Hoang Tam - Installation of BULK BAG DISCHARGE AND LIFTING FRAME, SMALL TIPPER & ACCESSORIES, DELIVERY TO JAPAN for NESTLÉ SHIMADA-JAPAN-POWDER HD project of partner GEA PROCESS ENGINEERING 08/2020 was successfully handed over. Overcoming strict technical standards from GEA Group and stringent inspection requirements from Nestlé Japan, Hoang Tam has proven its capability in designing, fabricating, and supplying international-standard stainless steel equipment. The project not only asserts the position of the Vietnamese brand but also opens up opportunities to export high-precision auxiliary industrial equipment to the world's most demanding market.
Background and Challenges of the Nestlé Shimada-Japan-Powder HD Project
The Nestlé Shimada-Japan-Powder HD project is located at the Shimada factory in Japan – one of Nestlé Group's most modern food powder production hubs. To upgrade the dry powder ingredient handling line, EPC partner GEA Process Engineering sought a stainless steel equipment manufacturer capable of meeting all hygienic, occupational safety, and high-automation operation standards.
The project implementation coincided with August 2020, a period when the global supply chain was heavily disrupted by the pandemic. Ensuring the fabrication schedule, passing strict closed quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) processes, and executing complete package export procedures to Japan required the executing unit to possess outstanding project management capabilities.
The requirements from GEA Process Engineering did not stop at standard mechanical fabrication. Every component making up the Bulk Bag Discharge system and the Small Tipper system had to be standardized—from material selection and Material Test Reports (MTRs) to ASME-compliant welding processes and product-contact surface roughness meeting food hygienic design standards.
Details of Equipment Designed and Fabricated by Hoang Tam
1. Bulk Bag Discharge and Lifting Frame System
The FIBC (Bulk Bag) discharge system is the core equipment in the incoming powder raw material feeding process. This system combines a heavy-duty load-bearing structure with a fully sealed discharge mechanism to prevent fine dust from escaping into the factory environment.
- Lifting Frame: Fabricated entirely from high-grade structural SUS304 stainless steel, with bending moment and dynamic load capacity calculated up to 2,000 kg. The frame system integrates a safety hook mechanism to prevent slipping, combined with an explosion-proof chain hoist actuator meeting Japanese industrial safety standards.
- Bag Spout Interface and Hopper: The double-wall design maximizes dust recovery during the untying of the bulk bag spout. The pneumatic clamping system ensures the bag neck is tightly sealed against the inlet pipe, completely eliminating powder leakage into the surrounding area.
- Flow Promotion (Massager): To handle powders that are highly cohesive or difficult to flow, Hoang Tam integrated a pneumatically operated bag pressing arm system (Pneumatic Pad/Massager). This mechanism applies cyclical pressure to the bottom of the bag, breaking up compacted powder clumps and maintaining a steady flow into the dosing system below.
2. Small Tipper & Accessories
For additives or minor ingredients in the recipe, the Small Tipper system is designed to help operators perform manual tipping safely, effortlessly, and without generating dust.
- Support Table and Hopper with Integrated Screen: The dumping area is equipped with a quick-release SUS316L stainless steel grate/screen to catch packaging debris or foreign contaminants before the powder enters the buffer hopper.
- Counterweighted Lid and Pneumatic Dampers: The tipping station lid is ergonomically designed with hydraulic dampers, ensuring smooth and effortless opening and closing, reducing noise, and avoiding hand-trapping hazards for operators.
- Local Dust Extraction System: A dust extraction port is integrated right behind the tipping hopper, connecting directly to the factory's central dust filtration system. This creates negative pressure inside the tipping chamber to prevent airborne dust from escaping backward.
- Magnetic Grate Accessory: Integrates a high-intensity permanent magnetic separator (up to 10,000 Gauss) with round bars, thoroughly removing minute metal filings accidentally mixed in the raw materials, thereby protecting downstream extruders and packaging systems.
Stringent Technical Standards to Meet the Japanese Market
Hygienic Design According to EHEDG and ASME BPE Standards
Powdered food is an environment highly sensitive to moisture and bacteria. Therefore, all equipment in this project was designed to completely eliminate "dead legs" where powder could accumulate, ferment, or cause cross-contamination between batches. All internal corners in the hoppers have a minimum radius of R = 10mm, allowing for easy Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) or Cleaning-Out-of-Place (COP).
Surface Quality and Weld Treatment
The surface roughness of product contact surfaces is a decisive factor in the quality of stainless steel equipment exported to Japan. Hoang Tam applied strict surface treatment protocols:
- Product Contact Surfaces: Achieved a roughness of Ra < 0.8 µm (or Ra < 0.4 µm as specifically required for certain sections) through mechanical polishing combined with electropolishing. This ultra-smooth surface prevents the adhesion of powder and biofilms.
- Non-Product Contact External Surfaces: Treated with bead blasting to create a uniform matte finish, preventing glare for operators under workshop lighting and enhancing industrial aesthetics.
