May - Machinery Update

Transcription

MACHINERY UPDATE — ISSUE 3, VOLUME XVIII. MAY/JUNE 2007
Issue 3, Volume XVIII. May/June 2007
The only ‘machinery only’ journal for processing and packaging
EXHIBITION PREVIEW
Machinery at
Total 2007
SACHET FILLING • SLICING AND DICING • TOTAL EXHIBITION PREVIEW
SLICING AND DICING
Knife edge
with a
decisions Versatility
range of products
SACHET FILLING
CONTENTS
I S S U E 3 , V O LU M E X V I 1 I . M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 7
FEATURES
15 Total Show preview
THE JOURNAL OF THE PPMA
Editor: Michael Maddox
Sales Manager: Angela Rosenberg
Production Manager: Bill Lake
Production: Miriam Naisbett
ISSN 0969-4145
A PPMA Publication. PPMA Ltd,
New Progress House, 34 Stafford Road,
Wallington, Surrey SM6 9AA
Tel: 020 8773 8111 Fax: 020 8773 0022
E-mail addresses: show@ppma.co.uk
publishing@ppma.co.uk
technical@ppma.co.uk
Web site: www.ppma.co.uk
Applications for free copies of Machinery
Update are considered from specifiers,
managers and purchasers of processing and
packaging machinery in the UK. Annual
subscription £33 (UK), £45 (Continental
Europe), £55 (rest of world).
The Processing and Packaging Machinery
Association assumes no responsibility for the
statements or opinions, whether attributed
or otherwise, in Machinery Update.
Typeset and printed by: Manor Creative,
7-8 Edison Road, Highfield Industrial Estate,
Hampden Park, Eastbourne BN23 6PT.
Tel: 01323 514400.
Some 900 exhibitors are
taking part in this year’s
Total Processing & Packaging Show at the NEC,
Birmingham, 15-18 May.
65 Sachet filling
The Total Show takes place in
May at the NEC, Birmingham. 15
Liquid products demonstrate sachet versatility: Sachets
and stickpacks are finding increasing application for liquid
and wet products.
Total Show 2007
Hall 5 Stand 5665
70 Robotics
A quiet revolution:
Upstream applications are
the new growth area.
Also on display
machinery from:
74 Slicing and dicing
Knife edge decisions:
Demand for fixed weight
and count is being met by
new control systems for
slicing machines.
Will be showing the
Omas GDL 250 Monobloc
Marchesini is using a new dosing
unit in the MS235 sachet filler. 65
DIARY DATES
sponsored by
sponsored by
Forthcoming events. 77
REGULAR FEATURES
6 News and people
Seminars boost appeal at Total Show: New safety standards for
robots and pallet wrappers: Company news.
10 Machinery in action
Automatic weighing for Yorkshire pud: Three-robot cartoner
handles flow-wraps: Bag-in-box wines move faster.
79 Component matters
The case for servos: A new machine that produces a film and
board transit pack illustrates the benefits of servo drives.
82 Labelling, coding, marking
Item-level 2D codes adopted by AstraZeneca: Shrinkfilm labels
for difficult shapes: Print-apply meets bar code standards.
84 New machinery
Automation for plasterboard wrapping: Relocatable tray sealer:
Bagger from Poland: Integrated top load cartoner.
CLASSIFIED
Pizzamatic slicing and placing
machine supplied by JBS. 74
PROCESSING
SPOTLIGHT
Machinery in action: Sieve
screens building materials:
Bakery opts for stainless
motors: Cook/chill plant
extends shelf life.10
Total Show preview: Adelphi
Manufacturing, Allied
Pharma and Engelmann &
Buckham are among many
exhibitors with processing
equipment on display. 15
85 Machinery and services
BUYERS’ GUIDES
86 Ancillary equipment 88 Processing equipment
90 Packaging machinery
M A C H I N E R Y U P D AT E • M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 7
3
P P M A M AT T E R S
A new tradition
of excellence
Faster bagging
for less
The Autobag bagging
system offers a typical
E
stablishing a totally new tradition of excellence for processing and packaging exhibitions is not an easy task. But I am confident
that visitors to this year’s Total Processing &
Packaging Exhibition will find that the ethos
of the PPMA Show and what was once Pakex
have come together for the second time in a
highly successful format.
This year there is a combined effort by the
organisers Reed Exhibitions, the PPMA and
by IOP: The Packaging Society to add extra
value with a full seminar programme, designed
so that visitors can handpick the sessions they
want to attend, leaving plenty of time to visit
the exhibits in the show itself.
Naturally there is a special slot for machinery, but the way in which the seminar programme is balanced means that there
is plenty of scope for visitors to focus on the wider issues – materials, waste
management and recycling for example – that could seriously affect everyone
within those industries that rely so much on packaging.
As you might expect, the machinery session will be very much concerned
with the future of processing and packaging machinery design and I am looking
forward in paricular to Unilever’s contribution in this area.
But in just the same way that the Total exhibition brings together all the
elements in the supply chain – making the links, as it were – so the machinery
sessions will look at the ways in which brand owners, designers and machinery
suppliers can work together successfully in new product development and innovative packaging.
The more we see of the economic power simmering in the Far East, the
more important it becomes to recognise the importance of innovation in the
global market. And that means innovation not only in terms of products and
services, but also in the means of manufacturing and delivering those products
and services.
For example, the Chinese - and indeed their neighbours - are particularly
apprehensive of the robotics technology used in the West and its potential for
eating into the advantages of their extraordinarily low labour costs.
Compared with the US and Germany, uptake of robotics in the UK may be
currently fairly slow, but is accelerating as even smaller manufacturers come to
appreciate the huge potential savings and also the quality enhancements that
automation of this type brings in its wake.
In fact, this is where Total comes in. Not only are robotics well represented
but the exhibition generally shows how processing and packaging machinery
suppliers are continuing to concentrate on developing better and better
machines to stay ahead of the game themselves and ensure their customers do
likewise.
At Total you can see it all. The PPMA Show’s tradition of a focussed, nononsense machinery and technology event is now every three years a major
component of the Total exhibition and the input from Pakex is no less substantial in terms of the reputation it earned within the front rank of international
packaging exhibitions.
So be assured, the best traditions of the PPMA Show and Pakex have not
gone away. They are embraced and enhanced by the new tradition and standard
that is being established with Total Processing and Packaging.
We are confident you will like what you find at the NEC 15-18 May. The
PPMA stand is 4380 and we will be pleased to help visitors with any machinery enquiries they may have. See you there.
Chris Buxton
Chief Executive, PPMA
payback in less
than 12
months...
...and is a proven
winner for high speed,
high quality bagging...
...with
operational
flexibility that’s a cut
above the rest
So whatever your application,
if it involves bagging
components, Autobag offers a lot
Automated Packaging systems Ltd, Enigma Business Park,
Sandy Road, Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 1JJ
NEWS AND PEOPLE
T OTAL P ROCESSING & PACKAGING E XHIBITION
C OMPANY
Seminars help boost visitor
appeal for Total Show 2007
IWKA to sell
packaging
machinery
division
Some 900 exhibitors from over 30
countries are taking part in the
Total Processing & Packaging
Exhibition 2007 at the NEC
Birmingham 15-18 May and the
PPMA will be helping present an
afternoon seminar entitled: The
Total Machinery Design Process.
In addition, the Association will be
providing a consultancy service to
help machinery buyers find the
equipment they seek.
The seminar is part of a wider
series organised by IOP: The
Packaging Society under the
banner ‘Open Innovation in
Consumer Packaging’, which also
covers the packaging needs of
brand owners, retailers and
consumers, as well the design
function, global and regional
trends and smart and intelligent
packaging. Companies taking part
include Unilever, Tesco, Asda and
United Biscuits.
Further seminars include a
series on RFID that will shed light
on this emerging technology while
the latest developments in pack
design and materials will be
highlighted at the Packaging
Innovation Show which runs
concurrently with Total.
Registration is now open at
www.totalexhibition.com, where
visitors can indicate all products
and services in which they are
interested and receive a list of
exhibitors fitting the specified
criteria, with links to each
company’s listing.
The machinery sessions of the
seminar programme take place on
the afternoon of Tuesday 15 May,
the opening day of the show.
Under the umbrella title ‘The
Total Machinery Design Process,’
the programme will be chaired by
the PPMA’s chief executive Chris
6
Total Processing & Packaging: Added value for visitors
Buxton who will deliver the
keynote address: Are you an
ostrich or a phoenix?–The
importance of innovation in a
global market.
Further presentations are:
Widening the design window:
Andy Cole, Unilever director
laundry category simplification,
and Dave Penrith, Unilever global
packaging and machinery
manager, Unilever supply chain,
will consider how to balance the
choices with the users and
providers in the design process to
deliver the best design solution.
The innovation machine: Simon
Strothers, business development
manager, Molins ITCM, will
discuss working with brands in new
product development.
Machinery design futures:
Martin Keay, technical consultant
PPMA, is to look at future trends
in machine design.
Holistic innovation approach
from packaging technology
suppliers: Bernard Fenner, head of
global marketing, Bosch
Packaging will examine how brand
owners can achieve innovative
packaging by early involvement of
the machinery supplier to create
an holistic approach.
The seminar programme is free
of charge and has been designed so
that visitors can handpick the
session they want to attend leaving
plenty of time to visit exhibits.
All seminars will be held within
the Packaging Innovation Seminar
Theatre, located in Hall 3a. Full
seminar details are available on
the exhibition web site
(www.totalexhibition.com).
Meanwhile the traditional
strength of the PPMA Show in
showcasing the very latest in
processing and packaging
machinery continues in full
strength with a considerable
number of exhibitors planning new
product launches.
See our exhibition preview,
Machinery at Total, starting on
page 15.
NEWS
IWKA is selling its packaging
division to Berlin-based investment
company Odewald & Compagnie
for around €255 million. With
sales of more than €400 million in
2006, IWKA’s packaging division
includes A+F, Hassia, Hüttlin and
IWK VPT in Germany, Erca
Formseal in France, Aerofill,
Dawson and Manesty in the UK,
and Fabrima in Brazil.
Albro Dico Gravfil brands –
powder and liquid fillers and
cappers – have been sold to newly
formed ADG Packaging Systems
by the Bradman Lake Group which
aquired them in 2004 as part of
GEI Packaging.
Romaco has sold Italian
pharmaceutical processing and
handling equipment manufacturer
Zanchetta to IMA subsidiary Vima
Impianti. IMA says the move
continues its policy of enlarging its
range of products for the
pharmaceutical industry.
E DUCATION
AND TRAINING
Lean powder
processing
conference to
be repeated
Powder handling specialist
Matcon is to repeat a two-day
conference on ‘Lean manufacturing in powder processing’ held
twice recently and attended by
almost 80 manufacturers involved
in powder processing from the
UK and continental Europe.
Industries represented by delegates included food, pharmaceuticals, printing, ceramics, chemicals and adhesives.
The conference, which featured
live full-scale powder demonstrations involving the latest IBC
Pan handling: RTS has won an award
from Warburtons the bakers
Weber Marking Systems has
become one of eight UK coding
companies – and the first in
Scotland – to achieve GS1 UK
accredited solution provider status.
“Our customers will benefit from
the very latest knowledge, ensuring
they are fully up-to-date with GS1
standards and that their bar codes
achieve consistent readability,”
says Bill Knox, Weber managing
director for UK and Ireland.
TNA has struck up a strategic
alliance with processing equipment
manufacturer Kiremko, Holland,
to provide complete, integrated
turnkey processing and packaging
lines for the potato snack food
industry. Kiremko supplies and
installs equipment for automatic
and semi-automatic processing of
potatoes into French fries, snack
products such as potato chips,
pellets, tortilla chips and other
potato by-products such as flakes,
salads and mash. The company
also supply machines for
processing vegetables, for the
fresh and deep-frozen and chilled
markets.
RTS Flexible Systems, the
robot and automatic handling
supplier, has won a Suppliers
Award from bakers Warburtons
in recognition of consistently
good performance in supplying
pan handling equipment. RTS has
27 robotic bread tin handling and
storage systems in service at six
Warburtons sites.
S+S Inspection the metal
detector and X-ray specialist, has
moved to larger premises at 6
Kingdom Close, Kingdom
Business Park, Segensworth
East, Fareham PO15 5TJ,
T: 01489 553740,
E: info@splussinspect.co.uk
Guttridge Services, the bulk
powder handling equipment
manufacturer, has been appointed
exclusive UK and Ireland
distributor for the Cuccolini
range of vibratory and magnetic
separation equipment.
Lean manufacturing in powder: FurtherTwo-day conference planned
and related technology as well as
academic presentations on current
thinking in the field, will next be
staged on 27-28 June at Matcon’s
headquarters at Moreton-inMarsh, Gloucestershire.
Topics include minimising work
in progress, mixing without clean-
ing, efficient traceability, packing
with total flexibility and maximising overall equipment effectiveness.
Further details can be obtained
via www.matconibc.com/conference or from the Matcon stand
(5726) at the Total Exhibition.
7
NEWS AND PEOPLE
M ACHINE
B RITISH B OTTLERS ’ A WARDS
SAFETY
Safety standards reflect
technical developments
New European standards on robot
and pallet wrapper safety show
how the authors are keeping pace
with technical developments,
writes Martin Keay.
One of the challenges facing the
authors of European safety
standards for packaging
machinery – which include
representatives from the PPMA has been to keep pace with
technical developments in general
and the increasing use of industrial
robots and other software
synchronised mechanisms in
particular.
For instance, it is increasingly
common for case and tray loading
machines to be based on an
industrial robot and for the guards
around the robot to be positioned
to suit the programmed limits of
the movement of the robot, rather
than the mechanical limits of
movement of the mechanism.
This raises some significant
safety issues because most robots
are quite capable of demolishing a
set of guards if they are
inadvertently programmed to move
to a point outside the guards or
deviate from their programmed
area of movement for some reason.
The new standard that covers
case loaders EN 415-7: 2006
Safety of packaging machines –
Part 7: Group and secondary
packaging machines, offers four
methods of tackling this problem.
The first is to position the guards
outside the maximum area of
movement of the robot. This solves
the problem but typically means
that the footprint of the machine is
much bigger than necessary, which
is never popular.
The second method is to fit
mechanical stops to the robot that
prevent it from moving in certain
8
areas even if programmed to do so.
This technique works well to limit
the rotational movement of a robot
but is not usually practicable for
limiting the reach of the
mechanism.
The third technique is to fit an
interlocking device to the robot
head that can stop the mechanism
if it encounters resistance.
Such a mechanism is unlikely to
prevent damage to the machine’s
guards if it connects with them at
full speed but will almost certainly
prevent the head from breaking out
from the guards, since the stopping
time of most industrial robots is
now very short.
These three solutions represent
the traditional approach to
machinery safety, which takes the
view that electronics and software
cannot be trusted but that
mechanical devices and hardwired
electro-mechanical controls can be
relied upon.
However the fourth solution
offered by EN 415-7 recognises
that electronics and software can
be very reliable if they are
designed in accordance with a
standard such as IEC 61508-3
and that the most likely reason for
the robot trying to break out of the
guards is not component failure or
electromagnetic interference but
operator error.
Consequently the fourth
solution, which relies on
programming alone, requires that
the software for altering the
movement of the robot is password
protected so that only a competent
person is allowed to make
alterations.
Changes in technology also had
to be taken into account when
drafting EN 415-6 – Safety of
packaging machines Part 6:
Pallet wrapping machines. With
this standard the particular focus
of attention was the ubiquitous
rotary turntable pallet stretchwrapper.
When drafting first started, a
distinction was drawn between
semi-automatic machines which do
not have to be guarded provided
certain requirements, such as
having a 500mm gap between the
mast and the load, were satisfied
and fully automatic machines that
did have to be guarded because of
their additional mechanisms and
higher output speeds.
However, halfway through the
drafting process new fully
automatic, but low speed machines
produced by Lantech and Robopac
called this distinction into
question.
The line now between machines
that need to be fully guarded and
machines that do not is no longer
semi or fully automatic, but is
based on the speed of rotation of
the turntable and the hazards
presented by the various
mechanisms that can be found on
both types of machine.
The following standards were
published by BSI Standards during
September 2006.
BS EN 415-5 – Safety of
Wrapping machines.
Group and secondary packaging
machines.
The following standards will be
published later this year.
packaging machines Part 6: Pallet
wrapping machines.
Strapping machines.
BBI presents
bottlers with
nine gold medals
in 2006 awards
Nine Gold medals were awarded in
the British Bottlers’ Institute
Awards 2006 which took place at
the end of last year at the Vintners
Livery Hall in the City of London.
Medals and certificates were
presented by Colin Barker, national
chairman of the BBI.
Gold Medals and Certificates are
awarded for the outstanding
products in each class of the
competition, and Silver Medals and
Certificates awarded to high
attainers in each of the classes.
Diplomas of excellence are
awarded for other especially
meritorious products in each class.
The Gold Medal awards were to:
Greene King, Bury St Edmunds:
three Gold Medals for its IPA and
Hens Tooth and Strong Suffolk.
George Bateman & Son,
Wainfleet: one Gold Medal for
Triple XB.
Timothy Taylor & Co, Keighley:
one Gold Medal for Landlord Pale
Ale.
The Chiltern Brewery,
Aylesbury: one Gold Medal for
300’s Old Ale.
Shepherd Neame, Faversham:
one Gold Medal for 1698 Bottle
Conditioned Ale.
Carr Taylor Wines, Westfield:
two Gold Medals for their Alexis
and Brut wines.
A further 11 Silver Medals were
awarded to The Chiltern Brewery,
Shepherd Neame, Greene King,
Hogs Back Brewery, The Gaymer
Cider Co, and Merrydown for their
various products.
Additionally 14 Diplomas of
Excellence were awarded to
Caledonian Brewing Co, Hall and
Woodhouse, The Chiltern Brewery,
Aspall Cider, The Gaymer Cider Co,
Broadfield Court, Shepherd Neame
and O-I Europe.
EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES
Selling to overseas
buyers at Total
B USINESSES ATTENDING THE T OTAL P ROCESSING
AND PACKAGING SHOW IN M AY ARE URGED TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
AND SELL TO OVERSEAS BUYERS
The inward mission of overseas
buyers, organised by UK Trade &
Investment in partnership with
the PPMA, is bringing key
buyers from Brazil, Malaysia,
Russia, Singapore and Vietnam
to the Total Processing and
Packaging show – for one reason,
to find new UK-based suppliers.
These overseas buyers are
major industry players in the
food, drink, toiletries, cosmetics
and pharmaceuticals sectors and
will all be participating in prearranged face-to-face meetings
with UK suppliers.
This is all part of a strategy to
help UK-based businesses in the
processing and packaging
machinery sectors to look to
export to emerging markets such
as Brazil and Russia as their
economies and therefore demand
are growing fast.
In the growing economies of
Russia, Singapore, Vietnam,
Malaysia and Brazil,
organisations are expanding
their range of products and
improving the quality of their
equipment.
They are aware that UK
suppliers in the processing and
packaging industry can offer
them new technology and
innovative business solutions at
competitive prices and they will
be attending the event to develop
new business relationships.
A similar event was held at the
PPMA Show last year with great
success, with many buyers
finding new UK-based suppliers.
Some 76 per cent of UK
suppliers who participated in the
inward mission at the PPMA
Show last year were confident of
winning new business as a result
of the pre-arranged brokerage
meetings with buyers.
Michael Barlow from
Typrewrite gave the following
comment on the benefit of his
meetings: “I would not have had
the opportunity to meet some of
the companies attending without
going to the UK Trade &
Investment inward mission”.
Stuart Ralph, Cap Coder,
highlighted “the opportunity to
meet senior members of global
companies at the same time as
exhibiting our products is
excellent.”
This year, attending buyers and
decision makers are attending
for one reason only – to meet UK
companies to discuss future
business opportunities. This free
event is open to UK companies
who are currently exporting or
thinking about exporting their
products and services to overseas
markets.
UK Trade & Investment will
ensure you have a highly
productive time by getting you in
front of up to 20 International
buyers for a series of private
introductory meetings in the
Toute Suite (opposite Hall 5) at
the NEC, Birmingham on 15 and
16 May.
No unreturned phone calls, or
torn up mailshots – just face-toface meetings with the buyers
you want to meet.
To book your free place now, or
for more information, telephone
Angela Sobers on 0207 700
0008 or alternatively email
angela@business-business.co.uk.
9
MACHINERY IN ACTION
R USSELL F INEX
I SHIDA E UROPE
Sieve screens foreign matter
from building materials
Automation for
Yorkshire pud
also brings pack
changes
A Blow Thru Sieve unit supplied by
Russell Finex to a building
materials manufacturer has helped
the firm identify the source of
foreign matter found in raw
materials and is now screening all
deliveries.
Initially, the manufacturer was
finding oversize contaminants such
as gravel in its process and
installed a Blow Thru Sieve to be
used between delivery tankers and
the receiving silo to help identify
whether the two tanker companies
or other sources were responsible.
The sieve was assembled with a
2mm mesh screen and the tanker’s
blower pressure was set to 1.7 bar.
The sieve retained large pieces
of foreign material on the mesh
screen, identifying the source as a
quarry rather than road tankers,
and removed other oversize
contaminants from the product
with no reduction in the unloading
Tryton Foods has automated the
packing of Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire
puddings following the installation
of a bespoke Ishida weighing
system, which has also allowed the
company to change from flowwrapped trays to bags.
Sieving at delivery: Blow Thru unit removes contaminant from raw material
rate of 25 tonnes an hour.
Russell Finex points out that
although the Blow Thru Sieve
operates in the same way as a
traditional screener, there is a
difference in the way material is
passed through the sieve.
