Introduction to Hodi dunnage air bags

Introduction to Hodi dunnage air bags
The purpose of dunnage air bags is
to secure freight and to protect
products of all shapes and sizes in
transit.
Dunnage air bags restrain movement
of cargo loads in truck trailers, rail
cars and overseas containers. They
are commonly used to prevent
damage, brace loads and absorb
vibrations. They also serve to fill
voids to avoid shifting loads.
Dunnage air bags are being used daily on a very large scale by companies
shipping their products using different modes of transportation. The
positioning and inflation of the dunnage airbag is easy, they reduce labor and
loading time.
Introduction to Hodi dunnage air bags
Applications for almost every mode
of transportation such as:
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Container transit
Truck transportation
Ship and reefer conveyance
Rail carriage
Introduction to Hodi dunnage air bags
Practice shows that almost every cargo can easily be secured with
dunnage air bags. Some examples of cargo are:
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Palletised cargo
General cargo
Coils (paper, steel, etc)
Barrels, cases and crates
Introduction to Hodi dunnage air bags
Advantages of the use of dunnage air bags
• Dunnage air bags are easy and quick to inflate with compressed air by
using an inflator
• Dunnage air bags save time and labour during loading and
discharging
• They require little investment for maximum return
• Completely save to use for both shipper and recipient
• Hodi dunnage bags can be reused and are 100% recyclable
• Waterproof quality
Pressure
When inflating dunnage bags there are three different kinds of pressure:
Working pressure
Working pressure is the pressure in the dunnage air bag you are working
with. The maximum pressure is mentioned on the dunnage air bag. It has a
safety factor of minimum 3 and maximum 4. This factor is e.g. also
mandatory for hoisting material. This safety factor is essential as several
factors as temperature, differences in altitude and movement of the cargo
might have an influence on the working pressure in the dunnage air bag.
Our Level 1 dunnage air bags can be used at a temperature –20 C/+60 C and
Level 2 at –25 C/+65 C.
Bursting pressure
Bursting pressure is the maximum pressure in the dunnage air bag when the
total safety factor has been used.
Pressure
Filling pressure
Filling pressure is the pressure from the compression, which determines the
speed of filling. At a pressure over 5 bar the inflating speed increases, but the
loose manometers on inflators with a limited scale (which is necessary for reading
pressure in small voids such as dunnage bags) often become defective.
Pressure is expressed in Bar, KP, Atmosphere or PSI.
The different terms for pressure are equal but are used
differently and internationally, so that only the comma
in the figure has to be moved.
Sales procedure
The basics of stowing with inflatable dunnage air bags
• Securing in such a way that goods cannot move at all.
• Creating a bulkhead at the doors, closing down all cargo.
• Creating friction between cargo itself, and cargo against the sides of the
transport mode.
• Doing this as fast and efficient as possible at the lowest possible cost.
Never use more than one air bag per
item (item being pallet, sack or one
row of items).
The additional advantage to other
methods is that shocks of an
extreme character can be absorbed.
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Sales procedure
Target areas for inflatable dunnage air bags
Companies need to meet our requirements:
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Be a producer
Be reasonably large
Have a product with a high added value
Export or ship over long distances
Sales procedure
Checklist for demonstration of dunnage bags
• Make sure the right quantity and size of dunnage bags is present
at the site.
• Set date, time and location.
• Make sure that proper air pressure is available and that your air gun is
fitted to the air hose.
• Provide or have provided by
customer the needed bracing
materials.
• Make photos of the application in
order to provide the receiving end
with this information.
• Surveying of containers can be done
by our sister organisations in the
whole of North America, Argentina,
Australia, Japan, Singapore and the
whole of Europe.
• Invite personnel that should witness
the test.
Sales procedure
Just before the test
• Make sure that the right dunnage bags have
arrived at the site.
• Reconfirm time, date and location.
• Be at site at the agreed time to guide the test
with the air gun compressor if needed.