- Welding Technology: TIG (GTAW) welding method was used with 99.99% pure Argon shielding gas. All welds were ground flush and polished coplanar with the base sheet metal to eliminate micro-crevices. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) was conducted to ensure welds were free from porosity or subsurface cracks.
Hoang Tam's Turnkey Project Delivery Process
To complete a highly technical project with strict export requirements, Hoang Tam implemented an end-to-end service workflow, from initial inquiries to equipment delivery at the port in Japan.
Step 1: Engineering & Solution Design
Based on the piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID) and general requirements from GEA Process Engineering, Hoang Tam's engineering team developed detailed 3D models of the entire Bulk Bag Discharge and Small Tipper systems using specialized software. This design process included Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to verify the structural integrity of the lifting frame under heavy load, ensuring a safety factor exceeding standard requirements (typically 2 to 3 times the nominal load).
Step 2: Fabrication and Precision Machining in the Workshop
The fabrication was carried out at Hoang Tam's modern workshop in Le Minh Xuan Industrial Park. Equipped with CNC laser cutters, high-precision press brakes, and international-certified pressure vessel welders, every component was manufactured to extremely tight tolerances (under 1mm). All raw materials, including stainless steel sheets, pipes, elbows, tees, and butterfly valves, came with full CO/CQ (Certificate of Origin/Certificate of Quality) tracing from world-renowned manufacturers.
Step 3: Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)
Before packaging for export, Hoang Tam conducted an internal FAT and an online inspection (due to pandemic travel restrictions) with representatives from GEA and Nestlé. The inspection items included:
- Verifying overall geometric dimensions against approved 3D drawings.
- Measuring surface roughness with calibrated specialized measuring instruments.
- Checking the airtight tightness of the bag clamping system using pneumatic pressure tests.
- Trial run of the dynamic load of the lifting system and operation of the pneumatic actuators.
- Testing the continuity of the earthing system to prevent static electricity accumulation – a leading cause of dust explosions in dry powder production facilities.
Step 4: Export Standard Packaging and Sea Freight (Delivery to Japan)
The Japanese market demands extremely high equipment preservation standards to avoid damage, scratches, or contamination during long-distance sea transit:
- All equipment was cleaned with specialized solutions to remove grease and dust accumulated during fabrication.
- Pipe ends, flanges, and discharge outlets were sealed with specialized plastic covers to prevent ingress of insects or moisture.
- The equipment was wrapped in multi-layer PE shrink wrap, placed in closed wooden crates meeting ISPM 15 standards (heat-treated or fumigated) with shock-absorbing lining, and securely anchored to the container floor to prevent shifting at sea.
Step 5: Remote Installation Supervision and Construction Support
Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in August 2020, dispatching technical personnel directly to Japan faced many legal and travel hurdles. Hoang Tam flexibly adapted by providing remote technical support, drafting a comprehensive Installation Manual, detailed wiring diagrams, and holding high-resolution video conferencing sessions. Thanks to thorough preparation and the precision of the equipment built during fabrication, the technical team at the Nestlé Shimada factory completed the installation and successfully integrated the equipment into the production line smoothly and on schedule.
Core Capabilities Helping Hoang Tam Conquer Global Partners
Becoming the supplier of choice for GEA Process Engineering for a Nestlé project in Japan was no coincidence. It is the result of continuous experience accumulation, technology investment, and standardization of Hoang Tam's production processes in the field of industrial stainless steel equipment.
Hoang Tam possesses comprehensive capabilities to meet the most stringent requirements:
- Deep Understanding of the Food and Pharmaceutical Auxiliary Sectors: Hoang Tam's equipment designs strictly adhere to the most rigorous food safety and hygiene principles, from selecting FDA-compliant gaskets to handling hard-to-clean corners to prevent bacterial growth.
- Strict Quality Management System: Every production stage is overseen by an independent QC department. Technical documentation accompanying the equipment (weld logs, as-built drawings, material certificates, measurement and calibration certificates) is systematically prepared in bilingual English-Vietnamese, establishing absolute trust with foreign partners.
- Flexible and Cost-Optimized Solutions: The ability to flexibly customize designs according to the client's actual factory layout helps optimize installation space while still ensuring the highest operating efficiency.
Significance of the Project to the Development of Hoang Tam
This project is clear evidence that Vietnamese mechanical engineering enterprises are fully capable of deeply integrating into the global supply chains of leading industrial corporations like GEA and Nestlé. Delivering successfully to the Japanese market in August 2020 – amidst global logistics challenges – has proven Hoang Tam's credibility, resilience, and high commitment to its customers.
The project's success not only builds confidence for our partner GEA Process Engineering in subsequent projects across Southeast Asia and internationally, but also serves as a strong springboard for Hoang Tam to continue introducing high-quality stainless steel fabrication solutions, industrial storage tanks, and raw material handling systems to other developed markets worldwide.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Hoang Tam
Address: Lot L1, Street No. 8, Le Minh Xuan Industrial Park, Tan Nhut Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Hotline: +84933049069
Phone: +84933049069
Email: contact@hoangtamsse.com
Website: hoangtamsse.com
