Part 2: Cutting, Component Manufacturing, and Sewing

 

 Are you curious about how bulk bags are made and how they’re strong enough to hold thousands of pounds of material? We’ve reviewed how our bulk bag fabrics are produced through extrusion, weaving, and coating in Part 1. Next, we’ll discuss the production process’ second phase, including fabric cutting, component manufacturing, and sewing. 

Cutting 

During the cutting stage, the rolls of woven fabric that were produced during weaving are moved to the cutting floor, where the woven fabric is cut into specific shapes and sizes based on the finished bag’s specifications. The cuts determine the shape of the bag’s body panels, base and top panels, duffle or spout dimensions, and the bag style. Measurements are programmed automatically to ensure the dimensions for each cut are equal and exact according to the given specifications.  

Component Manufacturing 

This stage involves two sub-stages: printing and webbing. 

Sub-stage 1: Printing 

After the fabric is cut, the printing plan is defined by the planning team after print plates have been produced. After the plan is determined, the data is sent to the automatic printing machine, at which point the impressions, company logo, and colors are applied to the bag fabric. Printing is applied to the body fabric panels before any sewing processes. 

Sub-stage 2: Webbing 

During this stage, the various webbing components that are to be included in the finished bag are produced, including; Lift loops, Perimeter Bands or Safety Bands, Belly Bands, Web Ties, etc…Here, Polypropylene tapes are woven on flat looms in the warp (vertical) direction, and the multifilament yarn is woven in the weft (horizontal) direction to produce the webbing to support 6,000lb break strength. From there, the Quality Team checks and approves the mechanical properties as well as the appearance of the fabric. 

 Sewing: 

Once all the fabrics are cut, the components are produced, and the technical team has reviewed the production plan, the materials are brought onto the production floor for the sewing process to begin. The line plan is set up based on the attachments and components of each bag. Sewing generally follows as such; spouts are attached to their appropriate panels, the “box” (body panels of the bag) is sewn together using a single safety stitch, and finally, the web components and accessories are attached to the bag with the finishing stitch. Different operations are carried out at their respective workstations by trained specialists to produce the finished FIBC bag. 

Stay tuned for Part 3; Inspection/ QC, Finished Packaging, & Container Stuffing. 

Want to learn more about the ins and outs of FIBC bags and the bulk bag industry? Stay tuned for more SacksFacts newsletters! 

 

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