• Arrange for surveying at receiving end (time and
place of arrival, contact person and telephone and
fax number).
• After all relevant information has been gathered,
present it to customer and secure the order.
If anything goes wrong with the test, we will be able to give a valid reason on
the spot and therefore might have to go through the same routine once more.
Sales procedure
Applications
• Chemicals-bags-barrels-big bags-boxes-cans-bottles
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industry - bottled/canned liquids - diary products frozen food - biscuits - fruit and vegetables
Appliances - toys - hi-fi - office equipment - computers
Household appliances - batteries - photo materials - do-it-yourself
Furniture - kitchen - wardrobes - tables
Paper and packaging industry - everything on coils - sheets.
Plastic film industry - coils.
Building industry - chip board -all types of panels - doors.
Automotive industry - spare parts - batteries.
Aluminium industries - coils - panels - parts.
Bottle and can industry.
Tobacco industry.
Glass industry - wind screens - double glass - household glassware.
Porcelain industry - building - household.
Complete projects for overseas shipment.
Special type of goods and transport.
The above-mentioned information will never be complete.
Please be so kind as to keep us informed about your findings in the market.
Leading to cost effective solutions
We take a sharp view in all costs involved in the
load-securing process
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Costs of load securing products or protective materials
Costs of individual packaging or
pallet stabilization products
Costs of loading the transport mode
Costs of using load-securing products
Costs of insurance, safety and health
regulations
Cost of transport damage
Costs of disposal at the recipient
Determination of the right dunnage air bag
Step 1: Questionnaire
Our specialised sales force will be glad to advise you on the dimension and
quality of the appropriate dunnage air bag, so that with your requirements and
our experience, your load will be secured in the best possible way.
As every cargo is different there is no standard solution. The determination of
the right dunnage air bag for your cargo includes the use of a questionnaire
and a special designed software program called OPTISTOW®. The
questionnaire is the first step to determine the best possible dunnage air bag
to secure your cargo and can be sent to you or your customer on request.
Determination of the right dunnage air bag
Step 1: Questionnaire
The questionnaire refers to several aspects of the shipment, like
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Means of transport or load unit
Cargo description
Specifications of the units/pallets
Palletising
Securing individual product
Transportation
General information
Destination
Weight
Packaging
Costs
Time
Efficiency
Determination of the right dunnage air bag
Step 2: Results
The answers to our questionnaire will clarify
1. The gap (void) between the load units
Our 90cm width dunnage air bags can be applied in voids up to 35cm, the
120cm width dunnage air bags in voids between 35cm and 50cm. Please keep in
mind that the surface and therefore the pressure of a dunnage air bag at the
cargo decreases when the void increases. With voids over 50cm we advise to
decrease voids with cardboard or plywood.
2. The weight of the cargo and mode of transport generating G-forces
during transport
With 2-G a pallet weight of 100 kilograms becomes 200 kilograms!
Oversees transport and rail transit will cause higher forces on cargo.
For standard situations:
Level 1 = loads up till 22 tons
Level 2 = loads up till 33 tons
Determination of the right dunnage bag
Step 2: Results
The answers to our questionnaire will clarify
3. The size of the dunnage bag to be applied
Dunnage air bags can be used lengthwise and horizontally. Place bags
between cargo always top-down and between the cargo. As pressure goes
both ways of the bag we want pressure on the cargo, not on the sides of the
transport mode. When the top cargo is secured, the cargo below the bag will
be safe!
Our wide range of dimensions will always insure the right dunnage air bag for
the job.
Determination of the right dunnage air bag
Step 3: OPTISTOW®
There is currently no equivalent product to Optistow®, which is infinitely more
than a cubing out program. The program is a distillation of the company's
almost 30 years experience in load and shipment protection. Optistow®
contains, of course, all relevant dimensional information on containers, pallets,
and inflatable dunnage bags. But it also takes parameters like weight
distribution, the effect of stacking pallets in different configurations,
temperature and elevation differences, and the vulnerability of the load into
account.
