which the product is to be used.”

This caveat in the preamble of Annex A of ISO 21898:2004 hints at a central shortcoming of the accelerated UV resistance test with UV-B lamps at 60° – it does not adequately represent real outdoor conditions. Therefore we cannot predict how well that test correlates to real life exposure to light, temperature and other environmental influences in different climates from the arctic to the tropics where FIBCs are being used.

LINER

LINER

BIGBAGS & LINERS

Bigbags with inliner provide a suitable solution for materials that require a high degree of purity when packed.

The inliner covers the whole inner side of the bigbags so the material does not come into contact with the fabric or seams. For very tiny powdery materials dustproof seams are usually not enough. In these cases inliners are used to prevent leakage and provide barrier property to the bigbag.

FIBC bulk bag liners are required for certain products and applications. Liners serve multiple purposes including, but not limited to:

LINER TYPES

• Standard Liners : Standard liners are like a PE hose covering the interior surfaces of the bigbags , but they have some wrinkles to adjust to the bigbag shape which may slow down product flow.

• Formliner : Formliners are Inliners in the shape of a bottle which adjust to the form of the bigbag at the spouts. This allows a smooth material flow within the jumbo bag and also provides easier spout handling during the filling operation.

• Q-Liner / Gambo Liner / Baffled liner : Q-liners have baffles from PE inside the liner, which makes the big bag with inliner also a Q-bag at the same time. This is a very cost intensive premium big bag solution.

• Suspended inliner : Special type for one and two loop bags

Open top

Open top with gussets

Bottle shaped top

Bottle shaped top and bottom

Bottle shaped and sewn-in

Suspended

Liner Materials

The markings must be within a rectangular border with a vertical line separating the IPPC logo (on the left) from the identifying data. The border lines may be solid or broken; and the corners may be rounded.
  • PE Blend: The most common and standard liner material. Usually made from LDPE . Available in conductive and antistatic versions. Normally transparent but other colors are also possible such as white , blue and black.
  • Aluminum foil: High barrier property film available in most shapes. Form shaped aluminum liners, improve filling, discharging, handling and stability of the outside of the bag. Foil liners offer great moisture, oxygen, and UV protection and are compatible with a wide variety of bulk bags.
    Very high gas and aroma barrier.
    High heat resistance.
  • EVOH films: High barrier property film available in most shapes.
    Very high gas and aroma barrier
    High sealing capacity
    High mechanical strength High puncture resistance
    High heat resistance
  • PA films: High barrier property film available in most shapes , especially used for EPS.
    High gas, moisture and aroma barrier
    High sealing capacity
    High mechanical strength
    High heat resistance
    High corrosion and impact resistance

EVOH

EVOH formula:

EVOH Oxygen Barrier

Oxygen transmission rate of films:

Gas Barrier Property

Material
cm3, 20μ/m²,day,atm @20°C, 65%RH
32 mol% Et. EVOH
0.4
38 mol% Et. EVOH
0.7
PVdC(Polyvinylidene chloride)
2.6
Polyamide(Nylon)
38
PET(Polyester)
54
HDPE(Hight Density Polyethylene)
2300
PP (Polypropylene)
3000
PC (Polycarbonate)
5000
PS (Polystyrene)
8000
LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene)
10000
EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate)
18000

ALU - EVOH - PA

ALU – EVOH – PA liners are known as barrier liners, their main functions are as follows;
  • Moisture and oxygen sensitive products storage
  • Air, humidity and gas control
  • Storage of products with a long shelf life
  • Food and pharma products storage
  • Storage of materials that need to be protected from external factors
  • Storage of products that should not lose their special odor, gas, heat balance and aroma
  • Please contact an ATEA expert for more details about liners.

BIGBAG LINER INSERTION OPTIONS

• Loose Inserted inliner : The inliner is simply put inside the big bag without attaching it to the body of the big bag. Pre-blowing recommended. Loose inserted inliners are mostly used for simple bigbags and chosen by customers due to their cost-efficiency.

• Tabbed inliner : The liner is fixed with eight tabbings in the eight corners of the big bag. This prevents efficiently the movement of the liner within the jumbo bag which may otherwise create problems during filling and discharging.

• Sewn-in inliner :Inliner is fixed in the FIBC by sewing along the entire length of the big bag in all four side seams. Inliners that are sewn along the entire length are stronger fixed inside the FIBC than those that are fixed with tabbings. A movement of the liner is efficiently prevented.

• Glued inliner : The inliner is fixed to the walls of the big bag by hotmelt glue. This is an expensive option that provides the firmest attaching. ATEA’s recommendation 

No Attaching

Attaching With Tabs

Attaching With Flangers

Attaching With Glue

Dimensions of PE inliners are usually determined based on the dimensions of a big bag for which it is used.
Depending on the type and purpose of the material, the thickness of the inliner can vary between 50 -200 microns (my), usually it is 70-80 my for most FIBCs.