With the Blow Thru Sieve
product is conveyed under pressure
into the sieve through a tangential
inlet which ensure high throughput
with minimal pressure losses.
There are also glass viewing
ports that allow the operation to be
monitored and the sieve adjusted
for optimum performance.
T: 020 8818 2000
E: sales@russellfinex.com
C AVANNA
Three-robot
cartoner handles
400 flow-wraps
a minute
Cavanna has built a robot top load
cartoning system to allow a food
manufacturer to produce
cartons of six flowwrapped cereal bars –
two layers of three – at
the rate of 400 bars a
minute.
The machine uses three
compact G35 robots to
form, fill and close the
cartons in an integrated
system that reduces the
floor space required compared
with the three separate machines
used before.
10
High speed cartoning: Cavanna machine incorporates
three robots to erect, load and close cartons
The first
robot arm picks
and forms four
cartons at a
time and inserts
them into a
chain conveyor while the second
arm picks products from the
vertical collator – fed continuously
from the flow-wrapper – loading
12 cereal bars into four cartons on
each cycle.
The third arm applies hot melt
to the cartons and closes the flaps.
In the UK Cavanna is represented
by Quest Equipment.
T: 01727 843136
E: info@questequipment.co.uk
Automation: Tryton Foods has bought
a bespoke weigher from Ishida
Central to each line is an Ishida
multihead weigher operating in
‘twin’ mode, which enables the
machine to weigh and pack
product into two packs
simultaneously. Ishida has also
supplied feed conveyors, vibratory
conveyors, crosshead feeders and
gantry supports for the weighers.
Count priority software on the
weighers uses the average
individual weight of each Yorkshire
pudding to calculate and count the
required number by weight into
bags of 12, 15 and 25 puddings.
To minimise downtime for
cleaning between production runs,
washing facilities have been
installed at the top of the gantry by
the weighers.
Due to the lightweight nature of
the product Ishida has employed
5 litre hoppers in order to help
keep the product moving during
the weighing process.
T: 0121 607 7700
E: info@ishidaeurope.com
MACHINERY IN ACTION
E NDOLINE M ACHINERY
M ARLIN S TAINLESS
Final packaging
uplift sees bagin-box wine
move faster
Bakery replaces motors
with stainless steel units
Endoline has supplied a UK filler
of bag-in-box wine with a new final
packaging line to handle increased
throughput and reduce manual
case and tray loading.
The original line of case
erecting, closing and gluing
machinery ran at eight cases a
minute but has been replaced by a
specially designed Endoline Type
208 case erector to run at speeds
up to 25 cases a minute.
Tray loading: Endoline 310 pickand-place machine
This was complemented by a
Type 501 tray erector and a Type
310 pick-and-place machine to
load the product into cases or
trays, so reducing manual work.
“The 310 is a cost-effective
solution for customers who are
looking to improve levels of
automation and efficiency,” says
Endoline managing director Tony
Hacker.
“Typically, customers should
achieve payback on their
investment between six and 18
months.”
T: 01767 316422
E: sales@endoline.co.uk
Machinery Finder:
ppma.co.uk
UPDATED DAILY
12
A programme to replace existing
standard motors exposed to
moisture with stainless units from
Marlin is now under way at The
Village Bakery Coedpoeth,
Wrexham, where engineering
director Christien Jones estimates
payback time is less than six
months.
“The economics of installing
Marlin stainless motors is just as
much a driver for using them as
the enhanced hygiene they offer,”
he says. “They reduce downtime,
simplify cleaning operations and
avoid the need to replace standard
motors after around two months.”
Currently The Village Bakery,
which supplies customers all
across the UK, is concentrating on
replacing motors on the several
egg glazing machines in its
savouries department.
This is a particularly trying
application, explains Marlin,
because the inherent adhesive
nature of egg makes cleaning
difficult, as well as encouraging
Easy clean: Village Bakery is putting Merlin stainless motors on glazing machines
mild steel motor shafts to bond to
the driving mechanisms
connecting the motor to the egg
dispersal fan.
Normal end of day cleaning
operations with standard motors
involves dismounting the motor
guards used to minimise egg
deposits, removing a mounting
manifold that accommodates the
motor and egg dispersal fan and
then cleaning the assembly.
First the motor is cleaned by
hand, a time consuming operation,
then covered for protection while
the other parts are steam cleaned.
Now, however, with the Marlin
IP66 smooth bodied motor, the
manifold and assembly is simply
removed – no egg guard – and
steam cleaned as a total unit in
considerably less time.
T: 01270 270022
E: motors@marlinstainless.co.uk
DC N ORRIS
Cook/chill plant
helps extend
shelf life
to 45 days
A £1.5 million turnkey CapKold
cook/chill plant installed by DC
Norris at a US food manufacturer
is helping provide a shelf life up to
45 days. It was chosen, says the
company, also for its ability to
retain taste, texture and aroma in
products such as ready meals,
soups, sauces, fillings and liquids
with shear sensitive particulates.
Based on the cook-to-inventory
concept, the system includes DC
Norris inclined agitator cooking
Cook/chill: Pump-fill station with conveyor to a tumble chiller
kettles, jacketed and with direct
steam injection to provide
optimum flexibility and control of
the cook cycle.
Finished product is transferred
to a DC Norris pump-fill station
and filled into pliable plastic
casings, which are sealed and
trimmed by the integral clipper
unit then taken on an inclined
conveyor to the tumble chiller.
The casings are gently tumbled in
chilled water reducing the product
temperature to below 5deg C.
T: 01767 677515
E: mail@dcnorris.co.uk
B OSCH PACKAGING S ERVICES
Robotic top
loader handles
seven tray sizes
and 14 products
The installation of a robotic
Sigpack tray-loading machine in
the Carribean is demonstrating
how this type of equipment is able
to consolidate packing operations
by handling a wide number of
different products and container
sizes.
Chocolate confectionery, snack
food and biscuit manufacturer
Associated Brands Industries Ltd
(ABIL), based in Trinidad, has
installed a Sigpack TTL-i
Toploader which is packing 14
different products in seven
different tray sizes and can be
changed over quickly between the
different formats.
A compact machine, the TTL-i
combines three functions – tray
forming, tray top loading and tray
closing – in a single machine.
The robot’s product gripper is
secured to the arm by a connecting
plate, which carries all supply lines
for vacuum, air pressure and
electrical sensors, making
changeover for a new product
format a simple operation, with no
need for the operator to reconnect
cables and plugs.
In addition, tray forming and
closing tools are adjustable for the
whole format range which, points
out Sigpack, allows line operators
to handle format changeover
without supervision.
T: 01332 626262
E: ukenquiries@
boschpackaging.com
Wide range of formats: Sigpack Systems TTL-i Toploader at ABIL packs 14 different products in seven different tray sizes
Every fourth bottle in the world
!T KRONES WE LOOK BACK ON A LONG TRADITION OFß
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THE CONSTANT
OPTIMISATION OF ½LLING AND PACKING MACHINES /URß
INNOVATIONS SET THE STANDARDS FOR THE MARKETS OFß
THE FUTURE AND OUR SUCCESS PROVES US RIGHT %VERYß
FOURTH BOTTLE OPENED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ISß
½LLED LABELLED OR PACKED WITH KRONES EQUIPMENT
Multiple lines: ABIL handles all these
flow-wraps on a single machine
WWWKRONESCOM
M A C H I N E RY AT T O TA L
C3 panel labeller and the LS40
low cost labelling machine.
Able to run at speeds up to 100
packs a minute the 8100 can
accommodate up to eight labelling
heads for optimum flexibility and
added capacity.
The C3 machine offers
wraparound labelling on two or
three sides of a tray or container
and can be interfaced with a
weigh-price labeller or AEW
Delford’s integral weighing unit to
handle variable information.
T: 01255 241000
E: harwich@aewdelford.com
A DELPHI
M ANUFACTURING *
Stand 4200
A new Response automation
system that turns up to four semiautomatic fillers into a fully
automatic machine, a new
Response semi-automatic BPS bag
and pouch filling machine, and
Cerberus monobloc and peristaltic
filling systems are on
demonstration.
Joining this equipment is a
range of 316L stainless steel
containers in sizes 1-150 litres
from Adelphi Coldstream, supplied
to the pharmaceutical, cosmetics
and food industries.
The Model S420 tube filling
machine with hot air sealing jaws
from Technomachines of Italy is
also on the stand. This model can
be adapted to fill heavy pastes.
T: 01444 472300
E: sales@adelphi.uk.com
A DPAK M ACHINERY
S YSTEMS
Stand 4528
Shrink-wrapping equipment on
display extends from L-sealers to
automatic in-line systems while
there is also the compact GSP45E
flow-wrapper available with both
fixed and adjustable forming
boxes.
Adpak’s new range of food
packaging equipment is being
launched and extends from simple
benchtop single tray lid sealers
through to multilane units.
In addition there is the BVM
Compacta 5022 high speed trim
sealer capable of wrapping product
of infinite length, with or without a
shrink tunnel.
Adpak’s associate company
Adpal is also on the stand,
featuring Kuka robot systems and
16
Adelphi: Response system automates semi-automatic liquid fillers
a ring-style pallet stretchwrapper
from Italian manufacturer Tosa.
T: 01282 601444
E: info@adpak.co.uk
A DVANCED DYNAMICS
Stand 4121
The latest KöRa-Packmat BM 25
banding machine complete with
batch counting LB feeder and a
Eurokett top and base labelling
system are on show.
There is also the new Irplast
linerless labelling system, a KöRaPackmat PPR rotary vacuum
feeder for sachets and the Strubl
“plug and pack” bagging machine
for hanger packs.
The updated KöRa-Packmat BM
25 provides automatic banding of
collated products with a new
banding module that can be integrated into an existing packaging
line or used as a stand-alone
machine.
T: 01274 220300
E: info@advanceddynamics.co.uk
automatic Robopac Helix system.
The Euroimpianti pallet
handling automated Laser Guided
Vehicle is also being shown,
together with a Euroimpianti
Skilled 504 robotic palletiser.
This offers a working area of
360deg and can palletise up to
1600 cases an hour, working to an
accuracy of ±0.5mm.
T: 01234 825050
E: brendas@aetna.co.uk
AEW D ELFORD
S YSTEMS
Stand 5348
The 8100 weigh-price labeller with
integrated top and bottom
labelling is on demonstration along
with two standalone machines, the
A LLEN C ODING
S YSTEMS
Stand 4666
A new ITW Foxjet inkjet printer
and the recently launched
LaserSystem Plus range of laser
coders are among coding systems
on display, as well as hot foil and
thermal transfer machines.
LaserSystem Plus K-1010
(10W output) and K-1030 (30W
output) lasers can both be used for
static or dynamic coding on a
variety of substrates. By changing
lenses, the marking area can be
extended to 250mm x 250mm.
Among thermal transfer printers
on show is the TP 4000 multihead,
multilane unit, which is able to
accommodate up to six heads with
a maximum of six prints per head,
and operate at speeds up to
A ETNA UK
Stand 5270
Pallet-wrapping equipment on
display includes a range of semiautomatic machines, such as the
Rotoplat 506, as well as the new
Jolly turntable entry-level
machine, Aetna’s mobile battery
operated unit, and a high speed
AEW Delford: C3 panel labeller for two or three side wraparound work
All-Fill International: Series 100 single head in-line automatic powder filler
250mm a second.
There is also Allen’s high speed
55SST thermal transfer printer
that incorporates software to give
instant changeover between
continuous and intermittent
printing – with no changeparts.
T: 01707 379500
E: info@allencoding.co.uk
A LL-F ILL
I NTERNATIONAL
Stand 5640
Specialist in the design and
manufacture of auger-based
powder filling systems, All-Fill is
exhibiting a selection of semi and
fully-automatic machines.
The AFI Series 100 single head
in-line automatic filling system is
on demonstration dosing a fine,
dusty non free-flowing food powder
into wide-mouth plastic pots, with
container lift for bottom-up
compressive dust-free filling. A
selection of AFI Series 10 floorstanding pedestal semi-automatic
units is also shown.
In addition, volumetric versions
of the Series 10 filler with
standard flux vector drive,
including one unit without powder,
show the ease and speed of stripdown for product changeovers,
cleaning and reassembly.
T: 01767 691100
E: info@allfill.co.uk
A LLIED P HARMA
M ACHINERY *
Stand 5016
Equipment for the pharmaceutical
and allied industries includes an
AF40 capsule filler capable of
40,000 an hour and a BP102
blister packer with an output of
300 blisters a minute, both made in
India by P+AM Pharmaceuticals.
Riva, Argentina, is showing the
Hexa Tablet press for the first
time. This mid-speed machine has
an interchangeable turret, is fully
instrumented and can produce
200,000 tablets an hour.
From Pace Packaging in the
USA comes an Omniline 400
bottle unscrambler while Oli,
Germany, is showing the Olimat
1A auto tray erector for the first
time. Specifically designed for
small trays with tuck and fold
closing it can handle up to 30 trays
a minute.
Information is available also on
the German built Gernep range of
rotary wet glue and pressuresensitive labellers while Italian
inspection specialist Brevetti Cea
is using a test bench to
demonstrate the capabilities of its
automatic systems for monitoring
vials, ampoules and syringes.
T: 01252 356789
E: sales@alliedpharma.com
17
A hire, repair, testing and
certifying service is also offered.
In addition, specialist custom
lifting equipment can be designed,
built, erected, commissioned and
tested by the company.
T: 01767 312125
E: sales@angliahandling.co.uk
A UTOBOX
Stand 4451
Automated Packaging Systems: FAS SPrint bagging system for food
AMBAFLEX S PECIALITY
CONVEYORS
Stand 5146
The SpiralVeyor is described as the
ultimate solution for bridging
height differences, using a spiralshaped incline as an alternative to
inclined conveyors and vertical
elevators.
Available in belt widths from
100 to 800mm, it is said to meet
all the requirements currently
placed on vertical transport,
namely: no control system, low
incline slope, high capacity,
compact construction, flexibility
and high reliability.
Latest innovations include a
dual lane SpiralVeyor for a
parallel flow of goods and a
Multilevel version that accepts or
delivers items at multiple levels.
T: + 31 229 285 130
E: mail@ambaflex.com
Simotion drive system and
recently expanded format. This
machine, capable of dry cycling at
over 70 a minute, is shown running
an eight-impression fruit punnet in
PET at a speed of over 40 cycles a
minute.
In addition, Anchor is demonstrating a recently developed tool
change system based on the pit
stop philosophy.
T: 01895 824301
E: info@anchor-pm.co.uk
A NGLIA H ANDLING
S ERVICES
Stand 4126
Reel lifting and turning equipment,
pallet trucks, stacker trucks and
mobile scissor lifts are among
exhibits from Anglia, which
specialises in lifting, materials
handling, height safety,
construction and weighing
equipment.
The company is inviting visitors to
see at first hand how easy it is to
make boxes with its range of short
run box-making machines.
Equipment is aimed at
companies making boxes for resale or end users who can benefit
from in-house production.
The Hipak, a single pass boxmaking machine is on demonstration and features in-line printing, as
well as a choice of over 50 Fefco
case styles.
T: 01525 379359
E: info@autobox.co.uk
A UTOLOGIC S YSTEMS
Stand 5423
The latest version of TOPS Pro
software for package design, case
and pallet optimisation is on
demonstration along with previews
of a new RFID capability for
optimising placement of tags to
improve readability.
Further features demonstrated
include support for blister packs
and inverted nesting of products.
Also to be seen are computer
based modelling capabilities for
demonstrating, testing and
analysing the performance and
control of various packaging
and materials handling systems.
T: 01753 647664
E: info@autologic-systems.co.uk
A UTOMATED
PACKAGING S YSTEMS
Stand 4626
Automated Packaging Systems is
launching its new FAS SPrint
bagging system particularly for the
food industry and other packing
environments that require fast
changeovers and daily washdown
procedures.
“FAS SPrint reduces labour
costs and delivers significant
increases in operator productivity,
compared with manual or hand
load operations,” says Paul
Hayden, marketing manager at the
company’s European
headquarters.
Further exhibits include
established bag-on-reel Autobag
bagging systems and the Airpouch
void-filling system, which provides
protective air-filled cushions for
transit packaging.
T: 01684 891400
E: contact@autobag.co.uk
A VERY D ENNISON
FASTENER E UROPE
Stand 4600
Plastic fastener and packaging
systems include the Variable
Needle System which allows
products such as toys, cosmetics,
tools and kitchen accessories –
often displayed in blisters and
clamshell packs, or secured by
twist and cable ties – to be
attached to backing cards with
polymer staples.
A NCHOR P LASTICS
M ACHINERY
Stand 5746
The new Koch KBS KF blister
form-fill-seal line, with a 20 per
cent larger working area than its
predecessor, is on demonstration
running a PET blister pack for
packing CDs at 15 cycles a minute.
There is also the Kiefel KMD
78B Speed-former with a new
18
Anchor Plastics Machinery: Koch KBS KF blister form-fill-seal line is shown packing CDs in PET
and non-food products, such as
pastries, bars, frozen food and
pharmaceutical products.
Further exhibits include the
Sigpack Pull Pack easy-opening
system for flow-wraps which can
be integrated into existing
packaging lines.
T: 01332 626262
E: ukenquiries@
boschpackaging.com5110
B RADMAN L AKE
G ROUP
Bosch Packaging Technology: Sigpack Pull Easy system for flow-wraps
Manually operated, or installed
in automated systems, it uses two
needles to punch small holes in the
backing card on either side of the
product, simultaneously feeding an
elastic staple through the needles
and toggling the ends behind the
card.
T: 01628 859500
E: fast.info@
eu.averydennison.com
B ELT T ECHNOLOGIES
E UROPE
Stand 4458
A steel belt system based on an
aluminium or stainless steel
machine frame and complete with
motion control, tracking and
tensioning components is available
off the shelf from the company.
It can be customised to suit
specific needs and be delivered in a
container, with an unlimited length
of conveyor belt, direct to the
customer.
The belt itself is solid,
perforated or plain stainless or
carbon steel and is also available
with custom attachments, coatings
or tooling nests.
T: 0191 415 3010
E: sales@bte.co.uk
B OSCH PACKAGING
S ERVICES
Stand 5113
Bosch Packaging Services and
Bosch Rexroth are demonstrating
their combined approach with new
20
machinery and components in
addition to equipment integration
and project management.
Bosch Packaging Services is
exhibiting a Doboy B500 bag
closing machine and portable hand
sealer and Bosch Rexroth a
modular conveyor and a number of
drive/control and linear/pneumatic
products.
T: 01332 626262
E: ukenquiries@
boschpackaging.comnd
B OSCH PACKAGING
T ECHNOLOGY
Stand 5110
Bosch Packaging Technology is
demonstrating a wide variety of
equipment and putting forward
“system solutions that streamline
production processes and as a
result total operating costs.”
On show is the Tevopharm Pack
201 flow-wrapper, which employs
robot technology to handle delicate
products such as bakery items,
biscuits, crackers, confectionery
and frozen food.
There is also the Bosch CUT
130SW cartoning machine which
handles smart wallets as well as
traditional folding cartons, while
the SVE 2510 vertical form-fillseal machine is suitable for dry
and frozen products and will create
pillow packs, gusseted and corner
sealed bags.
The KB curve conveyor from
Transver transports delicate food
the machine can handle products
such as tree bark, potting soil,
peat, compost and perlite.
A new vertical dosing system for
powders is also on show,
engineered to ensure minimum
contamination and maximum ease
of cleaning.
Information is available on
further bagging equipment as well
as palletisers and stretch-hood
machines.
T: 01773 570570
E: info@bth-bv.co.uk
Stand 5710
A range of equipment combining
the skills of Bradman Lake’s three
brands, Autowrappers, Bradman
Lake and Europack, is on show.
The group offers packaging
machinery to the bakery and
biscuit, chocolate and
confectionery, consumer and
healthcare, dry food and frozen
food sectors.
A fully integrated system aimed
at the medium sized confectionery
business is on display, consisting of
an automatic distribution system
(ADS), a Flowtronic 120 flowwrapper, an LJ robotic pick-andplace system, an SL 903 end-load
cartoner and a case packer.
T: 01603 441000
E: enquiries@bradmanlake.com
BTH B AG T REATMENT
H OLLAND
Stand 4313
Wood pellets are being bagged on
a vertical form-fill-seal machine
cabable of speeds up to 1800 bags
an hour. As well as wood pellets,
CAB
P RODUKTTECHNIK
Stand 4520
CAB is showing its entire range of
label printing and print-apply
systems including the new Mach 4
business class printer as well as the
A+ premium class printer, which
can be equipped with cutter,
rewinder, unwinder or applicator.
T: + 49 721 6626 282
E: a.winkeler@cabgmbh.com
C AMA G ROUP
Stand 5262
A high-speed, electronic
continuous motion cartoning
machine is on show alongside
Cama’s latest Monobloc robotic
loading unit with integral forming,
closing or electronic lidding
features for packing trays, single
flap or three flap cartons or display
boxes.
The Cama Monobloc handles up
to 50 trays a minute, 20 single or
three flap lid cartons a minute or
50 display boxes a minute. The
Cama: Monobloc robotic carton and tray forming-loading-lidding unit
FILLING · PACKAGING · MACHINING · ASSEMBLY
BTH Bag Treatment: Vertical form-fill-seal for bigger bags
Cama two or three-axis robot can
be integrated into the machine
depending on the application.
The company now offers its
horizontal cartoning machines
with the latest electronic controls
which allow speeds up to 400
cartons a minute to be achieved.
T: 01793 831111
E: cama3@camagroup.com
C AMPAK
Stand 4543
The CAM high speed KO
horizontal continuous motion
cartoner is on demonstration and
can erect cartons or sleeves and
load product at speeds in excess of
800 to 1000 pieces a minute.
