Executive summary An automatic crate dumper lifts a full crate or tote and tips it into a hopper, so the line is fed without anyone lifting the load by hand. Ours lifts the crate inside a yellow mesh guard and tips it into the hopper at the top of the tower beside it. How often it tips follows from the hopper size, the crate size and how fast the line draws material. All are set per project.
Table of Contents
- What the video shows
- How the crate dumper works
- Planning hopper refills
- Matching the dumper to the crate
- Controls and safety
- Selection checklist for a crate and tote dumper
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What the video shows
Our dumper stands in a workshop beside a tall grey hopper tower. The lift runs inside a yellow mesh guard with a door at the front, and a crate is carried up inside it.
At the top the crate tips over the hopper. The last shot looks down into the white hopper, filled with the dark bulk material the crate has emptied into it.
How the crate dumper works
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Load | A full crate is set on the lift carriage at floor level |
| Lift | The carriage carries the crate up inside the guard |
| Tip | At the top the crate turns over the hopper and empties |
| Return | The empty crate comes back down for unloading |
The mesh guard keeps people away from the lift path while the crate is moving. Its door is where crates go in and come out.
Planning hopper refills
Illustrative example with a 0.5 m³ hopper and 0.1 m³ crates:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Hopper volume (illustrative) | 0.5 m³ |
| Crate inside size (illustrative) | 600 × 400 × 420 mm |
| Crate volume, 0.6 × 0.4 × 0.42 | about 0.1 m³ |
| Material bulk density (illustrative) | 600 kg/m³ |
| Full crate load, 0.1 × 600 | about 60 kg |
| Crates to fill the hopper, 0.5 ÷ 0.1 | 5 |
| Line draw (illustrative) | 0.3 m³/h |
| Crates per hour, 0.3 ÷ 0.1 | 3 |
Keep the hopper from running empty: tip a new crate before the level falls below one crate’s worth.
Matching the dumper to the crate
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Crate size and shape | The carriage holds it while it turns |
| Full crate weight | Sets the lift drive and frame |
| Hopper inlet height | Sets how far the crate rises |
| Bulk material | Sticky material needs a longer tip |
Measure a full crate of your own material and tell us the hopper inlet height.
Controls and safety
The yellow mesh guard keeps people away from the lift while it runs. Stop the dumper before the guard door is opened, and keep the door shut while it runs.
The standards that apply depend on the destination market. For CE markets, ISO 12100 sets the risk-assessment method and EN 415-10 sets general requirements for packaging machines.
Selection checklist for a crate and tote dumper
- Crate or tote size and full weight.
- Hopper inlet height.
- Crates per hour.
- Bulk material and how it flows.
- Floor space and ceiling height.
- Power supply on site.
Engineering FAQ
Q: What does the dumper do? A: It lifts a full crate and tips it into a hopper to feed the line.
Q: Why the mesh guard? A: It keeps people away from the lift path while the crate moves.
Q: How many crates fill the hopper? A: Hopper volume divided by crate volume. Our example needs 5.
Q: How often does it tip? A: Line draw divided by crate volume. Our 0.3 m³/h example tips 3 crates an hour.
Q: Can it handle different crates? A: The carriage is built to your crate. Tell us every size you use.
Next step
We plan your crate dumper in three steps:
- Submit your layout drawing with crate size and weight to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a proposal within 48 hours, with the hopper height and tipping rate.
- Book a site survey to check the floor space and power.
Related reading
Sources
- Machine content: FHOPE engineering team, 2026-10-04
- Refill example: our worked example, illustrative values
- Machine in action: our video on YouTube
- Standards scope: ISO 12100:2010, EN 415-10:2014
Last reviewed: 2026-10-04