For type B and type C big bags, there is a special type of inliner that is electro-conductive.
For big bags with one and two loops almost always a inliner is used. These inliners have a special shape (See suspended inliner).

Inliner can meet the needs for bigbags in the food industry. FIBC can be made with special measures for cleanliness.

COMMON USES OF LINERS

Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers with coating or sift proof seams work well for a variety of powdered products. But when sift proofing is not enough to keep a fine powder from leaking through the sew lines, a polyethylene liner can be a great solution. Liners can be purchased separately and manually inserted into the bag, or manufactured with the liner already inserted to make the packing process more efficient. Liners also provide a moisture barrier keeping moisture in as well as keeping moisture out – which can be extremely important when working with fine powders.
FIBCs are becoming increasingly popular for packing food or food related products. If the product being packed is an powdered, granular, or dry flow-able  form, food grade liners can help keep product fresh and free from contamination. If the food product is in powdered form, liners can help with discharge of product so the end user gets all contents out of the bag.
Pharmaceutical products are often held to the same, if not more, stringent standards as food grade products and often require liners. Additionally, many pharmaceutical products are sensitive to elements such as moisture and UV rays making liners essential when transporting these materials.
Liners are commonly used inside bulk bags, but there are many applications where it makes sense to use polyethylene liners over the bag. An overbag liner is put under the bag before it is filled. After the bag has been filled, the poly liner is pulled over the bag and tied. When used properly, the overbag can serve as an extra barrier when product is shipped.

UN CLASS

UN CLASS

DEFINITION of UN CLASS

For storage and transport of hazardous materials, a standard big bag is not strong enough. For these kind of materials there need to be obeyed stricter regulations and they require a special big bag; UN certified big bags.

These big bags are manufactured, tested, and certified for a wide range of goods in environments where there is risk of fire, explosion, chemical burns, toxic contamination or environmental damage.

A UN big bag is a flexible intermediate bulk container specifically designed to transport/store hazardous materials and it must meet the various specifications and standards set out by the United Nations in order to be properly classified as UN bags.

  • There are four types of FIBCs for dangerous goods made from woven plastics:
  • 13 H 1: Woven plastics without coating and without liner.
  • 13 H 2: Woven plastics, coated and without liner.
  • 13 H 3: Woven plastics, uncoated and with liner.
  • 13 H 4: Woven plastics, coated and with liner.
UN Bags are also classified according to the Hazard level of goods they carry. Each UN Bag shall carry the UN-Symbol mentioned in the below table which shall imply the hazard level of the product.
Degree of danger
Packing group
UN Symbol
Max Volume
Drop Test Height
High
I
X
1.5㎥
180cm
Medium
II
Y
3.0㎥
120cm
Low
III
Z
3.0㎥
80cm

All UN Bags are treated as multi-trip bags even though there is no safety factor 6:1. This term is unknown in the UN regulations.

UN bags are not classified by safety factors. They are instead classified by packing groups I, II or III. The safety factor 6:1 refers to FIBCs for non-dangerous goods only.

13H2/Y/ **.**/H/

ATEA/GYS/01/02449/1/16 / 3618 / 1005

Additionally UN FIBC must be marked with a stacking load pictogram.

UN TEST

Top Lift Test: The big bag is loaded with six times its maximum gross mass and kept under this weight for 5 minutes. The big bag must not have any damage from this.
Drop Test: The big bag is loaded with its maximum permissible gross mass and dropped from a) 1.2m if packaging group II and b) 0.8m if packaging group III. The UN bag shall not have loss of content.
Topple Test: The UN bag is toppled from a) 1.2m height if packaging group II and b) 0.8m height if packaging group III. The bag shall not have loss of material.
Righting Test: The UN bag is fully filled with its maximum permissible weight. The UN bag lying on its side is then lifted with a speed of 0.1m/s to upright position. The bag shall not have damage from this.
Stacking Test: The big bag is loaded to its maximum allowable gross weight. Than 1.8 times the maximum stacking weight is loaded on top of the test bag for 24 hours. The big bag passes the test if there is no deterioration of the body or loss of content.
Tear Test: A 10cm hole is cut with a knife into a fully loaded UN bag. Then the double of the maximum gross load is applied to the UN bag for 5 minutes. The UN big bag is then lifted for 5 minutes. The UN bag passes if the hole does not increase by more than 25%.

Hazardous Materials are separated into 8 different classes:

Class 4.1

Flammable solids, self reactive substances and desensitized explosives

Class 4.2

Substances liable to spontaneous combustion

Class 4.3

Substances that emit flammable gases when they come in contact with water

Class 5.1

Substances that oxidize

Class 5.2

Organic peroxides

Class 6.1

Toxic substances

Class 8

Corrosive substances

Class 9

Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles

PRODUCTION GRADE

PRODUCTION GRADE

PRODUCTION GRADE

FIBCs can be classified in three main groups according to their production environment and procedures in place.