Principal applications include
pharmaceutical and confectionery
products as well as soaps and
smaller items.
Also on show is the AVC vertical
continuous motion cartoner,
capable of speeds up to 300
cartons a minute, and the RV/P
high speed overwrapper able to
handle up to 180 cartons a minute.
Options include servo driven size
change.
The ZP1 fully automatic
palletising system operates from a
basic machine footprint of only
2000 x 2000mm, said to make it
one of the one of the smallest
machines of its kind.
T: 01536 261501
E: sales@campak.freeserve.co.uk
C AMSENSOR
T ECHNOLOGIES
Stand 4265
The company designs and
manufactures high speed smart
camera systems for machine vision
applications such as quality
inspection, production control and
process optimisation within
industries such as food, canning
and plastics production.
A range of high speed vision
applications for the plastics
industry is on show.
T: 01524 793738
E: eric.hall@camsensor.com
C ERMEX
Stand 5115
Cermex is launching the new SW
series of side-load case-packers
able to handle both RSC and
wraparound blanks and so cater
for a diverse range of secondary
packaging on a single machine.
Built on a balcony basis, the SB
series employs a choice of
pneumatic, mechanical or robotic
loading devices and can be
changed over quickly as a result of
centralised setting points.
Speed is up to 13 cases a minute
and the machine occupies a
footprint of just 4sq metres.
Also featured are two new
packaging concepts for
refrigerated storage of products
such as drinks cans or bottles,
using a combination of
cartonboard and film to reduce
materials costs by up to 70 per
cent compared with an all-board
pack.
T: 01480 455919
E: sales@cermexuk.com
C HRONOS R ICHARDSON
S YSTEMS
Stand 4326
To complement the range of
bagging systems available from the
company, a new palletiser – the
RP500 Cartesian – is being
demonstrated, palletising filled
bags onto manually positioned
empty pallets.
This palletiser incorporates the
same bag gripper used on the
company’s Compact palletiser,
consisting of a grid to pick up the
bag and a pneumatically actuated
pusher to deposit the bag close to
the previous bag on the layer and
so provide a more stable load.
The bag gripper has four-axis
mobility, taking the bags from the
feeding conveyor and depositing
them on the pallet according to the
pre-selected programme.
T: 0115 935 1351
E: alls@premiertech.com
C OBALT IS A UTO ID
Stand 4230
Cobalt is launching a linerless
print-apply labelling system said to
reduce material costs by 30-50 per
cent compared with die-cut labels.
For shelf ready packaging and
case applications the machine is
integrated with a top and bottom
case sealer, which guides the pack
22
C ONVEYOR S YSTEMS
Stand 4616
Cermex: SW side-load case-packer handles RSC or wraparound cases
into position for simultaneous
application of both tape and label.
Also on view is the Cobalt
Sentinel packing line control
system in which data including
BBE dates, serial numbers and
product coding is collected
centrally and passed to coding,
labelling, weigh scale and other
equipment on the line.
In operation, the system
monitors actual activity against
expected, checking that outer
packaging and ingredients
labelling match the actual contents
of the pack.
T: 01606 42500
E: sales@cobaltis.co.uk
C ONSTANT
I NSTRUMENTS
Stand 5543
The Ceia THS/FB flat belt metal
detector complies with the latest
standards of supermarket reject
confirmation, QA test procedures
and HACCP criteria.
The system has been designed so
that it can be adapted to any line
direction and reject formation and
employs a conveyor driven as
standard by a variable speed
inverter.
T: 01903 739333
E: sales@constant-ceia.com
A fully operational automated
conveying system that
demonstrates the company’s
ability to provide conveying
solutions, from interfacing and
integration of other OEM
packaging machinery through to
complete turnkey material
handling systems, is on display.
The system includes a range of
powered roller conveyors for
handling cases, shrinkwrapped
packs, tote bins, boxes, dollies or
pallets. The compact high speed
pneumatically operated switch
sorter is said to provide a new
dimension in integrated system
design.
CSL is also displaying spiral
conveyors including the new twin
lane reversible spiral elevator/deelevator, which caters for dual lane
packing lines.
T: 01283 552255
E: sales@conveyorsystemsltd.co.uk
C REMER
S PECIAAL M ACHINES
Stand 5564
Cremer says it guarantees
accuracy of 100 per cent for its
counting machines on which, to
maintain precision, the count
C OMITRONIC
Stand 4538
French safety equipment
manufacturer Comitronic has
expanded its machine switch range
with the latest version of its
Massimotto switch – a tamper
proof, contactless, coded, magnetic
safety switch with an integrated
M12 connector.
The Massimotto switch is fitted
with the Acotom system which is a
fully electronic, tamper proof,
magnet-based decoding system
specifically designed for protection
on dangerous machines.
T: + 33 143 030303
E: contact@comitronic.com
Conveyor Systems: Fully operational system demonstrates capabilities
process starts while the product is
in freefall, rather than in contact
with the machine. Gravity being a
constant, its position is always
known.
High speed ‘memory flaps’
travel between the products of one
count and the next while in flight,
holding them and retaining them in
memory while the filled container
is moving and an empty one
arrives.
Typically, a single head CF1220
has an output of about 55
containers a minute on a 100
count and there are double and
quad versions for nominal outputs
of about 100 and 200 discharges a
minute.
T: 01276 35053
E: sales.uk@cremer.com
CS I I NDUSTRIES
Stand 4460
The Hybrid Palletiser being
launched at the show brings
together the accuracy and
reliability of a robot with the high
speed capacity of a layer palletiser.
A small robot is positioned in
front of the layer forming table of
the palletiser and is used to
orientate cases quickly, accurately
and carefully before palletisation.
CSi says this development is a
significant advantage over
conventional turning posts and
conveyor turning solutions, as it
negates the problems of varying
case weights, shape and frictional
properties of the product and
guarantees layer formation
accuracy. It also ensures cases are
not damaged as they are
orientated at high speed prior to
palletising.
T: 01244 341298
E: philgriffiths@csiweb.nl
C YKLOP UK
Stand 5590
The Cyklop range of hand held
battery-powered strapping tools
are joined by the Cyklop ES600A,
a battery operated mobile semiautomatic pallet strapping system,
24
Domino: Introducing the M-Series of print-apply machines
which can apply either polypropylene or polyester strap.
Also on display is the Rainbow, a
low cost automatic strapping
machine, with an oval arch design,
which can apply up to 32 straps 915mm wide a minute at tensions
up to 80kg.
T: 01480 216777
E: dhearn@cyklop.co.uk
D2 F OOD S YSTEMS
Stand 5335
Equipment for convenience food
includes the new Ulma Scorpius
600 tray sealing system, the
compact Suresleeve board sleever
and examples of the Smoothseal
series of tray sealing equipment.
The Scorpius 600 tray sealing
system incorporates a purposedesigned facility for handling
dome-shaped lids as well as
standard trays – with or without
MAP – and is said to provide a
strong, peelable seal.
The Suresleeve pre-glued board
sleever is fully automatic and
operates on a continuous basis at
speeds up to 60 packs a minute.
Smoothseal tray sealers on show
include the compact rotary 2700R
entry-level model and the in-line
2800A machine for speeds up to
30 packs a minute.
T: 01582 622111
E: sales@d2foodsystems.com
D AN -PALLETISER
Stand 5580
This Danish company develops,
produces and markets individually
adapted internal transport systems
to meet customers’ current and
future needs. The product range
includes palletisers, depalletisers,
pack conveyors and pallet
conveyors suitable for the food,
beverage, graphic and chemical
industries.
T: + 45 58 38 91 64
E: sales@dan-palletiser.dk
D OMINO UK
Stand 4310
Ink jet and laser coding specialist
Domino is entering the market for
print-apply labelling systems with
the launch of its new M-Series and
also previewing a new range of
thermal transfer printers.
In addition, there is the entire
‘plus’ range of coders including the
recently launched S-Series plus
scribing laser and A-Series plus
continuous ink jet printers.
The new M-Series print-apply
range consists of a modular system
of printers, applicators and
accessories to meet a variety of
applications in adding variable
data, text, graphics and RFID data
to outer cases. Blow, tamp, tampand-blow and wipe-on applicators
are available.
Domino is also demonstrating
DSL Laser and A300+ ink jet
printing for displaying 2D Data
Matrix and batch code data,
C-Series Plus outer-case coding on
both sides of sleeves or cartons,
and two C6000+ ink jet heads and
bar code validation kit.
T: 01954 782551
E: enquiries@domino-uk.com
E ASIWEIGH
Stand 4340
Easiweigh is showcasing the latest
additions to its range of automatic
weighing and packaging
equipment.
This includes the recently
launched DRP1010 high speed
linear weigher capable of 70 drops
a minute, the Midi Starter Pack
entry level system, a combination
metal detector and checkweigher ,
and a two-lane counter.
Other products on show from
CSi Industries: Hybrid Palletiser combines robotic and layer-forming systems
Pegasus
Endoline: The 734 automatic random size case taping machine
parent group GSH include the
Verti-pack PAL-108S palletiser
and the Verti-pack W12-126
weighing machine.
T: 01905 28075
E: sales@easiweigh.co.uk
EFFE 3 TI
Stand 4363
Two pallet wrappers are being
launched on the UK market by
Italian manufacturer EFFE.
The Spinny S semi-automatic
turntable machine is equipped with
a touch screen control panel
through which ten preprogrammable wrapping cycles
can be selected.
The Spinny S500 machine is
fitted with a film clamp and filmcutting device offering a higher
level of automation.
T: + 39 0163828911
E: info@effe3ti.com
E NDOLINE M ACHINERY
Stands 4250 and 4251
A new compact case erecting and
packing system is being introduced
as a result of the alliance formed
last year between Endoline and
Quin Systems.
Quin’s high speed automatic
RTheta case packer has been
teamed up with an Endoline 221
case-erector to provide high speed
case-packing in areas where, says
Endoline, automation may not
currently be possible. Speed is 20
cases and 100 picks a minute.
Machinery on demonstration
includes the Endoline 221 case
erector, the 310 series pick-andplace robotic case-packing
machine for low speed applications
and a 602 case sealer.
In addition, Endoline is showing
the 20-a-minute 734 automatic
random case taping machine,
which has recently been bought by
United Biscuits, a 102 case former
and a PS6 semi-automatic tape
sealing machine.
T: 01767 316422
E: sales@endoline.co.uk
E NERCON I NDUSTRIES
Stand 4400
Enercon is demonstrating how
packaging weight and costs can be
reduced through induction cap
sealing.
Advantages include reduced
oxidation, elimination of leakers,
extended shelf life, tamper
evidence and reduced risk of
counterfeiting.
In addition, says the company,
the sealing process reduces risk of
bacterial contamination while
increasing consumer confidence in
the product.
T: 01296 330542
E: info@enerconind.co.uk
intelligent DC servo motors
featuring fieldbus interfaces for
Profibus and CANopen – together
with a new series of flexible CPX
valves and I/O options.
T: 0800 626422
E: info_gb@festo.com
E NGELMANN &
B UCKHAM *
Stand 5767
Processing and packaging
machinery on view includes a
scaped surface heat exchanger,
flowmeter filler and polybag lining
system for cases, trays and crates.
The Consistator vertical scraped
surface heat exhanger from
Gerstenberg Schröder is one of a
range for medium to high viscosity
products including confectionery,
dairy products, fruit concentrates,
sauces and starches, and products
containing particles.
The filler is a six-head inductive
flowmeter machine from Breitner
able to handle fills from 20ml to 5
litres and store up to 999 different
product formats for press-button
retrieval.
The Flexim-21 polybag case
lining equipment is made by Pattyn
Packing Lines and, in addition to
established uses for packing oils
and fats, frozen foods, caps and
closures, frozen bread,
confectionery and tobacco, is now
being used for a number of new
applications.
These include crates and trays of
frozen meat or fish, cases of
delicate products loaded by robot,
plastic tubes, and to provide a
cover over filled crates and trays.
T: 01420 82421
E: sales@buckham.co.uk
E UROFLOW
E NGINEERING
Stand 4500
Euroflow builds stainless steel
equipment for the food industry
and is showing an adjustable tray
denester, depositor, transfer pump,
rotary table and pick-and-place
system. There is also a new
denester capable of handling both
plastic and foil trays.
Information is available on
further equipment available from
the company, which includes lid
placers and presses, transfer
pumps, depositors and conveyors
28
F LEXICON (E UROPE )*
Stand 4015
Excel Packaging: ‘Ecogenius’ carton made on Curti’s AVM rotary cartoner
of various types such as elevators
and indexing units as well as
bespoke systems.
T: 01205 357887
E: info@euroflow.com
E UROMARK C ODING &
M ARKING
Stand 4660
Euromark is launching a range of
laser coders from Vespalase.
These can be set up either from
the local control panel or a
network connection and
incorporate the facility for the
depth of mark to be varied.
Specific models include a fibreoptic laser with a projected tube
life of 100,000 hours, described as
a viable alternative to thermal
transfer printing.
Also shown are exmples of the
new Hitachi PXR ink jet printers,
said to set new performance
standards for speed and print
definition.
T: 01942 228882
E: info@euromark-coding.co.uk
for packing glass products such as
ampoules, vials, syringes and
carpules by 10 to 35 per cent.
Curti also specialises in vertical
and horizontal cartoners, casepackers, palletising systems and
bespoke automation machinery.
T: 01865 400489
E: info@excelpackagingmachinery.com
F ESTO
Stand 5617
The company is unveiling a new
series of electrical piston-rod
cylinders said to provide high
accuracy programmable
positioning and to be completely
compatible mechanically with
Festo’s DNC pneumatic cylinders.
Also shown is the latest
additions to the Festo range of
electric drives – including two new
The Swing-Down bulk bag filler
features a pivot-down filling head
to enable the operator to connect
empty bags at floor level and
resume filling operations rapidly.
This feature eliminates the need
to climb steps, strain to reach
overhead connection points or risk
injury associated with the
operation of conventional bulk bag
fillers, says Flexicon.
Alongside is a working dilute
phase pneumatic conveying
system. Using downstream vacuum
transfer, it demonstrates the
efficient transfer of material from
the hopper, entering the system via
an upstream rotary air-lock valve
into a 5 metre high vertical
pipeline and exiting the system via
the filter receiver.
T: 01227 374710
E: sales@flexicon.co.uk
F LEX L INK S YSTEMS
Stand 5140
A multi-product handling concept
solving potential bottlenecks in
conveyor lines is being
demonstrated. Features of the
E XCEL PACKAGING
M ACHINERY
Stand 5665
The Italian built Curti AVM rotary
cartoner for the pharmaceutical
industry is being shown for the first
time in the UK and is able to make
the ‘Ecogenius’ carton from a
single flat blank.
This reduces the material cost
Flexicon: Swing Down bulk bag filler system accepts bags at floor level
system include the Classic range of
conveyors, accumulation and
elevation along with the second
generation Hygienic System and
the Automatic Guiding System.
This is an automatic system to
reset conveyor guides when
product dimensions alter and
allows up to 220 guiding units to
be controlled from a single cabinet
for quick changeover.
The Hygienic System employs a
new chain which, combined with
improved conveyor rigidity,
provides speeds up to 100 metres a
minute. Speed control is integrated
into the drive units, allowing
dynamic buffering and soft start
and stop to be provided.
T: 01908 327200
E: info.uk@flexlink.com
F LEXTRACTION
Stand 4551
Dust collecting, mist separating
and fume extraction equipment on
show for the food, pharmaceutical
and chemical industries includes
Dutch manufacturer Kiekens’ new
Dustmaster DM9000 for filtering
very fine dust.
There are also single phase
KE1000 and three-phase KE2000
industrial mobile vacuum cleaners
with accessories including primary
separators for picking up liquids
and larger dust particles.
From Fumex, Sweden, comes a
new series of 100mm diameter
polypropylene extraction arms and
a range of filtration systems.
T: 01664 410641
E: lkd@flextraction.co.uk
and packaging applications, the
new ATEX range comes in a
number of configurations from
compact directly driven models to
V-belt arrangements with optional
sealing upgrades.
T: 01264 889001
E: uk@fpz.com
F RIEDHEIM
I NTERNATIONAL
Stand 4480
FlexLink Systems: Automatic Guiding System resets width of conveyor guides
F ORDS PACKAGING
S YSTEMS
Stand 5346
The Meurer TP25-B traypacker
with wraparound facility loads
cartons, trays, bags and bottles
into corrugated or cartonboard
trays and wraparound cases at
speeds up to 25 cases a minute.
The stainless steel unit, of
balcony construction, is on
demonstration running film
wrapped trays into a retail ready
wraparound case.
Also on show is the Jakob
Wienmeier Carton King semiautomatic vertical cartoner, a
compact machine available at a
competitive price. Its modular
construction allows bespoke
solutions at speeds reaching 60
cartons a minute.
T: 01234 846600
E: sales@fords-packsys.co.uk
istics of an individual product.
The Phantom detector also
includes a Vector conveyor system
which gives easy access for both
hygiene and maintenance and the
Contact data collection package.
This can run over an Ethernet
system for data collection from an
unlimited number of machines.
T: 01295 256266
E: info@fortresstechnology.com
FPZ UK*
Beck Packautomaten is
demonstrating its latest shrinkwrapping machine, the Multiplex
Pico, with feed conveyor, shrink
tunnel and delivery conveyor,
handling a variety of items
including books, magazines, food
tins, and plastic bottles.
From Imanpack there is the
Microvert vertical form-fill-seal
machine with attached counter, as
well as a machine from its
horizontal form-fill-seal range.
Products being handled by these
machines include nuts, bolts,
screws, dog treats and plastic
vials, as well as other non-food and
domestic items.
T: 01442 206100
E: info@friedheim.co.uk
Stand 4621
A supplier of side channel blowers
and vacuum pumps, FPZ is
showing the latest ATEX approved
versions of its K series.
Said to be well suited to process
F RISTAM P UMPS UK*
Stand 5343
Reductions of up to 93 per cent in
the time required to mix powders
and liquids are claimed for the
F OCKE & C O
Stand 4457
The 542 gantry palletiser being
shown by Focke can be used as a
standalone unit, as part of a line,
or in association with a case
packer. Various models are
available to suit different
performance and size range
requirements.
T: 01483 756094
E: fockeuk@btconnect.com
30
F ORTRESS T ECHNOLOGY
(E UROPE )
Stand 5201
The Phantom metal detector
includes systems designed to
provide simple operation,
production reliability and high
levels of sensitivity for products in
either pre-packed or bulk formats.
The AutoCal function enables
the machine to learn the character-
Focke & Co: The 542 gantry palletiser is being shown
A
,
Friedheim International: Imanpack Microvert vertical form-fill-seal machine
latest system from Fristam, which
combines an advanced liquid ring
pump with the latest generation of
high shear pump.
The system is also said to
improve product quality as a result
of more efficient breakdown of
constituents and can be quickly
cleaned in place.
T: 01323 849849
E: sales@fristam.co.uk
GLENVALE PACKAGING*
Stand 5381
The Sejong Pharmatech GRC-15S
tabletting machine, a 15 station
unit with D style turret is being
shown for the first time, alongside
the larger 30 station MRC-30 and
an automatic SF-40 capsule filling
machine
Also on display is a range of
semi-automatic capsule filling
equipment from Multipharma
including the recently launched
OPM filler.
A small V mixer and a capsule
counter complete the display.
T: 01933 673677
E: coleman@glenvalepkg.demon.co.uk
G RUNWALD UK*
diameter pots with fruited yoghurt.
The Grunwald 6.000/4-lane will
run at speeds of 8000 to10,000
cups an hour, depending on
product viscosity, while the double
step facility means a second
format can be handled with no
need for downtime to change parts.
Preparation and high shear
process mixing equipment
developed in co-operation with
Advanced Engineering
(Middleton) can also be seen.
T: 01529 414999
E: info@grunwald-uk.com
H EPCO M OTION
Stand 4461
Linear motion components include
the new Dual-Vee anti-friction
guidance system range which
caters for all requirements from
light to heavy duty – made in
stainless or carbon steel to suit the
application.
Hepco says that the linear
driving packages are proving
popular in a range of packaging
machinery with standard units
individually specified to suit
customers’ applications.
T: 01884 243400
E: hepco@hepcomotion.com
Stand 5656
The latest design of the Grunwald
Linear Double Step filling machine
on show has been sold to J&E
Dickinson, and will be used
primarily to fill and close 71mm
H OLMES M ANN & C O
Stand 4628
One of the latest Siat pallet
stretchwrappers is on show
together with examples of the Siat
31
range of case sealers, which
extends from semi-automatic to
fully automatic in-line machines.
T: 01274 735881
E: info@holman.co.uk
IMA UK
Stand 5366
HPC G EARS
Stand 4201
Exhibits are taken from HPC’s
range of gears and drive
components, consisting of over
60,000 stock items.
These include spiral and straight
bevel gears, simplex, duplex and
triplex sprockets and chains,
racks, spur gears, helical gears,
anti-backlash gears, moulded
gears, timing pulleys and belts,
worms and wheels, ratchets and
pawls as well as plastic chains. The
new extended range also includes
belt guides and tensioners.
T: 01246 268080
E: sales@hpcgears.com
IFM E LECTRONIC
Stand 4228
Specialist sensing and control on
display includes the latest versions
of Efector octavis – detecting and
signalling imbalance or wear in
bearings; Efector dualis – a visiontype sensor in the price range of
standard optical devices, and
Efector metris – measuring and
indicating any compressed air
leaks.
The TAD range of temperature
sensors and new versions of optical
devices are also shown along with
further advances in AS-interface,
especially in the fields of RFID or
process environments.