An important benefit of Optistow®, in load safety and efficient handling, is that it
configures the load to create a bulkhead and an ideal unloading situation close
to the back of the container door. Optistow® also takes into account the
pressure required within the chosen mode of transport to withstand the G-forces
it will be subjected to. So the program naturally contains full data on Caders'
range of inflatable dunnage bags, and other cargo protection material. For
example lashing systems, strapping, void fillers and load bars.
Determination of the right dunnage air bag
Optistow® in action
Screen-based graphics enable the operator to simulate the loading of the
container and positioning of the dunnage air bag, supporting and
promoting the optimum arrangement. In effect, Optistow® makes the expert
knowledge of the safety specialist available to a wide range of users. It also
provides different levels or modes of support using either a basic scenario,
or a building block scenario. The program runs under Windows (and other
industry standard operating systems).
SuperFlow
The new standard in dunnage air bag inflating systems:
the SuperFlow system.
Advantages
• Consistent air pressure, no over and under
inflation;
• Rapid inflation time, more bags placed per time
unit;
• Reusability of the SuperFlow dunnage bags,
reducing the investment in load securement;
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• When the text next to the stripes on the
inflated dunnage air bag is visible, the
bag is too small or the void too big.
• Enhanced personnel safety, the bags
cannot be over inflated, so the bags will
not burst;
• Ergonomical design of the inflator tool,
‘gun’ shaped inflator tool.
Brown Bag
The Brown Bag is a reliable dunnage air
bag designed to secure freight and to
protect products of all shapes and sizes in
transit.
The Brown Bag consists of a plastic bladder
with two or more layers of paper. The oneway valve is very user-friendly. Not only the
air bag is inflated very quickly, but the valve
closes itself. As soon as the inflator has been
removed the valve is closed airtight and,
contrary to other systems, does not need a
screw cap or plug. Use in small voids is easy
due to the Black Max inflation device.
Polywoven dunnage air bags
• Designed for Medium Weight and Heavy
Weight railcar loads
• 60% lighter than comparable paper bags
for easy one-person handling
• Greater pack-out due to single-ply
construction
• Weatherproof resistant for open railcar
shipments
• Excellent resistance to harsh chemical
environments.
• High burst strength to withstand extreme
shipping conditions
• For lateral and longitudinal railcar bracing
• AAR approved
Instructions for a correct use
• The dunnage air bag must be smaller than the products between which it will be
placed.
• The preferred location of the dunnage air bags is between the cargo (not
between cargo and side).
• It is not allowed to place dunnage air bags between the door and the cargo.
• Avoid sharp parts/points as well as contact with pallets. If the latter is
unavoidable than the dunnage air bags have to be protected, at least with carton,
but preferably with a wooden sheet.
• The width of the void determines the width of the dunnage air bag.
If the void is smaller than 35 cm use dunnage air bags with a width of 90 cm.
If the void is between 35cm and 50cm use dunnage air bags with a width of
120 cm. If the void is wider than 50cm the void must be made smaller, e.g. by
using pallets or other buffer material.
• The dunnage air bag must be placed in a straight line; no folding or bending
around a corner.
• Do not place 2 or more dunnage air bags against each other.
• Deal carefully with dunnage air bags; avoid e.g. stepping on them.
• If you work with reusable dunnage air bags the valve always has to be closed
after inflation.
Buffer material
The selection of a proper buffer material plays an important role in a
dunnage bag’s efficiency.
Buffer material has two prime functions:
• Protection - it protects the dunnage bag from abrasion and puncture
by offering a smooth surface against the air bag.
• Force distribution - the buffer distributes the force of the air bag,
preventing concentration of forces, which may cause to crush or to
damage the cargo.
Examples usage dunnage air bags
Examples usage dunnage air bags