This is the standard production grade for most of the FIBCs in the market. General cleanliness and quality procedures apply. No special measures are taken in terms of hygiene and migration properties of the FIBC materials.

The main difference between a standard FIBC and a food grade FIBC is in the resin and the way in which the FIBCs are manufactured.

At the most basic level, food grade can mean that the bags are made with 100% virgin polypropylene resin and food approved additives (UV , filler and color additives). These FIBCs are manufactured under our ISO22000 certificate with the HACCP program.

HACCP : Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points

This type of FIBCs are manufactured in a special clean room where the atmosphere is continuously controlled and filtered , dust particles counted and kept under control. This is a more advanced grade than Food Grade FIBC.
Pharma Grade FIBCs are used for pharma products, high-tech chemicals and additives and infant food formulas.

CLEAN ROOM

FIBCs for food products should be manufactured in a clean room environment. While the definition of a “clean room” varies, there are certain standards which should be present in all clean room facilities. Here’s quick checklist to help you ensure that your FIBCs are being manufactured in a proper environment.

 
  • CLEAN ROOM CHECKLIST:
  • Proper Ventilation
  • Pest Control Procedures
  • Metal Detection
  • Light Table Inspection
  • Vacuum / Air Cleaning
  • Proper Personnel Wardrobe
  • Proper Personnel Hygiene
  • HACCP Program
  • Record Keeping

PRINTING

PRINTING

PRINTING OPTIONS

FIBCs can be printed with various printing techniques.

ATEA uses flexo printing, which means that the imprint is directly transferred from the flexo plate i.e. cliche to the material.
This printing technique is most commonly used in printing packaging materials.
We can print FIBCs in up to six colors.

  • Maximum print width is 2200 mm
  • Maximum print length is 2200 mm
  • Maximum height of a big bag, which can be printed is 2100 mm.

PRINTING

FIBCs are usually printed with the following information

  • Company logo and name
  • The name of the material that is inside the FIBC
  • Hazardous materials warning signs
  • Correct usage instructions
  • Proper disposal and storage sign
  • Proper recycling of the material inside the FIBC
  • Proper disposal and storage sign
  • Proper recycling of the FIBC.
FIBCs are usually made out of white fabrics and printed with black ink.

DIMENSIONS

DIMENSIONS

CHOOSING THE DIMENSION OF A BIG BAG:

To accurately determine which dimension of big bags you need, you should consider the following points:
 
 
  • The density of the product which is packed in the big bag (each product has a specific weight)
  • Specific conditions for filling and discharging the big bag , you must choose the big bag dimensions in accordance with your filling equipment's specifications
  • If your customers have a limited ability to handle or discharge, you must comply with their requirements or limitations
  • Width, length, and height of the vehicle which will be transporting the big bags (truck, container or train wagon, ship) play an important role in determining the dimensions of the FIBC, also the dimensions of shelves and organization of warehouse space where the big bags will be stacked is important.

MAXIMUM USE OF TRUCK SPACE

As big bags are often transported by trucks or containers whose width is about 2.46 m and length 13.6 m, the most common external bases of a big bag are as followings:

Base
(external, cm)
Material per
big bag
Big bag in
a tow truck
Total in
a tow truck
91×91
1000kg
24pcs
24t
95×95
1200kg or 1250kg
20pcs
24t or 25t
100×100 (Q-bag)
1000kg
24pcs
24t
110×110 (Q-bag)
1200kg or 1250kg
20pcs
24t or 25t

FIBCS ON PALLETS

Since FIBCs are often placed on pallets, the dimensions of the FIBCs can also be chosen suitable to the pallet size.

For a standard pallet which has a base of 100×120 cm FIBC with similar but slightly smaller size are often used. FIBCs those are optimized for a Euro pallet are often Q-bags.

EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL DIMENSION

When determining the dimensions of a big bag, one should bear in mind that external and internal dimensions are not equal.

The external dimension of a big bag is usually 4-5 cm larger than the internal dimension (e.g. If the external dimension is 95×95 cm, the internal dimension is 91×91 cm).

The external dimension is measured from the beginning to the end of the fabric while the internal dimension is measured from seam to seam. Space which can be used for packing material is internal.

INDIVIDUAL DIMENSIONS

ATEA can produce FIBCs at any dimensions on customer request. Even extraordinary dimensions such as FIBC of 50 * 50 * 50 cm or 140 * 140 * 240 cm are possible.

STANDARD WIDTHS OF A BIG BAG

Our standard fabric widths for the production of FIBCs (external dimensions) are 70 cm, 75 cm, 80 cm, 91 cm, 95 cm, 100 cm, 105 cm, 110 cm, 115 cm and 120 cm.

BIG BAG HEIGHT

There is no standard big bag height so it can range from 50 cm to 250 cm. For the stability of a FIBC, it is not recommended that the height is greater than twice the shorter side.

The height is determined in order to fit exactly to the needed material quantity + 10% of empty space for easier filling. 

Standard dimensions and cargo volumes for basic big bag

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