T: 020 8213 0000
E: marketing_gb@ifmelectronic.com
I GUS UK*
Stand 5121
The stainless steel version of the
Igus DryLin W linear guide has
been designed principally for
process and packaging
applications in the food industry
and for chemically exposed and
underwater applications.
32
Ilapak: Launching the high performance Vegatronic 4000 bagger
Resistant to temperatures of
250deg C, the guide is said to
require no lubrication or maintenance during normal operation.
Also shown is the Igus Triflex R
flexible Energy Chain System to
guide and protect cables around a
robot as well as Chainflex cables
for drive systems.
T: 01604 677240
E: sales_uk@igus.co.uk
I LAPAK
Stand 5653
Two new machines are being
launched: the Vegatronic 4000, a
high performance vertical formfill-seal machine, and the Carrera
1000 PCR inverted flow-wrapper.
Also represented is Ilapak’s
Delta VacMap flow-wrapper said
to produce packs with the
extended shelf-life of thermoformed packs but at lower cost.
Aimed at delicate products such
as prepared salads, potatoes and
IQF foods, the Vegatronic 4000 is
a continuous motion machine
capable of 140 packs a minute and
can produce a wide range of
formats, including pillow bags,
block bottom bags and four-corner
seal bags.It can produce packs up
to 420mm in width.
The Carrera 1000 PCR inverted
flow-wrapper is aimed at loose,
unsupported products such as
avocadoes, apples and other fruit
and vegetables, reducing
packaging costs by eliminating the
need for a tray.
Delta 2000 LDR designed for
similar applications, but with the
facility to produce modified
atmosphere packs, and the
Vegatronic 500 bagger equipped
with a ten-head Weightronic
multi-head weigher as an entrylevel system.
T: 020 8797 2000
E: sales@ilapak.co.uk
Solid pharmaceutical packaging
machinery from IMA is represented by the Kilian Synthesis 500
tablet press, able to produce up to
360,000 tablets an hour.
Mechanical and compression
areas are completely separate,
preventing product penetrating the
lower compartment, so reducing
maintenance and cleaning times.
The turret can be removed for
cleaning or tool changes.
Blister packing machinery is
represented by the IMA C80R, a
medium speed machine capable of
processing up to 400-600 blisters
a minute. The machine is available
in its standalone version or in line
with the IMA A81 cartoner. It can
also be linked with all existing
IMA cartoners as well as with
wallet machines.
IMA Swiftpack is showing the
Swiftpharm multi channel
electronic counter for tablets and
capsules, said to deliver twice the
output of existing multi-track
counters for a set footprint. Speed
is 100 bottles a minute or 200 a
minute from the twin version.
Aseptic and pharmaceutical
filling equipment is represented by
IMA Libra’s Sterifill F2000, a
high speed in-line filling and
stoppering machine for aseptic
IMA: Swiftpharm multi-channel electronic counting machine
environments. Speed is up to 600
vials a minute and the narrow
width of the machine, some
850mm, allows operation from
one side.
Finally, Comadis is showing its
new C960 automatic aluminium
tube filling machine. Speed is up to
60 a minute and there is a new
type of automatic tube feeder with
a capacity of 2000 containers.
T: 01189 772323
E: hotdesk@imauk.co.uk
J ENTON
I NTERNATIONAL
Stand 4010
I NDUSTRIAL
T ECHNOLOGY S YSTEMS
Stand 5755
A range of traceability, machine
vision, overall equipment
effectiveness (OEE) and process
control systems is being
demonstrated, showing how
benefits including improvements in
quality, productivity, genealogy,
waste and cost can be achieved.
As a Cognex partner, ITS is
showing Cognex machine vision
systems performing a range of
tasks including verification and
inspection of alphanumeric
characters, code reading, part
location and measurement.
Visitors are invited to bring a
sample to the stand to receive a
free vision evaluation.
T: 01642 222232
E: sales@its-ltd.co.uk
I SHIDA E UROPE
Stand 5510
The Atlas iTPS is Ishida’s
dedicated packaging system for
snack products and consists of an
R Series multihead weigher, Atlas
high-speed bagmaker, seal tester
and checkweigher, all operated via
a single control panel. Speed is up
to 180 packs a minute.
Also on demonstration is the
recently introduced IX-GA X-ray
34
Ishida Europe: IX-GA X-ray machine can spot contaminants down to 0.3mm
inspection system, able to detect
contaminants down to 0.3mm and
also spot missing items or
damaged products, and the new
QX-1100 tray sealer able to
handle up to 200 a minute.
The DACS-W-CTS series
checkweigher is shown with a new
intuitive graphic interface said to
simplify operations and training by
providing easy to follow
instructions for line operators with
online help, self-diagnostics and
fault finding.
latest CCW-R multihead weigher,
said to offer improved accuracy,
and the Ishida Fresh Food
Weigher, an in-line combination
machine able to handle sticky
products otherwise weighed and
packed manually.
T: 0121 607 7700
E: info@ishidaeurope.com
diameter with a fill volume up to
400ml and can be changed over
without tools.
IWKA blister packing
machinery is represented by the
company’s latest mid range model,
the BP10, suitable for speeds up
to 330 packs a minute. The blister
transfer system from the blister
machine to the cartoner is said to
offer the shortest transfer distance
on the market.
Servo driven, the machine can
be changed over to a new product
and pack, including cleaning, in
less than an hour.
T: 0870 0113794
E: info@iwkapacsystems.co.uk
The new Jenton Ariana BCS 570
converging machine automatically
creates a single lane from a batch
of thermoformed packs and is said
to be simpler and cheaper than
previous convergers but more
adaptable and easier to use and
maintain.
“Automatic converging is now
an affordable option for users of
smaller thermoformers,” says the
company.
The BCS features quick change
belts and accepts packs directly
from the thermoformer with no
extra conveyor required.
T: 01256 892194
E: sales@jenton.co.uk
KBA-M ETRONIC
Stand 4471
The UDA 150-S is a compact,
stand-alone feeding system for
coding and marking items such as
folding cartons, labels and all
kinds of material blanks up to
4mm thick.
It is used in the food, cosmetics
and pharmaceutical industries and
can be equipped with a variety of
printing systems such as a CO2
laser, hot stamping or continuous
ink jet coder, depending on the
application.
Both of the contactless printing
IWKA PAC S YSTEMS
Stand 5367
Tube filling and closing machinery
from IKWA is represented by the
TFS 80-1 model, shown in the UK
for the first time.
Capable of speeds up to 100
plastic or metal tubes a minute,
the servo driven machine will
handle tubes up to 60mm
IWKA PacSystems: TFS 80-1 tube filling machine runs at 100 a minute
MUM_UK
systems can be networked using
various interfaces.
T: + 49 931 90850
E: info@kba-metronic.com
L ACHENMEIER
Stand 4450
KHS
Stand 5571
The new Innopack CSM carry
handle applicator attaches prelaminated handles to all types of
product or pack as standard
although handle laminating can be
integrated within the machine if
required.
Maximum handle width is
25mm with length variable
according to the product. Speed is
up to 70 cycles a minute.
T: 0121 713 6900
E: info@uk.khs-ag.com
K LIKLOK W OODMAN
I NTERNATIONAL
Stand 4640
Kliklok is introducing the Celox
high-speed end load cartoner, said
to achieve new levels of
performance in terms of efficiency,
access, sanitation, size change,
and reliability.
The stainless steel machine is
aimed in particular at the prepared
foods industry – ready meals,
pizzas, bakery – and bag-in-box
applications such as cereals.
T: 01275 836131
E: m.tatum@
kliklok-woodman-int.com
K ÖRBER M EDIPAK
Stand 5760
The MediSeal BIB-BOB system blisters into box – blisters out of
box – for late stage customisation
operates with blisters from a high
speed thermoformer fed into
cassettes for short-run printing
and cartoning on separate
machines.
It allows very small, country
specific packaging lots to be
combined for blister packaging,
typically improving machine
utilisation by 30 per cent,
according to simulated trials run
by MediSeal, using actual
36
KHS: Innopack CSM carry handle applicator runs at 70 a minute
production data.
Also shown is the CP400e
blister machine claimed to offer
“an unbeatably attractive
price/performance ratio”. This
single lane blister packing line –
nominal output up to 400 blisters
a minute – is said to be
particularly flexible, with modular
construction allowing it to be
readily customised.
Servo drive allows format
changes to be carried out in less
than 30 minutes.
Also shown is the new Flexible
Feeding system, which enables
tablets with wide dimensional
tolerances and tablets of different
sizes to be fed into larger pockets
using a single format set, and the
P1600 cartoner.
T: 01753 754865
E: info@uk.koerber-medipak.com
wraparound plastic labels from
Kosme.
Capping machinery is
represented by equipment from
Zalkin of France while Spanish
manufacturer Posimat is staging
the UK launch of the new Posilite
bottle unscrambler, a small
footprint machine giving speeds up
to 100 bottles a minute.
Dry-end equipment is
represented by the Variopac, the
latest generation of Krones’
shrink-wrapping machinery.
T: 01942 845000
E: sales@krones.co.uk
The Power Flex stretch hood
machine is on demonstration
securing a Euro pallet of drinks
cans for transit.
With a speed of more than 170
pallets an hour, the Power Flex
replaces two, sometimes three
traditional spiral stretchwrappers,
and is well suited to fragile goods
says Lachenmeier.
As well as working two or three
times faster than traditional
stretchwrappers, the stretch hood
machine also uses thinner film –
providing materials savings – and
can run for 15 hours on a single
reel of material.
T: 0161 205 3666
E: jk@lachenmeier.com
L AKE I MAGE S YSTEMS
Stand 4619
Digital high speed imaging
systems from Lake allow fastmoving machinery to be studied at
slower speeds, highlighting the
synchronisation – or lack of it – of
different motions and enabling
adjustments to be optimised.
The equipment extends from
hand held units for a quick
visualisation to advanced
K RONES UK*
Stands 5130 and 5230
Krones is exhibiting machinery
from bottle unscramblers through
to dry-end equipment and also
featuring its latest capabilities in
process technology.
Labelling machines include the
Krones Modul range, in which a
choice of labelling methods can be
combined in a single rotary
machine using wheel-in stations,
and also a reel-fed labeller for
Körber Medipak: MediSeal BIB-BOB system for late stage customisation
Lachenmeier: Power Flex stretch hood machine wraps 170 pallets an hour
instruments for quantitative
analysis and is available for
purchase or hire.
T: 01442 892700
E: sales@lakeimage.com
L ANDOR C ARTONS
Stand 5761
Landor is launching a crash lock
base carton erecting machine to
allow users of these cartons to
move from a manual loading
operation to automatic without the
costs of a change in carton style.
“In a number of installations,
manual working can be retained in
certain packaging cells while on a
higher volume line automation can
be implemented close by, using
exactly the same carton,” explains
the company.
The machine is compact, taking
up less floor area than the average
desk, and can be size changed in
less than 2 minutes without tools.
T: 0121 359 8511
E: packagingsystems@
landorcartons.co.uk
L ELY-W ELGER
R ECYCLING
Stand 5020
Welger waste compactors to be
seen include the industrial SB
3000 hydraulic model, capable of
baling 3000kg an hour. It
automatically handles big-bags,
plastic film, cardboard, wrapping
straps, foam off-cuts, sheets or
strips of paper, fleece and other
special materials.
Best suited to medium
quantities of waste – baling up to
1000kg an hour – is the SB 1000
model, while there is also the RC
660, a completely automatic waste
roller producing 25-30kg
cylindrical bales.
T: 01480 266888
E: recycling.engineering@
lely.co.uk
L IMPET TAPES
Stand 5717
The latest development of the Lock
n’ Pop pallet stabilisation system is
on demonstration showing how
pallet stability can be significantly
increased while reducing, and
sometimes eliminating, packaging
waste.
FDA approved, it is suitable for
use on a wide range of materials
and will allow partial pallet destacking without affecting the
stability of the remaining load.
T: 01480 459461
E: enquiries@limpettapes.com
37
with NexygenPlus test and control
software.
Hardware includes a twin
column LR10KPlus instrument
equipped with an EX800Plus
extensometer, a single column
LRXPlus instrument and an
FTPlus friction tester and MFI-10
melt flow indexer.
T: 01489 486399
E: general@ametek.co.uk
LOCK I NSPECTION
S YSTEMS
Stand 5720
Linx Printing Technologies: Introducing the new 6900 ink jet coder
L INX P RINTING
T ECHNOLOGIES
Stand 4325
The new Linx 6900 ink jet coder
can print up to five lines of text,
graphics and barcodes at speeds of
up to 8.4 metres/sec – the output
for a single line.
The colour control panel
incorporates a Wysiwyg display
and navigable menu system for
ease of message set-up and
preview while messages can also
be created and edited while the
unit is running.
The printer is washdown rated
to IP55 to ensure ease of cleaning,
with an optional IP65 rating for
dusty production environments
requiring an extra level of
protection.
Further exhibits include two
Linx 4900 CIJ printers, capable of
printing up to two lines of text and
logos at production line speeds up
to 6.25 metres/sec.
There is also the Linx 500SL
laser coder which uses steeredbeam technology for clarity at high
speed, such as label coding applications in the bottling industry, and
the IJ600 twinhead outer case ink
jet coder for simultaneous two side
printing.
T: 01480 302100
E: uksales@linx.co.uk
L LOYD I NSTRUMENTS
Stand 3044
A range of high performance
materials testing equipment for
the processing and packaging
industries is being shown together
Lock’s MET 30+ 3f/hf is a fully
automatic triple frequency metal
detector, capable of monitoring
goods packed in both plain film
and metallised materials.
The 3f/hf features an in-built
automatic frequency selection
facility which chooses the
optimum frequency, whatever the
product or packaging.
High frequency is selected to
inspect dry foods such as cookies
or snackfoods at 875kHz – said to
be four times higher than standard
food industry detectors.
Further exhibits include a
WeighChek CK belt-style checkweigher for products packed in
cartons or bags. A built-in
Smartweigh facility indicates the
weigh-pulse for each product and
displays any mechanical
interference experienced by the
loadcell.
There is also the MET 30+
range including an ATEX
approved vertical fall system and
the MET 30+ Pharmaceutical
capable of checking up to 30,000
tablets a minute.
T: 0161 624 0333
E: marketing@
lockinspection.co.uk
LOGIC TPS
Stand 4425
As well as examples of blister
packing, tablet counting,
inspection and feeding equipment
from several of its principals,
Logic TPS is demonstrating a new
high speed bottle unscrambler
which it has designed and built
itself. Speed is up to 120 a minute
with no need for changeparts.
One of the blister packers on the
stand comes from Korean
manufacturer Hoonga. The
HM400R features balcony
construction and can handle a full
range of materials at speeds up to
400 blisters a minute. It measures
just 2.7 metres long.
From German machinery
manufacturer Collischan there is
the Mincount Twin, a compact
tablet counting system for clinical
trial and small manufacturing
operations, as well as a
checkweigher.
Zellweg, Switzerland, is
showing a compact system for
filling and capping tablet bottles of
all sizes with no need for change
parts. It runs at speeds of 30 to
35 containers a minute.
Further exhibits include a new
39
MJ M AILLIS UK
Stand 5546
Logopak International: Shown for the first time, the 515TK keg labeller
tablet feeding system from
Elizabeth EPMO. This
combination unit for blister lines
can be switched between brushbox,
rotary drum, waterfall chute or
inclined vibratory chute feeding
systems.
T: 01344 750101
E: sales@logictps.com
LOGOPAK
I NTERNATIONAL
Stand 4531
Three print-apply labelling
machines are on show, two for the
first time in the UK.
Making its UK debut is the 515
TB /600 high-speed unit for
handling cases and trays of soft
drinks or beer and is shown
working with multipacks on a
rotary table at speeds of 60-80 a
minute.
Also on demonstration for the
first time is the 515TK keg
labeller, housed in a stainless steel
enclosure and mounted on a
raising and lowering support
structure built by Microdat,
Logopak’s partner in the brewing
industry.
40
The third machine is a Logopak
920PF two sided pallet labeller,
shown in automatic mode with an
integrated on-demand RFID
system. This minimises the high
cost of RFID tags by only applying
the tags to those labels and pallets
that require them.
Logopak Vigilance software is
running on all three machines.
This bar code checking software
collects data from a scanner and
reports good and bad reads in a
pie chart as a simple measure of
readability.
T: 01904 692333
E: salesonweb@logopak.net
End-of-line packaging specialist
Maillis is taking the largest stand
at the event – 585sq metres – to
present the latest developments in
its range of strapping and
wrapping equipment.
Mancon high-performance
stretch-wrapping machines are on
display, together with horizontal
and vertical strapping machines,
hand tools and various Maillis
Group semi-automatic stretch
wrappers, case sealers and shrinkwrapping machines.
T: 01773 539000
E: info@maillis.co.uk
M ARDEN E DWARDS
Stand 5560
The Evo-Fold automatic end-fold
overwrapper shown for the first
time by Marden Edwards is an
entry level machine capable of
speeds up to 40 packs a minute,
typically for applications such as
tea, confectionery, cosmetics and
tobacco products.
“The price of the Evo is actually
less than many automatic shrinkwrappers capable of wrapping
products at similar speeds,” says
Marden Edwards. “In addition,
BOPP overwrapping film is less
expensive and less wasteful than
the shrink film equivalent and
overwrapping consumes much less
energy than shrink tunnels.”
Also shown is the WR200s high
speed overwrapper capable of
speeds up to 150 packs a minute
and the B125LH8 compact
overwrapper with an integral
collation unit to provide
distribution and transit packs.
Bio-degradable film can be
handled by the machine.
T: 01202 861200
E: sales@mardenedwards.co.uk
M ARKEM S YSTEMS
Stand 4421
Markem is unveiling a new retail
coding compliance package that
relies on a combination of hardware and software to ensure that
packaging and coding matches the
product and are correct.
For example, SmartDate
thermal transfer coders now incorporate features to remove the risk
of invalid or incorrect date codes
while networking systems allow
code management to be centralised
and coding operations automated.
This extends to checking the
variable information output of
end-of-line ink jet coders, printapply case labelling equipment
and pallet labellers.
T: 0161 333 8400
E: england@markem.com
LONGFORD E UROPE
Stand 5515
Exhibits are taken from the
Longford range of customised
friction feeders, bandolier feeders,
sachet feeders, 3D premium and
desiccant feeders, pile sheet
feeders, and rotary pick-and-place
feeders.
All the feeders integrate with
any flow-wrapper, cartoner,
vertical form-fill-seal, or shrinkwrapping machinery, while many
are also integrated with bar code
scanners, glue systems, ink jet
printers and vision systems for
turnkey packages.
T: 01327 844000
E: jeffs@longfordint.com
Marden Edwards: New Evo-Fold entry level end-fold overwrapper
M EYPACK
Stand 5150
Mettler-Toledo: Introducing a new series of checkweighers
M ASTERFIL
Stand 4321
Filling and capping machines
include single head semi-automatic
and fully automatic flowmeter
based units which, as a result of
flexibility, ease of cleaning, size
change and accuracy are now used
in a wide range of industries.
These extend from personal care
products through to mineral and
edible oils, fruit juice, bulk
chemicals and paint.
The Multifil range of automatic
filling and capping machines has
continued to be refined. Suitable
for use with a wide range of
products, the equipment handles
containers of 5ml to 10 litres at
three variable fill speeds, with
nozzle rise patterns to suit both
product consistency and the shape
of the container.
T: 01296 425001
E: sales@masterfil.com
M ASTERFLEX
T ECHNICAL H OSES *
Stand 5068
Masterflex makes flexible hose
and ducting and is showing a range
of polyurethane hoses and
connecting systems for carrying
powders, granules and other
abrasive materials.
Also on display is a new range of
hoses and connecting systems for
42
the food, pharmaceutical and
chemical industries.
T: 0161 626 8066
E: info@masterflex-uk.com
M EECH
I NTERNATIONAL
Stand 4100
The new Model 992v3 Static
Generator will be shown among a
number of static control solutions.
The new unit can be operated to
generate a controlled level of
static charge that will create a
temporary bond between
materials.
Static control equipment
includes the 915 AC system and
the 976 Pulsed DC system, which
provides ionisation at distances up
to 1 metre.
T: 01993 706700
E: sales@meech.com
Designed and built for RHM’s
Manchester plant, the new VP
451 case packer in CleanDesign
execution is on demonstration.
The mid-speed machine is
equipped with a paddle chain as
well as an expanded magazine for
blanks and packs five different
types of blister packs containing
Indian poppodoms. In this way,
diverse product formations can be
created before being packed into
wraparound cases.
“With this machine we are able
to show that CleanDesign is the
right route for the food industry to
be taking,” explains Meypack’s
project director Brian Gannon.
“The open design makes
operation, maintenance and
cleaning of the machine much
easier.”
T: + 49 2509 940
E: info@meypack.de
T HE N EEDHAM G ROUP
Stand 4371
Continuous ink jet printers and
laser coders are on demonstration.
Citronex ink jets extend from
the entry-level ci500 to high-end
ci1000 systems and are shown
with features including the ciLink
web browser interface, which
enables complete control of a
system or a network of systems
locally or remotely.
The Macsa K-1000 series of
CO2 laser coders on show are
demonstrating their full range of
capabilities, from applying simple
codes to complex graphics,
barcodes and 2D codes.
User interfaces, including the
hand held terminal, touch screen
terminal and Marca software
demonstrate the flexibility of the
systems.
T: 01948 662629
E: info@needham-group.com
N EWMAN L ABELLING
S YSTEMS
Stand 4554
Two pressure-sensitive labelling
machines for the pharmaceutical
industry are on display.
The 4VAL tray-to-tray machine
applies both clear and paper labels
to a range of rigid cylindrical
containers, such as ampoules,
vials, and bottles at speeds in
excess of 200 containers a minute.
Standard features include
stepper motor drive of the label
web, straight label arm, virtually
no change parts, hand wheel
adjustment for rapid size change
and interlocked guarding.
Aimed at cylindrical, flat and
square containers the NV2
labeller is able to handle
containers of 10-150mm diameter
with minimal change parts, at
speeds up to 150 a minute.
T: 020 8440 0044
E: sales@newman.co.uk
M ETTLER -T OLEDO
Stand 4560
Product inspection equipment
includes the latest Profile metal
detectors and X-ray inspection
systems.
There is also the new X-Series
checkweigher, with a USB
download facility for quick and
easy data retrieval, as well as
automatic and manual weigh-price
labelling equipment.
T: 0116 2357070
E: enquire.mtuk@mt.com
Newman Labelling Systems: The 4VAL tray-to-tray labelling machine
& PRINT & APPLY LABELLING SOLUTIONS FROM DOMINO
Masterfil: Single head liquid filling machine from the Masterfil range
N ORD G EAR
O/K I NTERNATIONAL
Stand 5536
Stand 4131
The new Nordbloc generation
consists of seven two- or threestage gearbox sizes which are
available now or will be introduced
shortly.
The new design is based on
diecast aluminium housings which
have been optimised through FEM
calculations. This allows larger
and stronger bearings to be
integrated resulting in a higher
capacity for overhung and thrust
loads or a longer bearing lifetime.
T: 01235 558088
E: info@nord-uk.com
A redesigned case lining machine,
the Superliner SL220, is being
introduced with enhanced controls
and an improved sequence that
make the machine capable of 18
cycles a minute.
Built in stainless steel, the
SL220 makes bags of variable
length from rolls of continuous
gusseted tubing.
The bag is opened and placed
into a case, crate, drum or tray
with the neck cuffed over the
edges, providing a hygienic
container ready for filling with a
variety of food and non-food
products.
T: 01359 250705
E: sales@okinteurope.co.uk
N OVOPAC (UK)
Stand 5361
Two variants of the Novopac CD
range of shrink-wrapping
machines are on view.
The first is specifically designed
for wrapping oval bottles, and the
second is a budget version with a
simplified control system.
Also on the stand is a PR100
palletiser from Novopac’s sister
company Ital Pal.
T: 01403 740003
E: richard@novopac.co.uk
O N -L INE C ODING
Stand 5400.
Distributors for Danish
manufacturer Easyprint, On-Line
Coding is showing a wide range of
thermal transfer printers for
intermittent, continuous and
traversing motion applications.
There is also the touch screen
Unicontrol system with on-board
43
back and wraparound labelling
Other machines include a
Pagosystem 270i collapsible tube
labeller capable of 100 a minute
and the Pagosystem 148 for
decorating cylindrical products at
speeds up to 50 a minute using a
three-roll system.
T: 01206 755206
E: machines@pago.co.uk
design software and network ready
capabilities.
T: 0118 988 8300
E: info@on-linecoding.com
O RION PACKAGING
S YSTEMS
Stand 5596
Pallet stretchwrappers, orbital
wrappers and reel wrappers are on
display as well as a selection of
materials handling equipment.
The company offers a full range
of automatic and semi-automatic
systems available as either
standalone units or fully integrated
into production lines.
T: 01432 851129
E: enquiries@orionpackaging.co.uk
PACEPACKER
S ERVICES
Stand 4335
A C21 sack placer is on
demonstration operating with a
gusset reforming total bag control
system, conveyors and a Fischbein
stitcher. The system also includes a
print-apply labeller on the sack
placer to identify each pack.
There is also a Fanuc M710-iC
robotic palletiser with vision
system for handling sacks, crates
and trays.
T: 01371 811544
E: mail@pacepackerservices.com
PALS L ABELLING
Stand 5700
Packaging Automation: Fastfill 100 filling sealing and overlidding machine
vegetables and convenience foods.
It is capable of sealing plain or
printed film to cPET, aPET,
aluminium foil, polypropylene,
PVC and board and has a
maximum speed of 21 cycles a
minute.
There is also the PA182 semiautomatic hand turned rotary
table tray sealing machine.
T: 01565 755000
E: info@pal.co.uk
PAGO
Stand 4557
The Pagomat 6/3 labelling head
uses an air cushion to support a
variable length buffer loop of
labels between the unwind and
dispensing beak, eliminating
inertia in the system and allowing
high speed without risk of web
snatch or breakage.
Also shown is a Pagosystem 80
entry level model for front and
Labelling systems include models
from the Pals standard HS series
of heavy duty machines for the
food and pharmaceutical
industries as well as the Solo lowcost automatic labelling head.
There are also semi-automatic
systems for labelling both round
and shaped products.
T: 0161 620 0236
E: sales@palslabelling.com
PARAMOUNT
PACKAGING S YSTEMS
Stand 5511
Four examples of the new Alpha 6
series of flow-wrappers built in
Japan by Fuji are being demonstrated by agent Paramount
Packaging.
These form part of the new
range of Alpha 6 flow-wrappers,
PACKWAY
Stand 4320
PACKAGING
A UTOMATION
Stand 5310
The Fastfill 100 twin head filling,
sealing and overlidding machine
operates at speeds up to 100 pots
a minute. Containers up to
130mm diameter and 140mm
deep can be accommodated and
sealed with pre-cut or reel-fed film
and foil lids.
For lower volume filling requirements, the low cost compact
Fastfill 40 machine is being
demonstrated.
Tray sealers on display include
the fully automatic Vision 400
high speed machine suitable for a
wide range of meat, poultry,
44
Two machines are being
demonstrated by Taiwanese
manufacturer Packway: the PW563 semi-automatic case erector
and packing station and the PW0840BUAT automatic strapping
machine.
The case erector handles blanks
from 250 x 200 x 100mm to 500
x 400 x 500mm and can be
integrated with any case sealer to
secure the top flaps.
The automatic strapping
machine has a capacity of 30
straps a minute using 5mm strap.
Arch size is 850mm wide x
400mm high.
T: + 886 4 2359 1858
E: sales1@packway.com.tw
Pago: System 148 labeller uses a three-roll system for cylindrical products
all built as standard in stainless
steel on a balcony basis for hygiene
and ease of cleaning.
The FW3410B for MAP uses a
new design of long dwell
sealing jaws that move
with the film to give
extended sealing times for
hermetic seals at speeds of 130
items a minute or more, for both
food and medical devices.
There are also the FW3710B
machine designed for harsh
environments, a second FW3410B
equipped with a lugless belt infeed
and the FW3710B, Fuji’s latest
high speed extended dwell sealing
inverted flow-wrapper.
T: 01252 815252
E: fuji@paramountpackaging.co.uk
T OM PARKER *
Stand 5382
Colder Products’ new DrumQuik
PRO dispensing system is being
shown by UK distributor Tom
Parker.
It provides safe, easy and
economic extraction of chemicals
from rigid containers, helping to
reduce spills, contain hazardous
fumes and enhance safety. The
closed-system design allows users
to dispense chemicals by simply
removing a shipping plug and then
connecting the dispense head.
The DrumQuik PRO system
comprises a low cost, disposable
drum insert assembly and a
reusable quick disconnect coupler.
Applications include acids and
solvent delivery, paint and coating
dispensing, fragrance and flavouring production and pharmaceutical
sterilant handling.
T: 01772 251405
E: sales@tom-parker.co.uk
Vetta 3348 able to produce a
variety of styles including bags
with rigid corners, EasyPak
reclosable bags, zipper-reclosable
bags and stand up pouches.
PFM is also exhibiting its
MBP14 multihead weigher, one of
a range that extends from eight to
24 heads.
T: 0113 239 3401
E: sales@pfm-ltd.co.uk
P IAB
Stand 5716
Paramount Packaging Systems: Demonstrating Fuji Alpha 6 flow-wrappers
motion end load cartoner from US
based MGS Machine Corporation
is aimed specifically at the
pharmaceutical and cosmetics
industries with a ‘walk-in’ design
to give clear access for cleandown
and maintenance.
Speed is up to 90 cartons a
minute and the machine is said to
offer a particularly broad carton
size range within a compact
footprint.
Pressure-sensitive labellers
from Italian manufacturer
Etipack include the System 1 for
cylindrical bottles and jars,
capable of handling products from
18 to 80mm diameter at speeds up
to 300 a minute.
Further exhibits include
examples of US based Theile
Streamfeeder’s range of universal
friction feeders and collators, such
as the newly developed Flow-fold
Pro series. This folds U cards and
feeds them into flow-wrappers and
is said to offer major savings over
the more traditional means of
feeding and folding base cards.
In addition, there is the new
twin magazine Isis tray de-nester.
T: 01706 369000
E: sales@partnersinpackaging.com
PFM PACKAGING
M ACHINERY
Stand 5360
Flow-wrappers on display include
the new Pearl servo-controlled
model, said to be a versatile
machine for companies producing
a number of different size packs,
particularly in the bakery,
confectionery and produce
markets, and for contract packers.
There is also the Scirocco, a
high speed, long dwell, high
integrity seal flow-wrapper for
MAP, shown equipped with an
automatic feed system, and the
Swift entry level machine capable
of 80 packs a minute.
Vertical form-fill-seal
machinery is represented by the
Industrial vacuum technology
specialist Piab is demonstrating
quick and easy changeover with
the VGS 3010 (vacuum gripper
system), designed to increase
reliability at higher speeds in a
variety of packaging applications
such as carton erecting and
palletising.
There is also a new plastic bag
handling system aimed at
applications within the food,
pharmaceutical, personal care and
medical industries, and the Piab
Vactivator vacuum-handling
cylinder.
This features automatic stroke
control for low energy
consumption.
T: 01509 814280
E: info@piab.co.uk
FJ P ISTOL M ACHINE
S ERVICES *
Stand 5266
German manufacturer Heino
Ilsemann is demonstrating its
BMP-300 blister packing machine
in monobloc with the CMP-100
PARTNERS IN
PACKAGING
Stand 5610
New machinery is being introduced
for cartoning, labelling, product
feeding and tray denesting.
The new Eclipse intermittent
46
Partners in Packaging: Eclipse intermittent motion cartoner for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries
PFM Packaging Machinery: The new Pearl flow-wrapper
cartoner while Innojet is
demonstrating its Ventilus IEV 1
fluid bed drier for coating,
granulation, agglomeration,
drying, hotmelt and mixing of
powers, crystals, granules, pellets
and tablets.
From Mueller comes a selection
of drum storage and process
equipment and from Scanware
there are vision and inspection
systems for the pharmaceutical
industry.
Rommelag is displaying a
selection of products produced on
its latest blow-fill-seal Bottlepack
machines.
T: 01727 823461
E: info@pistol-mach.co.uk
PPMA AND PPMA
P UBLISHING
Stand 4380
Full details are available on the
range of services provided by the
PPMA, particularly the
Machinery Finder service, which is
running from the stand.
Copies of the current 20062007 PPMA Processing and
Packaging Machinery Directory
are on sale at a special exhibition
price of £25 and there is also a
range of PPMA publications
covering the latest safety
regulations and EU Directives.
Full details are available on the
current series of PPMA training
courses and seminars, while
visitors to the stand can register
for their own free copy of
Machinery Update, the journal for
buyers and specifiers of processing
and packaging machinery.
T: 020 8773 8111
E: administrator@ppma.co.uk
P ROPACK A UTOMATION
M ACHINERY
Stand 4610
Propack is demonstrating filling
and capping, flow-wrapping and
case-packing equipment as well as
a 12-lane stick-packing machine
from Inever, which is being shown
packing sugar.
Liquid filling for personal care
products is represented by an
eight- head Ronchi rotary
flowmeter machine able to handle
a wide range of liquid from thick
and viscous to thin and foamy
products.
In addition, from Comas there is
an ATEX specification semiautomatic RTS6 filling and
capping machine, which uses
adjustable pucks and an elliptical
track to present the containers to
the operating stations around the
machine.
Component sorting machinery
from DMP is represented by a
ZHS 1000 cap sorting and
orientating Model, which can
reach speeds of 300 a minute.
For flexible packaging Propack
is showing the Synchropack Pack
90 flow-wrapper aimed at regular
shaped products and low to
V
47
support device to hold the
transport ring on the neck of the
bottle during sealing. Speed is in
excess of 3600 containers an hour.
T: 01923 241231
E: paul.rollason@relco.co.uk
medium production runs and the
J+P KV250 case-packer loading
liquid filled sachets into trays.
Maximum operating speed of the
KV250 is 300 sachets a minute.
T: 02476 470074
E: office@propack.co.uk
R ADIX S YSTEMS *
R OVEMA PACKAGING
M ACHINES
Stand 4116
Stand 5251
Making its debut is the Autosort
MC-D, the latest model from the
Autosort Multichromatic range of
opto-electronic colour sorters.
Specially configured to handle
larger products such as carrots,
florets, diced vegetables or nuts,
the new unit complements the
existing MC-A which sorts smaller
products.
In operation, two or four
cameras are positioned to give an
all-round view, detecting defects at
top, tail and round the product.
A new ejector configuration,
combined with fast acting
pneumatic valves, is said to ensure
highly accurate removal of defects
and contaminants with greatly
reduced wastage of good material.
In addition to colour, the
Autosort MC-D can also sort by
size and shape, also removing
broken or undersize product.
T: 01794 830240
E: info@radixsystems.co.uk
Rovema’s latest high speed
bagging machine, the VPL 180,
breaks new ground by employing
linear motors to drive the two axes
of the box motion sealing jaws.
This gives speeds up to 200 bags
a minute and improves seal
quality, even on difficult films, by
allowing pressures up to 6000N
and sealing dwell times equivalent
to a maximum of 200mm of
vertical jaw movement to be set.
The machine can detect product
in the jaw at speeds of 170 a
minute and makes a double bag
without stopping.
The VPL 400 stainless steel
continuous linear motion bagger
for frozen foods and fresh produce
is also shown, offering the same
features as the VPL 180 but with
a speed of 150 bags a minute and
a wide format range of 80-400mm
wide and length up to 600mm.
The VVI 200 machine allows
three and four-side seal bags to be
made and has a motorised
adjustable former.
T: 01296 642060
E: sales@rovema.co.uk
R AQUE F OOD
S YSTEMS S ALES
Stand 5420
Shown for the first time, the PF2.5-4 piston filler can handle the
same range of liquids and semi
liquids – with or without
particulates – as other fillers in the
Raque range but has a smaller
footprint and greater flexibility.
This includes capacity to change
hopper configuration from gravity
to blender to auger.
Also new is a lane converging
unit that takes four lanes of trays
direct from a thermoforming
machine and combines them for
checkweighing and freezer
loading.
48
Rovema: VPL 180 bagger employs linear motors for the sealing jaws
In addition Raque is demonstrating how a vision system and
lane divider can be used to identify
a product by size, shape, or colour
and sent to the appropriate
packaging machine. Defects can
also be recognised in the same way
and the pack rejected or recovered
for re-work.
T: 01905 642820
E: sales@raque.co. uk
RDM T EST
E QUIPMENT
Stand 3346
Instruments on show include the
first unit to be able to measure
both residual headspace oxygen as
well as package leak rate,
allowing one quick analysis of two
critical variables in determining
pack performance.
Made by US manufacturer
Mocon, the system is joined by the
Mocon Aquatrace, a new unit for
measuring ultra-barrier films and
the low cost Permatran-C Model
10, which measures the CO2
transmission rate of plastic
carbonated beverage bottles.
The HT1-XS Hot Tack Tester on
show measures the strength of the
heat seal made by vertical formfill-seal machines.
T: 01279 817171
E: rdmtest@aol.com
R ELCO UK
Stand 4111
Relco is exhibiting a capless
induction sealing machine similar
to a custom unit built for Lee Kum
Kee the Chinese cooking sauces
manufacturer.
The Relco FCS-Auto cuts the
sealing membrane from a reel,
locates it on the bottle neck and
induction seals it in place with no
need for a cap. The machine is
made in stainless steel to a foodgrade design with an IP55 rating
for washdown.
Other features include an over
pressure enclosure with HEPA air
filtration to ensure a clean sealing
environment and a new neck-
Radix Systems: The Autosort MC-D colour sorter is being launched
Sealpac: The new SP-A8 is one of a new range of tray sealers being launched by the company
RTS F LEXIBLE
S YSTEMS
Stand 5311
Visitors are invited to take part in
a ‘Five-Minute ROI Check’, an
informal assessment to give a
snapshot insight into new
opportunities for automated
handling and robotics.
“We are hoping to give people a
new vision of how flexible
automation, integrated into their
processes, could release extra
capacity, reduce waste and even
help improve product quality,”
says RTS managing director David
Bradford.
There are two separate robotic
demonstrations on the stand - an
ABB IRB 340 Flexpicker and a
Staubli TX40 robot.
T: 0161 777 2000
E: flexible.info@rts-group.com
R USSELL F INEX *
Stand 4650
A specialist in fine mesh separation
technology, Russell Finex is showing
the latest additions to its sieving
and filtration units: the Blow Thru
sieve and the Mini Sifter.
The Blow Thru sieve is designed
to check-screen materials in
pneumatic conveying lines,
allowing processors to sieve and
transport material simultaneously,
while the Mini Sifter is aimed at
smaller processing and pilot plants.
The Finex Separator offers
increased productivity, lower noise
levels and upgrade flexibility and
can grade or size powders. Joining
this unit is a fully working
demonstration model of the
Horizontal Eco Filter and the 3in1
sieving station.
T: 020 8818 2000
E: info@russellfinex.com
S ANTON S WITCHGEAR
Features include an automatic
shutter on the print head, said to
improve ‘up time’ substantially
when using solvent inks and three
different levels of programming
that can be selected by operators
according to their requirements.
T: 01932 355191
E: sales@sauven-marking.co.uk
Stand 5440
Enclosed switch isolator and
disconnector switches are on
display, including Atex approved,
heat resistant, IP65 mild steel and
stainless steel, thermoplastic and
heavy duty glass reinforced Noryl
enclosures.
T: 01633 854111
E: sales@santonswitchgear.co.uk
S ATAKE ESM*
Stand 5541
Satake supplies equipment for size
reduction, sifting, colour sorting
and separation.
ESM optical sorters for the
food and plastics industry include
the ScanMaster series to remove
discoloured material, foreign
material and defects as small as
0.3mm from good product.
T: 0161 406 3888
E: vemberson@satake-esm.com
S AUVEN M ARKING
Stand 4523
Sauven Marking is launching the
CJ 6000 plus, a new range of ink
jet printers said to represent an
alternative to continuous ink jet
printers at less cost and with
virtually no maintenance needed.
S CHUBERT UK
Stand 4440
The robotic TLM – top loading
machine – on demonstration is
creating multipacks of drinking
yoghurt bottles at speeds up to
300 bottles a minute.
In place of a grouping chain the
machine uses Schubert’s latest
approach – a grouping robot – to
create collations on a grouping
belt to be picked up by a further
robot and placed in the multipack.
All TLM machines can be
created from just seven different
modules, all of which are
employed in the machine on show.
T: 01676 525825
E: contact@schubert-uk.co.uk
S EALPAC
Stand 5566
Sealpac has extended its range of
tray sealers with the new A5, A7,
A8, A10 models, incorporating
what are said to be the largest
single and twin lane machines
available, offering speeds up to
200 trays a minute.
Features of the A machines
include intelligent tool recognition,
simplified cable-free tool change
51
within 10 minutes, and orientation
of trays with flanged ‘ears’ such as
snack bowls as well as higher
speeds than their predecessors.
Sealing pressures are also
higher and there is larger and
deeper tool capacity together with
graphical representation of
production data.
Machines can be equipped to
cater for MAP, vacuum only, gas
flushing or a combination of both
vacuum and gas. All incorporate
the inside cut system for the film,
which is shaped and sized to sit
neatly within the edge of the tray
flange.
T: 0118 977 3400
E: sales@sealpac-uk.com
S ESSIONS OF YORK
Stand 4415
Sessions is launching its new Cat
Sleeve 500 shrink sleeving
machine and introducing the latest
addition to its range of multi-task
thermal transfer printers.
The RCP64 has been developed
specifically to print and apply
labels to round containers, from
the smallest vials up to wine
bottles, and incorporates a
powered bottle jig facility to give
quick and easy changeover.
Further exhibits include an
improved version of the RC30
pressure-sensitive labeller for
small cylindrical items and
difficult-to-handle products such
as vials, syringes, inhalers, pencils,
batteries, tubes and lipsticks.
T: 01904 659224
E: machine.info@
sessionsofyork.co.uk
S ILVERSON MACHINES *
Stand 5547
Shown for the first time, Silverson's
new ultra-hygienic in-line mixers
are the first of their type to gain
EHEDG Certification recognising,
says the company, the highest
standards of hygienic construction
and performance.
Features include interchangeable
single or multistage rotor/stator
52
erectors, case sealers, pallet
magazines, pallet roller conveyors,
pallet loaders, palletising robots,
and pallet stretchwrappers.
T: 01782 274100
E: info@socosystem.co.uk
S OLLAS UK
Stand 5173
Sessions of York: Cat Sleeve 500 shrink sleeving machine
arrangements as standard, giving
faster mixing times and finer
particle size. The mixer’s outlet
can also be configured to
tangential self-draining or vertical
self-venting positions as required.
Also to be seen are Silverson's
new L5 Series laboratory mixers,
while a range of standard batch
and in-line mixers and Flashblend
powder/liquid mixing systems are
on demonstration.
T: 01494 786331
E: sales@silverson.co.uk
S MITHS H EIMANN
Stand 5463
X-ray inspection specialist Smiths
Detection is showing two of its
machines – the Eagle Pack 240
and Eagle Pack 430 – and
introducing the new MDX
(material discrimination X-ray).
This uses technology developed
by Smiths for use in security
operations and is able to
discriminate materials by their
chemical composition, allowing
historically undetectable inorganic
contaminants to be found.
Also being launched is the
SimulTask 4.0 image analysis
software which provides enhanced
operation for the Eagle X-ray
inspection systems.
T: 01923 294400
E: terry.woolford@
smithsdetection.com
S OCO S YSTEM UK
Stand 4410
The modular construction of
components and parts in Soco
System’s conveyor system makes
it possible to meet practically any
demand says the company. It is
available in different lengths,
widths, and heights for both
vertical as well as horizontal
transport.
Modules include roller
conveyors, wheel conveyors, flexi
conveyors, driven conveyors, flexi
curves, belt conveyors, controllers,
vertical lifts, rotary tables,
weighing units, side pushers and
tilt tables.
Soco is also showing elements of
its complementary packing line
system that includes case
The Universal Folding Street
(UFS) is a new system which
eliminates the need for size parts
on the Sollas S60 overwrapping
machine, and is to be made
available to fit further
overwrapping machines in the
company’s current range.
Also making their debut are the
new Miniflex semi-automatic
overwrapping machine for small
batches, also incorporating the
UFS, and the Bandum UB
ultrasonic banding machine.
This hand operated unit has
been developed specifically to
handle heavy banding materials
such as ribbon.
T: 01256 896930
E: sales@sollasuk.com
S PARC S YSTEMS
Stand 5215
Checkweighers from Sparc are
represented by the TS210, an
IP65 machine for packs up to
50kg and speeds up to 350 a
minute, and the TS310 combined
metal detector and checkweigher,
which is controlled from a single
screen and available with ferrous,
Silverson Machines: New ultra-hygienic mixers on show for the first time
ferrous-in-foil and multi-product
frequency detection options.
There is also a carton weigher
that fits beneath existing roller
track conveyors and provides
accuracy of 1g in 50kg for diverse
applications such as soft fruit
packing, mail cost monitoring and
bulk goods checking.
Weighing equipment shown
includes a linear machine for
weights up to 1kg per weighpan
and a multihead capable of 160
weighings a minute.
T: 01684 310000
E: sales@sparc-systems.co.uk
in-weight metering feeders.
Spiroflow’s flexible screw, aeromechanical and vacuum conveyors
are able to handle a full range of
products from free-flowing salt to
sticky lumps of broken chocolate.
There are also nine types of big
bag discharger ranging from
simple bag support frames to
advanced models offering total
containment.
T: 01200 422525
E: sales@spiroflow.com
S PECTRUM I NSPECTION
S YSTEMS
Machinery suitable for the food,
medical devices, pharmaceutical,
chemical cosmetics and toiletries
industries includes the Langenpac
Vento horizontal cartoning
machine.
A continuous motion machine,
the Vento is built in stainless steel
and is available with a wide range
of infeed options. Changeover is
said to be particularly fast and
simple.
From UET comes a compact top
load cartoning machine on which,
as a result of the starwheel design,
various carton sizes can be
handled without tool changes.
Bossar is showing a pre-made
pouch filling machine that is
capable of being converted in the
future to form-fill-seal operation.
Speed is up to 120 a minute
S PRINGVALE
E QUIPMENT
Stand 5561
Stand 5231
New inspection solutions are being
demonstrated by Loma Systems
and Cintex, suppliers of metal
detection, checkweighing, X-ray
inspection, temperature
measurement and management
information systems.
These include the new Loma IQ3
metal detector – sealed to IP69K
for harsh environments – said to be
a true a multi-frequency machine
with the ability to select the
correct operating frequency in a
matter of seconds.
There is also the Cintex CS
Combo, a combined metal detector
and checkweigher, and the new
Loma X4 range of X-ray inspection
systems which use a new high
speed USB sensor and Windows
XP operating system.
The Loma XR X-ray machine is
said to offer the advantages of Xray inspection at a cost
comparable with metal detection
systems.
T: 01252 893300
E: sales@loma-cintex.com
Supreme Plastics: Pronova-Joker bag filling and sealing line
although a Quatro variant can
handle four pouches at a time to
give 240 a minute.
Feige is featuring filling
machinery from its range capable
of handling containers of 101000litres while Pack’Realisations
is showing a compact weigh
filling-capping machine that
handles 5 litre containers at 50 a
minute from a footprint of just
1.4sq metres.
From Behn+Bates there is an
Impeller powder/granule filling
machine on which, for cleanliness,
filling and sealing units are
integrated in a closed cabinet.
Machines in the range handle fills
of 1.5-1800kg.
T: 01420 542505
E: springvale@spingequip.co.uk
S UNALA
Stand 4221
A new Wolke m600 thermal
transfer inkjet printer is on
demonstration along with the
latest version of Sunala’s
Pharmacarton Coding Station,
designed for in-line printing of lot,
expiry and barcodes on
pharmaceutical and medical
cartons.
The Pharmacarton II has been
designed around the Animal
Health requirement of mass
serialisation using Datamatrix
codes and the proposed future
changes to European
pharmaceutical traceability
requirements.
In addition, there is a new highspeed print traversing unit for
coding on pharmaceutical blister
lines using newly developed inks
suitable for aluminium foil – the
Travtec TR-750 Speed-Feeder.
T: 01942 674440
E: info@sunala.com
S UPREME P LASTICS
Stand 4258
S PIROFLOW *
Stand 5604
Conveying and big bag handling
equipment includes a
demonstration of flexible screw
conveyors and their capabilities as
accurate loss-in-weight and gain-
Spectrum Inspection: Loma X4 X-ray machine with high speed sensor
Pronova-Joker bag filling and
sealing equipment can now handle
an extended range of packs
including those that require
hermetic sealing, stand-up
pouches and wet-wipe packs with
peel-off labels as well as laminate
55
uous motion cartoner is being
demonstrated fed by the
Robovision four-axis robot able to
cycle at speeds up to 100 a
minute.
Further exhibits are the
Millennium 120 tube filler and the
Multipack FA04 balcony-style
carton bander/bundler giving
speeds in excess of 50 bundles a
minute.
T: 01525 216201
E: sales@marchesini.co.uk
bags with gas barrier properties.
The Pronova machine works
with a continuous chain of preformed bags which feature
channels that allow the bags to run
along two fixed guide rods,
supporting and opening each bag
at the point of filling.
T: 01947 601012
E: info@supremeplastics.com
T EEPACK
S PEZIALMASCHINEN
Stand 5151
A new vertical form-fill-seal
machine with optional ‘air free
technology’ is being launched to
allow block bottom bags with
minimal air content to be produced
in continuous motion for the first
time.
Called Zenobia, the machine
allows users to choose between
continuous or intermittent
operation, depending on the nature
of the product and the particular
application. It is said to be ideal
for packing frozen food, pasta and
fresh produce as well as non-food
items. There is also an option to
equip the Zenobia with an edge
sealing system as well as a flavour
protection valve unit.
The machine can process bags
with a cross section of 60 x 40mm
to 200 x 100mm and a filling
height of 55-250mm.
T: + 49 2132 976-0
E: info@teepack.com
T ENEO (UK)
Stand 5733
Teneo is launching a number of
new products including two sealing
systems and a printer.
The KF800H I-Bar Sealer is an
extra long design of table-top unit
while the ME-455AI Automatic
Sealer for sealing thermoplastic
films is controlled by a plug-in
56
TNA E UROPE
Stand 5631
Teepack: Zenobia vertical form-fill-seal machine for block bottom bags
transistorised circuit board to
maintain consistency.
The ME-655HS printer is
capable of two lines with a
maximum of 14 characters per line
and can be fitted to any of Teneo’s
continuous band sealers, providing
a batch number or expiry date
during the sealing process.
T: 01472 250868
E: info@teneouk.com
T HERMO S CIENTIFIC
Stand 5664
Thermo Scientific is highlighting
its new 16-model strong Powerx
series of X-ray inspection
machines.
The equipment is capable of
inspecting a variety of products
from small pharmaceutical glass
vials to large, multipack cases
while the D models feature double
beam X ray architecture to detect
glass slivers or chips inside glass
containers.
Also on show are the EZx and
PROx X-ray systems, a selection of
industrial bulk weighing and
monitoring products, and the Apex
metal detector.
The GP range of checkweighers
now includes two recent additions,
purpose designed for the food and
pharmaceutical industries.
T: 01788 820300
E: sales.wi.uk@thermofisher.com
TMG M ARCHESINI UK
Stand 5521
Machinery on display for
pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
packaging – liquids, solids and
creams – includes the Neri BL600
linear labeller capable of handling
600 items a minute and the
Vasquali FTC12 electronic
counting machine able to process
tablets, coated tablets, and hard
and soft capsules at speeds up to
300,000 an hour.
There is also the MB430 blister
line, a servo driven machine that
can produce up to 300 blisters a
minute.
The MA155 horizontal contin-
TNA’s new Robag 3fx 320 rotary
flat jaw bagger is on show for the
first time integrated with a TNA
514 delta scale, a Markem
SmartDate 5 date coder and
Safeline metal detector, to form
block bottom bags for the
snackfood industry as well as
goods such as pet food, biscuits
and confectionery.
The integrated outfeed conveyor
ensures that each bag remains
standing after filling to reduce
possible breakage and damaged
product.
For pillow packs TNA is
showing a Robag 3fx 180 rotary
triple jaw bagger, integrated with
a TNA 320 Delta scale,TNA
Intelli-date 53T date coder and
Safeline metal detector. The
machine is able to produce flat bag
TMG Marchesini: Neri BL600 labeller can handle 600 items a minute
widths of 180mm at speeds up to
220 a minute.
The Robag 3fx 320 rotary
double jaw stainless steel machine
is also on demonstration making
pillow packs. Built with a stainless
steel exterior the machine is aimed
in particular at produce such as
potatoes, salad and cut vegetables.
In addition, there is the TNA
Roflo product distribution system.
T: 0121 628 8900
E: mktg_euro@tnarobag.com
T RAMPER T ECHNIEK
Stand 5211
Dutch manufacturer Tramper is
introducing its servo-controlled
tray sealing line on the UK market
for applications such as salads,
ready meals, meat and fish, nuts
and tropical fruit, and olives.
Each model is available with one
or two lanes and can be expanded
with servo-controlled options such
as de-stackers, product filling and
dividing systems and denesters.
T: + 31 113 312811
E: info@trampertechniek.nl
easy system modification and
upgrade.
To complement the new
conveyor, different versions of the
Belt Band are included on the
stand, as well as a spiral chute.
T: 01684 291100
E: sales@transnorm.co.uk
U HLMANN UK
Stand 5531
Said to be the fastest single lane
blister line in the world, Uhlmann’s
latest integrated blister line is on
show.
The Blister Express Centre 500
operates at speeds up to 500
blisters a minute – 20 metres a
minute web speed – and requires
just 20 minutes for a full threedimensional size change.
Made up of a B1550
thermoformer, MultiTab feeder
and C2504 cartoner, with
automatic size change, the line is
aimed at providing high efficiency
for batches between 30,000 and
150,000 blisters.
A continuous motion machine,
the B1550 employs a system of
contact-free film heating based on
near infra-red.
T: 01252 743120
E: info@uhlmann.co.uk
Liquid filling, cap tightening and
container handling equipment on
show includes the new Posifill V
semi-automatic volumetric filling
machine.
Available with two, three or four
filling heads, the Posifill V is
aimed at bridging the gap between
single head semi-automatic and
automatic filling machines.
Universal is also showing the
Posimatic EV automatic puck
filling and capping system, an
EV5000 four head automatic
5 litre filler and a selection of
semi-automatic vacuum and
volumetric fillers.
T: 01233 643666
E: mail@universalfilling.com
Stand 4150
Stand 4525
58
Stand 4223
W ALDNER UK
T RANSNORM S YSTEM
A supplier of turnkey conveyor
systems and modular units
Transnorm is demonstrating its
next generation of conveyor system
– Moduline – which minimises the
drive units required and allows
U NIVERSAL F ILLING
M ACHINE C O
Uhlmann: Forming station on the Blister Express Centre 500
The compact rotary three lane pot
filling and closing machine on
display is described as an ideal
entry level unit and has full CIP
and either servo or mechanical
control. Tool-free changeover can
be achieved in minutes.
Speed is up to 120 containers a
minute and a secondary overclosure can also be applied.
T: 01722 782625
E: david.pratt@waldner.co.uk
W ALSALL
E NGINEERING G ROUP *
W ILLY A B ACHOFEN
(WAB)*
Stand 4524
Stand 5572
Specialist engineering services to
the food, beverage and packaging
industries are being featured,
including installation of new
equipment, line re-installations,
conveyor and guide rail
modifications, overhaul and
breakdown services, conveyor
covers, guarding systems and
contract assembly of conveyors
and equipment.
Fabrication work from
Wallsall’s latest acquisition
Colwall Sheet Metal is on display,
together with examples of
processing equipment from
Powder Technology and guarding
systems from Milpass of Bologna.
T: 01922 405355
E: sales@sword84.fsbusiness.co.uk
A laboratory scale version of the
Dyno Mill is being launched on the
UK market by Swiss manufacturer
WAB, aimed at R&D work that
requires dispersion and grinding of
liquid and viscous products into
the nano ranges.
Small batches up to 100ml can
be produced, using the smallest
grinding media from 0.05-1mm.
Also shown is the Turbula threeaxis shaker mixer for powders, wet
and dry components or different
wet components. Models extend
from lab scale to machines
capable of handling containers up
to 55 litres.
T: + 41 (0) 61 6867 100
E: wab@wab.ch
WDS
Stand 4260
Exhibits are taken from the WDS
range of stainless steel and plastic
components for food processing
and packaging equipment,
including a new range of levelling
feet in a variety of materials
including stainless steel and antimicrobal plastics.
T: 0845 606 6677
E: sales@wdsltd.co.uk
W EBER M ARKING
S YSTEMS
Stand 4210
Examples of Weber’s print-apply
machines, label applicators and
label printers are on display,
including a number of RFIDenabled machines.
In addition GS1, the association
specialising in cross-sector supply
chain standards for bar codes and
all types of electronic business
communications, is represented on
the stand and visitors are able to
obtain independent advice on their
coding requirements.
Further exhibits from Weber
include bar code scanning and
60
Weber Marking Systems: Print-apply labellers include RFID-enabled machines
verification equipment to help endusers ensure that bar codes are
accurate and readable.
T: 01875 611111
E: sales@weber.co.uk
WESTERN MECHANICAL
HANDLING UK*
Stand 5743
The company specialises in
equipment for loading and
unloading spiral freezers, chillers
and linear ovens, as well as
systems for depositing oils, batters
and custards and tray handling
lines for Yorkshire puddings,
quiches and pork pies.
Infra-red grilling units are
supplied for surface treatment and
colouring of chicken pieces, potato
and cheese topped ready meals in
cPET or cardboard trays and are
often used to add capacity to
existing cooking lines.
T: 01579 383788
E: enquiries@wmh-uk-ltd.com
versions, the H-400 can be
supplied with options that include
external label rewinds and
guillotines and incorporates
sensors that allow labels to be
printed in bulk, or peeled
individually with the next label
printed automatically following
removal of the last.
Routine maintenance is said to
be simplified by a new printhead
mounting system that allows
untrained personnel to change it
over in less than 30 seconds,
without tools.
T: 01642 490121
E: sales@weyfringe.co.uk
W IRE B ELT C O *
Stand 4000
The new Compact Grid conveyor
belt is designed to handle smaller,
more delicate products while
providing a lower mass, openmesh belt design ideal for high
speed processing operations.
Lighter weight and lower mass,
along with an open mesh
framework, make the belt a more
energy efficient solution than
W EYFRINGE
L ABELLING S YSTEMS
Stand 4478
The H-400 is a new desktop label
printer that comes ‘ready to use
from the box’, with Easylabel
design and print software, a choice
of interface cables, ribbons and
labels ready to connect to a PC.
Available in 203 and 300dpi
Willy A Bachofen: Laboratory scale version of the Dyno mill
sealers and shrink tunnels as well
as a fully automatic L-sealer and
shrink tunnel.
A complete range of sleeve
wrapping systems for transit
packaging including inline and
side feed is also shown.
T: 01924 441355
E: enquiries@yps.co.uk
conventional belts, says the
company.
Information is also available on
customised belting for industries
such as food processing,
electronics, pharmaceutical,
automotive and textiles.
T: 01795 421771
E: marketing@wirebelt.co.uk
W ITT G AS
T ECHNIQUES
Y TRON -Q UADRO (UK)*
Stand 5417
On display is the Trimix range of
vacuum processing units for use in
the pharmaceutical, cosmetics,
and toiletries industries for
producing creams, lotions, pastes
and so forth.
There are also Microfluidizer
high-pressure processors for
production of emulsions and
suspensions in the nano particle
size range and examples from the
Ytron mixer range, including the
Ytron Y Directed Jet Mixer, for
homogeneous air-free mixing
within the food, dairy,
pharmaceutical, chemical and
beverage industries.
The Ytron ZC powder
incorporation unit handles
incorporation of difficult-to-wet
powders such as CMC, pectin, and
xanthan gum.
From the Quadro range comes a
U20 Comil size reduction mill
with simulated oxygen analyzing
and nitrogen purging and the
Quadro Smart ID system for
tooling identification.
T: 01494 792898
E: sales@ytron-quadro.co.uk
The Leak-master Mapmax is a new
non-destructive automatic in-line
leak detection system for MAP
packs using a low cost CO2
detection technique.
There is also the portable Leakmaster micro leak detection
system, which uses CO2 as a trace
gas and is designed for quality
control on a random basis
immediately after the packing
process.
Pack-Vac leak detection system,
gas analysers to measure the O2
and CO2 content in MAP packs
and hand held gas analysers for
factory, warehouse and
supermarket use.
T: 01925 234466
E: carl.long@witt.co.uk
W RAPS UK LTD
Stand 5462
The W700-80 fully automatic Lsealer and shrink tunnel has
recently been redesigned and now
features a new perimeter guarding
system providing easy access into
the machine as well as a new touch
screen control panel that gives the
operator more information.
There is also the Kallfass
Universa 400 automatic L-sealer
with side sealing, which allows
higher running speeds and a larger
range of pack sizes to be handled.
62
Stand 5768
Yorkshire Packaging: The SMAF continuous side sealing shrinkwrapper
Wraps UK is now British
representative for Paf Interpack,
which builds fully and semiautomatic sleeve wrappers as well
as tray erecting and loading
machines. On show is the Paf Interpack Easy 700 semi automatic
twin reel sleeve wrapper.
T: 01202 880204
E: enquiries@wrapsuk.com
clear product window between
discharges.
In addition, the machine is said
to use unique algorithms to retain
accuracy even at speeds of 210
drops a minute from an 18 head
model.
The G series checkweigher is
also on demonstration.
T: 0113 271 7999
E: sales@yamatoscale.co.uk
W RIGHT M ACHINERY *
Stand 5435
A complete flavouring system for
snackfood or cereals is on display.
It includes a tumble drum in
which the powdered flavouring is
applied to a continuous flow of
product and a Scarf feed system
that allows the amount of
flavouring to be accurately
matched continuously to the
weight of food within the drum.
The entire system is mobile for
use on a number of different
production lines.
T: 020 8842 2244
E: general@right.co.uk
YORKSHIRE
PACKAGING S YSTEMS
Stand 4011
Yorkshire Packaging is introducing the SMAF 4020 continuous
side sealing shrink-wrapper
equipped with a new intuitive
touch screen control system, a new
pack detection system and servo
control for higher speed.
In addition there are Rochman
shrinkwrappers, including semi
automatic combination unit L-
YAMATO S CALE
D ATAWEIGH (UK)
Stand 5530
The Sigma Frontier multihead
weigher is being launched as an
environmentally friendly machine
that produces less packaging
waste and less product waste by
the use of a special discharge
configuration that produces a
Ytron-Quadro: The U20 Comil size reduction mill from Quadro
SACHET FILLING
Liquid products demonstrate
Sachet versatility
ONCE THE PRESERVE OF POWDERS AND GRANULES, SACHETS, POUCHES AND STICKPACKS
ARE FINDING INCREASING FAVOUR WITH MANUFACTURERS OF LIQUID AND WET PRODUCTS,
INCLUDING PHARMACEUTICALS AND YOGURTS. ASEPTIC SACHETS ARE NOW ALSO A REALITY.
I
t’s been a while in the making, but the world’s
first aseptic machine for stand-up pouches is
finally up and running.
The machine in question is the SMA-260
from Italian equipment manufacturer Volpak,
represented in the UK by Integrapak.
The form-fill-seal system, which builds on
Volpak’s Ultraclean machines, represents a
breakthrough in aseptic flexible packaging as,
up until now, the only aseptic packaging options
were bottles or brik style packs.
The problem with that, as Integrapak sales
manager Michael Lindsay, points out, is that
“bottles are expensive and brik packs are getting a bit stale and, being rectangular, don’t
offer much differentiation.”
Mr Lindsay sees massive potential for the
technology in dairy applications, for, say milkbased drinks and yogurt and fromage frais products. “Basically it is suitable for any product
that needs an extended shelf life or is presently
distributed via the cold chain. The other advantage is that you can put a spout on the pouch, so
the format isn’t just limited to drinking yogurts.
‘Spoonable’ products such as fromage frais, for
example, can be squeezed.”
Several of the systems have already been
installed and validated at an undisclosed dairy in
France and, predictably, Volpak’s competitors
are intent on developing equivalent technology.
So with the competition eager to muscle in on
the action, it’s understandable that Volpak
wants to keep its cards close to its chest when it
comes to explaining how it has succeeded where
others have yet to do so.
“Because we’re the only people who can do it
and our competitors are desperately trying to
copy us we can’t give away too much about what
we do, although I’m sure they’ve got a pretty
good idea,” says Michael Lindsay.
Decontaminating the pouch
Essentially, the concept is based on the principle
of decontaminating the formed pouch using a
vaporised H2O2 solution inside and out. By sterilising the formed pouch the aseptic area is kept
to a minimum, making it easier to control.
However, besides making strides in aseptic
High speed tissues: German built Pilz FB530 ten-lane tissue line from FJ Pistol is capable of 750 a minute
pouches, Volpak has made further progress in
form-fill-seal technology for retort pouches.
Michael Lindsay reports that a principal manufacturer of cat food has switched from premade pouches to form-fill-seal pouches using a
Volpak SM machine running 220 packs a
minute, which is twice as fast as previous formfill-seal machines.
He says Volpak has achieved this by overcoming seal integrity issues. “The SM range has several features which enable us to offer better seal
integrity, such as parallel motion seal bars and
double sealing.
“On most horizontal form-fill-seal machines
the seal bar is hinged at one end and opens like a
fan then closes and applies pressure. This means
that on a bigger pack or heavy material, there is
more pressure on the bottom of the seal bar and
therefore on the bottom of the pack because
you’re closing there first. Parallel motion seal
bars open and close along the full length, distributing sealing pressure more evenly.”
Equally impressive speeds are being achieved
by Volpak’s SM range on spouted pouches for
fruit purees.
Historically, many food manufacturers have
shied away from form-fill-seal pouches on the
basis of slower production speeds and inferior
quality. However, as illustrated by Volpak, the
speed gap between pre-made and form-fill-seal
pouches is rapidly closing.
So too, is the quality gap, according to
Bramigk’s Phil Price. “Today, the quality of a
pouch made from the reel is equal to that of a
pre-made pouch, which alters the argument of
fill and seal versus form-fill-seal. It’s no longer
about quality, but about flexibility.”
Bramigk distributes the German-built Laudenberg range of horizontal form-fill-seal and
fill-seal machines, which have just been modularised to improve on costs, delivery times and
flexibility. Laudenberg has also launched a high
65
SACHET FILLING
speed continuous motion machine, capable of
producing up to 500 stand-up pouches a minute.
This uses existing technology for the film feeding, which links to a new continuous motion filling arrangement. The style and shape of the
pouch is unlimited as is the inclusion of fitments,
zippers and so on. The first machine has been
sold for packing a yogurt product into a pouch
with a spout fitment.
In addition, Bramigk has just secured an
order from a pet food manufacturer to install a
Laudenberg form-fill-seal machine in one of its
UK plants. The manufacturer already has identical machines – capable of producing six different stand-up pouch sizes – in operation elsewhere in Europe.
Round seamless pouches
even quadruplex machinery for producing up to
four pouches per cycle. For example, Clan Packaging has delivered several quadruplex
machines for filling facial creams into flat
pouches with a top cap to a high profile multinational company.
The pouch equipment industry might be a
hotbed of innovation at present, but sachets are
still widely used, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. Bristol-Myers Squibb, for example, packs powders for oral application in a
three-shift operation with a Sigpack Systems
RGS/KG3 sachet maker/cartoner at its factory
in Meymac, France.
The system occupies less than 7.5sq metres
and consists of a six-lane vertical sachet
machine, which produces 750 sachets a minute,
and an integrated intermittent cartoner, which
runs at 100 cartons a minute. In the UK Sigpack equipment is marketed by Bosch Packaging Services.
At the heart of the machine is a pulsing auger
filler, which completes 125 cycles a minute. An
in-line weight checking system continually controls and adapts the dosing volume by regulating
the speed of each respective scroll. Every sachet
is checkweighed on line and over or underweight
sachets are sluiced out via a dump gate.
With pharmaceutical products, seal integrity
is clearly paramount. On the Sigpack sachet
maker, web preheating and escorting cross-seam
sealing units are said to guarantee seal integrity
at high cycle rates.
In neighbouring Germany, pharmaceutical
manufacturer and contract packer Lindopharm
recently installed its fourth sachet machine to
cope with
increasing orders for the product ACC, which it
produces on behalf of Hexal.
Lindopharm wanted a machine that could
pack a minimum of four different powder and
granule products for 33 countries into fouredge-seal sachets, in a multiple shift operation.
It opted for the LA500/P700 from Mediseal
– represented in the UK by Körber Medipack –
on the basis of its high output, high dosage accuracy and ability to switch the embossing unit on
the sealing seam to an ink jet. Within six months
the LA500/P700 was up and running six days a
week on a two-shift pattern, producing over
700,000 sachets a day.
Another MediSeal pharmaceutical sachet
machine, the LA 400, which was launched at
Interpack 2005, is now in operation in France
and Asia. Indeed, Flexibility was a key focus for
Medi-seal in designing the LA400 edge-seal
sachet machine, according to the company’s
Stephan Plewa, who led the team that developed the new system.
But pouches are no longer limited to the more
conventional stand-up pouch formats. Laudenberg’s new Cyclero machine produces round,
seamless pouches, with flat tops or bottoms to
resemble a can, which can be fitted with a screw
top spout.
Ever shorter batch sizes
Flexibility in terms of formats, fitments and
“The ever increasing number of products,
sizes has been a key driver behind Mespack’s
accompanied by ever shorter batch sizes, is a
latest research and development efforts.
trend in edge-seal sachet packaging which has
At this year’s Total exhibition, the Spanish
gained importance in recent years. MediSeal’s
manufacturer - via UK agent Clan Packaging - is
experience in this area has been applied in full
introducing its H-150-FE system, described as a
to the new development.”
“highly versatile machine, offering a real alterThe LA400 can be deployed to package both
native to larger and more expensive machines”.
liquid and highly viscous products, powders, tisThis horizontal machine can form-fill-seal flat
sues and contoured bags or sachets. Fast conthree or four-side seal sachets and stand-up
version from one product to another is assured
pouches up to 150mm wide and 300mm high at
by quick release tool holders, servo drive and
speeds up to 120 a minute. It can be adapted to
IQCP (Integrated Quick Cleaning Procedure)
fill any product, from powders and granules to
dosing systems.
solids, liquids and pastes, and to incorporate any
Another newcomer to the pharmaceutical
fitment or closure requirements, from reclosable
sachet packing scene is the Arcotronics PSF
zippers to built-in drinking straws. It can
four-sided sachet form-fill-seal machine
also accommodate two filling stations,
from the Italian Omag and Arcotronics
allowing different products to be filled
Group, which is now represented in the
Propack Automation Machinery has recently supplied an
into the same pouch.
UK by Excel Packaging Machinery.
Enflex Model F-14 Simplex horizontal form-fill-seal sachet
Film transport through the
Several of the machine’s design
machine to R Sarant and Co, a UK company that packs powdered
machine is via servo-driven rollers,
features are patented, including
soup ingredients. In choosing a new machine, Sarant’s key criteria
allowing the pouch width to be set
the intermittent motion sealing
were reliability, ease of operation, maintenance and cleaning, and good
via the touchscreen. The film reels
system, the film draw-off system
technical back-up.
are fixed on pneumatically expandand the reel splicing system. The
The F-14 can form sachets ranging from 50 x 70mm up to 140 x
able reels, enabling quick reel
film system for unwind uses tan200mm and fill them with up to 300ml of product at rates of 100 units
changes. In addition, the electrical
gential friction to drive the idle
a minute. This increases to 400 units a minute with the Double Duplex
cabinet is separate from the machine,
film reel; reel splicing is carried out
model, which consists of two machines – a left-handed and a rightwhich alleviates the risk of damage to
outside the main body of the machine
handed machine – in a frame. The machine operates with two
the machine’s electrical components as a
for containment reasons; and with the
reels, one at each end of the machine. The pouches are
result of vibration, heat and humidity.
sealing system, when the machine is restmade from both reels and are finished at the
Besides its standard line of horizontal forming, the sealing plates open and swing
centre of the machine where the pouch outfill-seal equipment, Mespack offers triplex and
upwards to ease access for changeover, cleaning
feed is situated.
Souper
sachet maker
66
Precise dosing: Marchesini MS235 vertical sachet machine uses secondary screw feeders
or replacement of type when hot emboss coding
is employed.
Another Italian firm, Marchesini, has
redesigned its MS235 vertical sachet form-fillseal machine for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, to incorporate a new dosing
unit.
To guarantee precise dosing every time, each
dosing screw feeder is fitted with a motor-driven
secondary pre-screw feeder device which accurately feeds the product into each dosing channel. The secondary screw feeder unit is driven by
an independent brushless motor, which has
enabled Marchesini to dispense with mixers
around the dosing unit. The dosing system is set
up to provide weight checking and feedback on
each lane.
Marchesini says it is easy to change the sachet
length by simply altering a parameter on the display. In addition, the machine can be programmed so that the dosing device is automatically removed at the end of production.
FJ Pistol Machine Services is the UK agent
for the German-built Piltz FB range of sachet
machines for pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food,
automotive, chemical and household products.
It can deliver high capacity machines in various configurations ranging from one to 20 lanes.
The machines are PLC controlled and said to
offer low maintenance and full accessibility for
size changes and cleaning, as a result of sealing
stations that open 180deg. Installations to date
have included a complete pharmaceutical line,
consisting of a melting and mixing vessel and
FB330 medium output sachet machine, and a
ten-lane tissue line capable of producing approximately 750 sachets a minute.
Italian manufacturer Boato Pack, represented in the UK by Springvale Equipment, produces sachet machines based on three web
widths: the Europa up to 150mm, the Optimist
up to 250mm and the Tornado up to 450mm.
Each base machine can be fitted with a range of
servo controlled filling options including oscillating or tangential flow volumetric systems for
powders, granules, tablets and small sweets,
pumps for liquid dispensing, and a wet tissue
feeder for non-woven material, folded as
required with liquid inserted.
Boato Pack says its machines have been
designed to run at speeds up to 300 cycles a
minute, but electronically limited to 250. Typical running speeds are: powders and granules
up to 3600 sachets a minute, wet tissues up to
960 sachets a minute, ketchup at 960 a minute
or more, and large packs, of up to 250g of margarine for example, at 100 sachets a minute.
Stick-packing branches out
Stick-packing continues to branch out beyond
its core application area of single-serve coffee
and sugar packs and is emerging as a popular
packaging format for manufacturers looking for
a point of differentiation.
“Stick packs are increasingly finding pharmaceutical uses for the same reasons that made
them popular for foodstuffs – precise dosage of
contents, convenience, low product wastage,
67
SACHET FILLING
Pocket size stick: Gaviscon is packed on a Toyo stick-packing machine supplied by Selo UK
minimal consumption of wrapping material and
ease of secondary packaging,” says Sigpack’s
Holger Botsch. “These benefits are leading to a
remarkable expansion of stick pack usage in the
pharmaceutical sector, with some sources
reporting up to 30 per cent annual growth.”
One criticism that has historically been levelled at stick packs is that they are slow to fill,
however, according to Mr Botsch, while this may
once have been true, it is certainly no longer the
case. “Modern modular multi-lane machines
can fill up to 100 stick packs a minute in each
lane. So with a ten-lane configuration, the overall throughput is 1000 packs a minute.”
Yogurt in stickpacks
It’s not just in the pharmaceutical sector where
stick packs are catching on. They are also being
used in some unusual food industry applications.
Through its distribution agreement with German
stick packing specialist Schwarze Automation,
Integrapak has just installed a six-lane machine
for packing children’s yogurt into stick packs at
speeds of up to 270 sticks a minute.
“There are not many companies who would
tackle this application as it’s a high care product, so it has to be packed in a clean environment by a fully stainless steel machine with CIP
dosing equipment,” explains sales manager
Michael Lindsay.
Selo UK, representative for Toyo Machine
Manufacturing, is another stick pack equipment
supplier who sees massive potential in liquid
applications, such as yogurt and single dose
pharmaceutical products which eliminate the
traditional ‘bottle and spoon’ approach.
“The liquid stick side of Toyo’s business is a
key development. Imagine how much easier and
more portable a 5ml or 10ml stick is than a bottle of children’s liquid pain killing suspension,”
says Selo UK’s special projects manager (packaging), Tom Dowling.
Although not yet available in the UK, Reckitt
Benckiser’s Gaviscon products are sold in
pocket sized sticks in continental Europe. The
line, based in Hull, is a full turnkey solution from
68
Selo UK, and includes stick filling and case
packing. The line is designed with full CIP capability and has full traceability for all packaging
materials.
Propack Automation Machinery has recently
entered the market for stick-packing equipment
by adding the Inever range of machinery to its
portfolio.
Inever designs both customised and standard
machines for food and pharmaceutical applications. Key features of its machines include
180deg rotation of the vertical sealing bars and
the absence of cooling pipes and external wires
from the front of the machine to allow easy
access for cleaning.
A standard system can produce packs up to
200mm long and 45mm wide across five lanes
and is suitable for filling liquids, semi-liquids,
granules and powders.
Two new fast size change Boato Pack stickpack machines were announced by Springvale
Equipment at last year’s PPMA Show. On both
the six lane Tornado S6 and the four lane Tornado S4 size changeover is achieved simply by
exchanging the forming tubes, loading a new
reel of appropriate width material and resetting
the pitch of the slitter knives to create six or four
webs to suit the new pack width.
Length is set from the control panel by adjusting the servo motor driving the drawdown mechanism while dosing is via a tangential flow volumetric doser or separately controlled augers for
powders and servo driven pump for liquids.
The Boato Pack Tornado S6 is able to produce
stickpacks from 17 to 50mm flat stick width
and is aimed in particular at contract packers
being able, typically, to make 22mm diameter
sticks of coffee powder, 35mm diameter sticks
of cappuccino powder and also 50mm sticks of
drinking chocolate.
The S4 machine offers stick widths of 30100mm and can produce a pack up to 200mm
long at speeds up to 240 a minute . I
For further information:
Bosch Packaging Services
T: 01332 626262
E: ukenquiries@boschpackaging.com
Bramigk & Co
T: 01245 477616
E: info@bramigk.co.uk
Clan Packaging
T: 01753 830196
E: sales@uniclan.co.uk
Excel Packaging Machinery
T: 01865 400489
E: info@excel-packagingmachinery.com
Integrapak
T: 01420 593680
E: integrapak@integrapak.co.uk
Körber Medipack
T: 01753 754865
E: info@uk.koerber-medipak.com
FJ Pistol Machine Services
T: 01727 823461
E: info@pistol-mach.co.uk
Propack Automation Machinery
T: 02476 470074
E: office@propack.co.uk
Selo UK
T: 0151 644 9393
E: info@selo.co.uk
Springvale Equipment
T: 01420 542505
E: springvale@springequip.co.uk
TMG Marchesini
T: 01525 216201
E: sales@marchesini.co.uk
Fast changeover: Boato Pack six-lane Tornado S6
stick-packing machine
For full details of all PPMA members able to
supply sachet filling machinery, consult the
PPMA machinery finder service, tel: 020
8773 8111, or visit www.ppma.co.uk
ROBOTICS
Steadily, robots are staging a
Quiet revolution
WITH ROBOTS WELL ESTABLISHED IN END-OF-LINE OPERATIONS, UPSTREAM APPLICATIONS FOR PRIMARY
AND SECONDARY PACKAGING ARE THE NEW GROWTH AREA. THE UK IS BEGINNING TO MAKE MORE
PROGRESS, BUT MUCH OF THE QUIET REVOLUTION IS BEING PLAYED OUT ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE, AS
MICHAEL MADDOX DISCOVERED ON A VISIT TO GERMAN MANUFACTURER GERHARD SCHUBERT.
ritain may still be some way down the European league of robot packaging machine
users but the pace of change is quickening.
For example, when snack food manufacturer
Walkers sought a more flexible and lower cost
means of producing multipacks, the company
opted for robotic systems that can place up to
three different varieties of crisp bag in any chosen combination directly into the in-feeds of
flow-wrappers.
Four TLM-F44 picker lines from German
manufacturer Schubert, each feeding two flowwrappers, were installed in 2006 and now, with
efficiencies in excess of 97 per cent, more
machines are to be installed later this year.
Speed is up to 480 bags a minute with six
and 12 counts fed to the flow-wrappers providing up to 80 finished multipacks a minute.
“It was important to find an innovative and
efficient packaging solution as we focus on
reducing costs and raising efficiencies every
day. The payback period had to be right because
our return on investment target is very high and
it is essential that every new investment reaches
this target,” explains Mark Grover, director of
potato crisp production at Walkers.
“It was a challenging proposition to find a
viable technological solution for packing our
multi-packs, which delivered high efficiency
and flexibility. While the Schubert solution was
not the cheapest, it became the preferred solution when all aspects were considered.”
Elsewhere across Europe the inherent flexibility, reduced labour costs and rapid format
changes available from the latest robotic systems are, it seems, challenging traditional
packaging concepts, particularly in creating
primary, secondary and even tertiary packs on
the same machine.
For example, a Dutch brewer is soon to take
delivery of a 26 metre long, 11-station Schu-
B
70
bert robotic system that loads bottles into multipack clusters and then trays at the rate of 917
bottles a minute.
While at first glance this speed may not be
that exceptional within the bottling industry,
the key to the brewer’s decision to buy this, its
second line, lies very much in the rapid
changeover between three bottle sizes, and four
formats of clusters and final tray sizes.
Apart from creating the clusters, inserting a
partition and closing before erecting and loading the tray, the machine also erects and secures
the lid. Up to 38 trays a minute can be handled.
Further expansion
Although Schubert initially established its
name largely in the confectionery industry with
multiple picking systems to load trays and cartons of chocolate assortments, the company is
now experiencing increasing demand from a
broad spectrum of industry with the result that,
early next year, Schubert will complete a further 5000sq metre extension to its factory and
begin to expand the current workforce of 650
by a further 150 employees.
Gerhard Schubert, who founded the company
40 years ago, agrees that the growing success
of robotic packaging systems generally is very
much down to fast changeover and flexibility to
handle new products in the future but, he points
out, space considerations and a quest for simplicity are important factors as well.
“Years ago one used lots of different
machines – cartoners, fillers, closers – all
linked by conveyors. But that’s out. Now we can
integrate the operations in the same compact
machine – particularly primary and secondary
packaging.
“Electronics and software give us the overall
flexibility but we have also reached the point
where our mechanical components are so flexi-
ble that our TLMs – Top Loading Machines –
can be built up from just seven different types of
module.”
The Schubert philosophy is immediately
apparent in the fact that robotics are used for
virtually all of the packaging process, rather
than, for example, the more conventional mix
of robotic loading with more traditional methods of carton, tray or case erection and closing.
For example, carton or tray blanks are usually held in multiple magazines at the transfer
unit, a two-axis robot that delivers the blanks –
or indeed other packaging such as thermoformed trays – into the line. Picking is usually
on multiple tooling.
Carton and tray blanks are usually plunge
erected in multiple female dies – equipped with
rollers to prevent scuffing the graphics – while
blanks for open-ended multipacks will be
plunge erected into pucks as carriers. Equally,
closing is carried out by robotics with glue and
tuck mechanisms handled by the tooling.
Further modules are the grouping chain or
“racetrack collator” to create collations, a
vision system for applications involving random
product in-feed, the high speed TLM-F44 picking robot for handling piece parts, a vacuum
conveyor - one of the latest developments - and
the TLM-F2 robot for loading collations.
Making tooling simpler
Tooling for all tasks is clearly crucial and is currently very much under the spotlight as Gerhard
Schubert explains:
“The temptation for designers is to make
tooling too complicated. We have always to
think about how we can make it simpler and so
make it more reliable. Currently the average
price of tools is €16,000 but my goal is to
reduce the average to €5000.”
Machine frames are modular, sharing a com-
Crisp multipacks: Installation for Walkers loads mixed flavours into flow-wrapper infeeds
Yogurt pots: Multipack assortmernts are created
and loaded into board sleeves by this line
Bottles: One of several machines for loading bottles
into board multipacks, erected and carried in pucks
Collation by robot: Schubert’s latest system dispenses with racetrack collators and is faster to change over
mon style with all electrical control cabinets
installed at the top for improved access and
hygiene, and are all sized to the application.
However, the grouping chain module may
well give way in the future to Schubert’s latest
development, the grouping robot, offering the
flexibility of changeover mostly via software,
rather than size and format parts.
The system was demonstrated in the UK for
the first time at last year’s PPMA Show and
will return in May this year for the Total exhibition, but set up for a different product to further
demonstrate its capabilities.
Instead of directing a lane of product into the
pockets of a racetrack collation system to
achieve the correct count, the new system operates with product arriving at random orientation on the infeed conveyor.
Four-axis robots guided by vision systems
pick the products and build appropriately
pitched collations on an intermediate conveyor.
Further robots then pick whole layers from the
intermediate conveyor and load the cartons or
trays.
The result is a system in which count, pitch,
and orientation are all under software control,
allowing this element of the line to be changed
over instantly.
A further time-saver is Schubert’s new vacuum conveyor in which lateral guides and interchangeable suction plates, sized to the job,
replace flights. Located via pins on servo driven
belts, and also held in place by the vacuum,
these are able to transport containers between
stations at speeds up to 9 metres/sec and to a
positional accuracy of 0.1mm.
However, for the future Gerhard Schubert is
looking towards even higher levels of automation and, at Interpack next year, the company
will unveil a system in which tools are stored
and automatically changed, in very much the
same way as a machining centre in the metalworking industry. Even further automation
could also be on the way.
“Lights-out operation is my vision,” he says.
“It may of course never be possible, but it is a
direction we have to follow.”
This direction could lead to RGV-mounted
robots, tool carriers and materials magazines
that position themselves automatically around
a base conveyor to carry out the job in hand.
Each robot could be virtually self-contained and
move off line in the case of a fault, to be
replaced by a spare that moves itself into place.
Schubert’s factory is now working to full
capacity, hence the expansion planned for next
71
ROBOTICS
year, and it is significant that of some 14 or so
lines under construction in mid-March, just one
was for the confectionery industry.
Indeed, cereals, cheese, snack foods, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pet foods,
yogurt pots and beer bottles are just some of the
goods now handled on Schubert’s machines,
illustrating the way in which the application of
robotic packaging systems continues to spread
across a broad sector of industry.
In cereals, for example, four machines currently being built for a UK customer to handle
flow-wraps each containing two bars will each
be capable of producing three different carton
sizes – for 12, 16 or 20 bars and 24, 30 and 40
bars – at speeds of 252 flow-wraps a minute.
Two, three and four layers are loaded into an
erected carton to achieve the desired count.
The design of the machines also allows
options of eight and 48 products to be handled
in the future if required.
In operation, the carton blanks are taken two
or three at a time from the magazine, plunge
erected and carried into the loading area on
vacuum conveyors. Two or three collations of
product are created in a racetrack collator and
transferred by robot onto a grouping table
where each collation is tightened between
expanding flights to eliminate inter-product
spacing. Layers are then placed in the cartons
by a further robot.
Each machine is also fitted with a station for
loading premiums and the top load approach
allows items such as CDs or booklets to be handled easily.
For handling vials of eye drops at high speed
Tea bag cartoning: Product is loaded into the blue
carriers and then tipped into the cartons
– up to 500 pieces a minute – Schubert has
built a machine capable of providing packs
holding 25, 50, 75 and 100 vials, which come
supplied in trays in groups of five, moulded and
filled together.
Particular features of this machine include
six robot arms to load the groups of vials alternatively at 180 deg in a nesting pattern, a packaging security system that reads 2D codes on
the product, carton and leaflet, and a laser
coder to mark each carton.
In the dairy industry, Schubert has built a
number of machines to handle various forms of
multipack yogurt pots and has just completed a
machine capable of sleeving four packs and
mixed flavour eight packs at the rate of 800
pots a minute. It is built in stainless steel and to
an IP67 specification to enable wash down.
Fed straight from the thermoformers the
machine ends with an elevator that takes trays
of sleeved product to an upper floor for end-ofline packaging.
Teabag cartoning is not traditionally associated with robotic packaging systems, but Schubert is also just completing a third system for a
customer to load up to 80 cartons a minute,
with a choice of three carton sizes and counts –
40, 80 and 160.
The key here is a carrier system of mini tote
bins that accept the teabags in the appropriate
count straight from the bagging machine and,
once at the loading position, are lifted and tilted
by the robot to empty into the cartons, preerected on the machine. As they travel to the
robotic closing station the cartons are gently
vibrated to settle the contents.
Further machines recently completed by
Schubert include a system to load pet food tins
into trays at the rate of 650 tins and 80 trays a
minute, and a machine to erect and pack octagonal slip-lid cartons with cheese at 80 a minute.
One of the largest machines still to be completed is a 40 metre long line to provide a variety of multi-packs and final packaging for
200ml cups of babyfood.
Meanwhile Schubert’s TLM-F4 robot has
also been recently upgraded with carbon fibre
arms to reduce weight by 25 per cent compared
with the previous aluminium components, giving higher speed and also longer life by reducing
stress on the gearbox. I
T: 01676 525825
E: contact@schubert-uk.co.uk
Continuous motion raises thermoform-fill-seal efficiency
Schubert last year applied its TLM concept to
thermoforming with the introduction of a continuous motion form-fill-seal machine - the
TLM T800 - in which trays formed on two
outer thermoforming lines are filled by its
TLMF44 picker robots from product arriving
at random on a central conveyor. Four Schubert thermoforming lines are now in operation
in Europe.
Applications extend from cosmetics to confectionery while the thermoforming process
can be employed equally for solids, pastes or
liquids.
Continuous motion improves efficiency,
allowing the robots to work uninterrupted with
no dead time and avoids any problems with
products that could move out of place or slop
72
Continuous motion: The thermoforming lines are
fed by robot from the central product infeed
when subjected to the stops and starts of intermittent motion.
The machine creates the cavities with recip-
rocating top and bottom tools that travel with
the webs and run at speeds up to 20 cycles a
minute. All types of thermoformable packaging films can be handled by the machine, which
has forming areas of 300 x 400mm wide and
can provide a maximum 80mm depth of draw.
Depending on the type of product, Schubert
is able to place up to 15 robotic picker stations
in the loading area allowing some 3300 items
a minute to be placed if necessary.
The sealing and punching stations – which
also move with the webs – are equipped with
ultrasonic sealing tools that provide a particularly secure seal and handle all tray sizes. Only
the bottom tool is a size part.
Facilities to produce modified atmosphere
packs can also be mounted on the TLM-T800.
SLICING AND DICING
Fixed weight and count bring
Knife edge decisions
SUPPLIERS OF SLICING AND DICING EQUIPMENT ARE MEETING USERS’ NEEDS TO LIMIT
GIVEAWAY ON HIGH-VALUE FIXED WEIGHT AND FIXED SLICE-COUNT PACKS, AVOID PREFREEZING OR CHILLING OF MEAT AND ENSURE OPTIMUM IN-PACK PRESENTATION.
ne of the challenges, and the charms, of
many of the best meat and cheese products
is the variation in size, shape or consistency. As
with any good void-filled Dutch or Swiss cheese,
the consumer is likely to see this as part of the
product’s specific character. The more irregular
the profile, the less processed – or more authentic – it appears.
From the processor’s point of view, this has
meant that historically it has been extremely
difficult to combine fixed weight with a fixed
slice-count on this type of product. Automation
has never sat easily with minimising giveaway
and, at the same time, safeguarding quality.
Of course, when handling cheaper types of
meats with, for instance, a uniform round or
square profile, checkweigher feedback systems
can perform this task fairly accurately. But as
Tony Ambrose, sales and marketing director at
AEW Delford Systems, puts it: “It’s bit like
driving a car looking in the rear-view mirror.
It’s fine if you’re on a straight road.”
The first “sharp intake of breath” in the
industry came in the late 1980s and early
1990s, says Mr Ambrose, when retailers
started to ask for fixed weight and fixed slice
count for bacon.
More recently, there has been a more general
move away from water-filled commodity
processed meats. Over the past two and a half
years, this has fuelled growth in premium ownlabel ranges such as Tesco Finest, presenting
many more suppliers with a similar problem.
Clearly, with higher value products, the need
to limit giveaway on fixed weight packs
becomes more pressing. It would be easy, says
Mr Ambrose, to consistently add an extra 10g
to a 140g pack. But the latest systems are said
to cut this giveaway to around 1g.
This saving has been achieved thanks to a
new generation of vision and laser systems.
According to AEW Delford, its PolySlicer
Vision uses these technologies to scan the con-
O
74
tours and consistency of any meat or cheese
product at the cutting face. Says Mr Ambrose:
“For each new slice, it measures the surface
area, any voids, ratios of fat to lean meat, and
will make an adjustment of the slice thickness
to suit.”
The company says this means high onweights, low giveaway, consistently accurate
grading and high output, all with minimal operator intervention. The system, introduced last
year, has already seen installations in the UK,
the Netherlands, Sweden, Poland and Korea.
Depending on the value of the product, payback
is said to be within around two years.
This latest slicing system from Delford is
available with either gripper or continuous feed.
As with any product which is potentially fragile
and needs to be attractively arranged, the compromise between precision and speed is a key
one. Delford’s solution after the slicing stage
involves a switch from a two-speed conveyor to
a three-speed conveyor.
Shingling conveyor
As they are shingled, the slices move at a slow
speed on the first “jump” conveyor. As each collation is completed, the conveyor automatically
ramps up from slow to high speed. As the line
starts to slow again, transfer to a second conveyor occurs at an intermediate speed.
The match in conveyor speeds has to be
exact, says Tony Ambrose, as any mismatch will
mean that the shingling pattern is either closed
up or stretched. While the first conveyor continues to slow to the point where newly-sliced
product is placed on the line, the second maintains the intermediate speed to allow each pack
weight to be checked.
Before the robot tray-loading stage, any
product which is off-weight or rejected for quality reasons is diverted to another conveyor,
which the robot picking head ignores.
The Intelligent Portion Loading (IPL) Robot
Tray loading: Delford Intelligent Portion Loading
(IPL) Robot can have up to six picking heads
can be used with the PolySlicer or any other
portioning machine or slicer. One unit can be
equipped with up to six picking heads while a
front-end vision system can be used to monitor
product faults such as burnt portions, oversize
items and orientation. Its C-frame design will
sit over various tray-sealing and thermoforming
lines, and can be moved from line to line to meet
changing production demands.
In the case of the IPL, Delford has patents on
the gripper system. “We concentrate on products, especially in the protein industries, which
you can’t pick up with a vacuum,” says Mr
Ambrose. The robot is around two years old, but
after a slow start, Delford says it has sold 15 in
the past year in Europe and the Far East. Applications have included bacon, fresh meat and
fish. In Poland, one installation is handling
sliced cheese.
For the past four years or so, the same
sophistication found on the PolySlicer Vision
has been available in AEW Delford’s SmartSlice Vision Plus. But this system is used for
automatic, intelligent portioning of fresh boneless meat.
Tony Ambrose explains: “It builds up a 3D
picture of the bulk piece of product. The
machine then decides, just as a butcher would
The
Vision and laser measurement: PolySlicer Vision from Delford adjusts slice thickness to product area
including the variable frequency drive are now
considerably more compact, and are fitted
under the main body of the machine for easy
maintenance.
Drive and feed rolls
Cut and place: Pizzamatic machine supplied by JBS
slices and places product such as pepperoni
decide, the best way of portioning it for different cuts. It will prioritise on the basis of what
particular customers will offer for certain cuts,
and on the highest returns available.”
Meanwhile, Urschel has launched the Model
M6 machine which incorporates the company’s
established dicing, strip-cutting and shredding
technology, but now has hinged panels to allow
easier access for cleaning and maintenance. “It
is about hygiene and keeping the guarding off
the floor,” says technical director Paul Bruce.
“People don’t like having to lift the sides of the
machine off, and the manual handling regulations are against it.”
In addition, says Urschel, the electrics
For shredding, the M6 grips a slab of product
between a drive roll and feed roll. Depending on
the effect required, it is then shredded either by
blunt cross-cut knives or shredding discs. In dicing mode, the machine grips the meat in the
same way, but then uses a combination of circular knives and cross-cut knives to create first
strips and then cubes. Unlike many competitor
machines, says Urschel, the M6 can handle tempered product, with no need for pre-freezing.
Recent customers include Sun Valley which
has seen an upturn in its poultry business. The
machine is being used to cut chicken into strips
for use by fast-food chains.
For dedicated dicing, Urschel’s US parent
company has the DiversaCut range, with models
suitable for meat products and vegetables. In
the two years since its launch, says Mr Bruce,
the machine’s popularity has grown. He
explains: “Where it wins over our earlier Model
G machine and competitor systems is that you
can go down to 3mm cubes or up to 20mm. No
other single machine can do that.”
For cutting hard salami, sausages and preformed roasts, the DiversaCut uses a combination of a slicing knife to cut sections of product,
circular knives to produce strips and then a
cross-cut knife to dice. The machine can also be
used to generate flat and crinkle-cut strips of
y
.
SLICING AND DICING
meat. Like the M6, the DiversaCut range has
hinged panels for trouble-free access.
According to Urschel, not all applications fit
neatly into established meat and vegetable categories. For more diverse shredding and milling
applications, its equipment is now in demand
for manufacturers of everything from Indian
spices to fruit smoothies, says Mr Bruce.
Other recent launches in the slicing area
include the A500-W from Bizerba. First seen in
the UK at last year’s Foodex Meatex, the automatic system offers built-in checkweigher feedback for dynamic portioning. Immediately after
being cut, each slice is weighed to ensure it is
inside the preset weight tolerance. Slice thickness is automatically adjusted, if necessary.
The machine, which is built to IP65 standards, is operated from a touchscreen which
can be used to access the various slicing programmes. Output is up to 250 slices a minute
and product can be either shingled or stacked.
No freezing required
The precision of the system means there is no
need to pre-freeze fresh product, says Bizerba,
and so slicing can be carried out anywhere in
the -4 to +7deg C temperature range. Importantly, the blade can be sharpened when still
inside the machine, reducing downtime and the
risks associated with handling a sharp blade. A
simple control activates the automatic bladesharpening programme.
The Food Machinery Company supplies cutting and dicing equipment from Feuma, Germany, suitable for vegetables or meat products
such as bacon with the AE10 model, for example capable of hourly volumes between 500 and
750kg. The smaller AE6 handles volumes of
100-200kg an hour.
As such, the AE6 benchtop system is more
appropriate for applications such as banqueting
and hotels. However, it is used in development
kitchens and in smaller-scale production.
According to sales manager Lee Gapper, at
least two food companies in the UK have
installed the AE6 in this type of application in
the 18 months since it was launched. One of
these companies has also placed an order for
the AE10. In this case, the machine will be
shredding lettuce.
Changeparts on the smaller of the two
machines allow the drive unit to be set up for
slicing and dicing operations, but also strip cutting, grating, mincing and even steak tenderising. Slice thickness on the Feuma machines can
be adjusted between 0 and 8mm.
76
Hand-cut by machine: Output from the GMC Cube
King dicing machine supplied by Selo UK
Where the slicing operation is part of a more
complex food process, two vital considerations
are the consistent quality of the cut and placing
accuracy of each slice. JBS Process Engineering now supplies equipment which addresses
each of these issues for in-line applications such
as pizza or open sandwiches.
JBS markets linear and rotary slicer/applicators from the US Pizzamatic Corporation.
Unlike other systems which use disposable band
blades, says JBS, these machines have hardened rotary blades that can be sharpened for
continual use. If this is done, the edge will
remain sharp enough to cut even frozen meats
and cheeses.
This ability to maintain optimum sharpness
means that the system gives above average
weight-per-slice precision and “surgical-like”
cuts without serrations.
For dicing, Selo UK supplies equipment from
the US General Machinery Corporation
(GMC). Sales manager Malcolm Griffiths
explains: “As consumers have become more
aware of food quality, and more discerning in
what they buy, there has been a change in the
specification of diced meat from supermarket
buyers.” In the past, he says, ‘machine-diced’
often meant that meat was chilled down, then
compressed and forced through blades.
“However, producers and retailers now want
an accurate, well-defined dice, indistinguishable from hand-cut product, with the minimum
of labour,” says Mr Griffiths. He claims that
GMC’s Cube King and Rotary fresh meat dicers
are among the very few automatic dicers that
can meet these requirements. They are suitable
for red meat, poultry and even fish.
Mr Griffiths continues: “The great advantage
of these machines is that they do not put the
product under physical pressure. There is no
distortion of the product or blood loss, so that
the final result is a well-defined dice that has
retained its moisture, colour and bloom to give
maximum yield and shelf life.”
The GMC equipment allows product to be
sliced at ambient temperature, with no need for
chilling or case-hardening. According to Selo,
many retail specifications now call for dicing
either by hand or by a GMC machine. I
For further information:
AEW Delford Systems
T: 01603 700755
E: norwich@aewdelford.com
Locate and place product
Rotary and linear models are available. The
rotary RSA-125 can locate and place product
on up to 125 random-spaced targets a minute
on a single lane. This degree of accuracy in
placing slices is due to the use of servo controls
on the turret, says JBS.
The cantilevered LS2000 linear machine can
be independently mounted above an existing
conveyor and will top 12in pizzas with sliced
product at speeds up to 45 a minute, says the
company.
Slicer-applicators used extensively on pizza
and sandwich lines are also supplied by Selo
UK, manufactured by the Dutch parent company. According to Selo, the machine incorporates a method of blade lubrication which
ensures a clean cut, even with difficult materials. The chute geometry is designed for easy
loading, minimising damage to fragile products, points out the company.
Bizerba (UK)
T: 01442 240751
E: info@bizerba.co.uk
JBS Process Engineering
T: 01778 346168
E: graham@jbspe.com
Selo UK
T: 0151 644 9393
E: info@selo.co.uk
The Food Machinery Co
T: 01634 272345
E: sales@foodmc.com
Urschel International
T: 0116 263 4321
E: international@urschel.com
For full details of all PPMA members able to
supply slicing and dicing machinery, consult
the PPMA machinery finder service, tel: 020
8773 8111, or visit www.ppma.co.uk
C O M P O N E N T M AT T E R S
Board handling underlines
The case for servos
A NEW MACHINE FROM EUROPACK THAT BRINGS FILM AND BOARD TOGETHER TO CREATE
THE SMART KARTON TRANSIT CASE MAKES EXTENSIVE USE OF SERVO DRIVES, WHICH
ALLOWED IT TO BE DESIGNED AND BUILT IN JUST FIVE MONTHS FROM INITIAL CONCEPT.
rives specialist Lenze has worked with endof-line machinery manufacturer Europack
– part of the Bradman Lake Group – to help
create a custom-built machine for producing
the Smart Karton transit case. This employs
shrinkable or self-adhesive film, glued to the
case inner, to secure the contents, with no void
fill required.
Typical applications are books, small electrical items and gifts while field tests have shown
that smaller box sizes can be used, in one case
reports Lenze, reducing warehouse shipments
from seven to four vehicles a day.
The Europack machine handles up to 40 case
blanks a minute. A stack of pre-cut board is
conveyed to the infeed de-stacker where a servo
driven pusher mechanism presents individual
boards to the infeed conveyor,
correctly gapped to the preceding
board.
The servo driven infeed conveyor transports the board under
the glue guns and then on to the
compression rollers which are
also servo driven and at that
point the film is applied to the
board under tension.
A fourth servo drive controls
the rotary knife which cuts the
film between the boards in such a
way that there is a film overlap to
make it easy for users to grip and
wrap over the product. Finished
boards with glued-on film are stacked and
removed by an outfeed conveyor.
While the Bradman Lake Group’s engineers
worked on the machine structure, glue process,
film handling and external controls, the Lenze
engineers established a detailed specification
for the drives, wrote the software, gave drive
training and helped with commissioning. The
result was a machine running after just five
D
months from the concept stage and approaching target performance one month later.
With board speeds of up to 50 metres a
minute, precise and smooth handling from
servo drives was required. Lenze specified the
Servo PLC model 9323 rated at 3.9A. This is a
drive with a powerful built-in PLC running programs to the standard IEC61131-3. The control concept requires each drive to handle its
own motion control while a central
PLC looks after
safety functions,
the glue patterns
and the conveyors.
The four servo drives communicate
said to make them well suited for servo motor
operation.
The pusher axis is a good illustration of
decentralised motion control, points out Lenze.
As details of each new board are entered by
the operator on the HMI, a new profile is created within the drive based on the board length
and the required gap between boards, which
can be set between 20 and 100mm. The drive
Servo driven: The Europack machine (above) secures film to board to
create the Smart Karton transit case blank (left)
between themselves with an
integrated CAN
system bus, and
each drive is fitted with a DeviceNet module to communicate
with the central PLC. So the system can be considered a hybrid, with a mix of centralised and
decentralised control.
All four servo axes are driving Lenze synchronous geared motors of frame sizes 56 and
71 with type GKS helical bevel gearboxes. The
high efficiency of the gearboxes at 96 per cent
and low backlash at about 10 minutes of arc are
then directly controls the vacuum heads to pick
up a new board from the stack before beginning
the calculated profile.
Meanwhile, the pusher drive fine tunes the
motion profile to allow for small variations in
timing in the operation of the vacuum heads.
The drive accelerates the board smoothly to a
speed above the line speed to catch up with the
preceding board and then, as the required gap is
achieved, the drive slows the board down to line
speed and runs in gearlock. Once the board is
taken into the infeed rollers, the pusher drive
returns at high speed to the start position.
The infeed is the master drive on the
79
C O M P O N E N T M AT T E R S :
Europack machine. It is programmed to stop so
that the board is always under the compression
rollers in order to maintain the film tension. The
compression roller drive follows the infeed
except during start-up when it waits for the
leading edge of the next board and ensures the
gap between the boards is maintained.
The knife axis is another example of effective
decentralised drive control, says Lenze. The
synchronous helical bevel geared motor drives a
single blade rotary knife of 160mm diameter
with the knife speed profile calculated for each
new board. The drive accelerates the knife into
position and then cuts at a speed synchronous to
the line speed. This method ensures high accuracy and means that a single knife can handle
all sizes of board.
There are six glue heads on the machine.
Four are high capacity twin nozzles that apply a
carton-specific glue pattern on the base with
different adhesives according to customer specification. The remaining two single heads apply
a light tack of glue to the carton flaps.
Geared motors supplied
Lenze also supplied all the other ac geared
motors including worm and helical models for
the outfeed, stackers and conveyors. The infeed
destacker and out-feed stacker are specified to
handle up to 500kg. Lenze supplied 1.5kW
helical bevel geared motors, chosen to withstand high starting torques and to run efficiently. These geared motors inch the stack up
and down with position feedback from an incremental encoder mounted on the output shaft
and speed control from Lenze 8200 vector
inverters.
During operation, the machine reads bar
codes from the cases and records a detailed profile of the output while an on-board wireless
modem allows this data to be transmitted to the
machine owner.
In addition, the modem can interrogate the
drives allowing diagnosis of faults and, potentially, correction without a service engineer
travelling to site. Software for new box formats
can be downloaded remotely.
Europack technical director David Burlingham sums up the development process: “All the
servo sizing and programming worked from day
one so our partnership with Lenze was a great
success. The machine is up to specification
inside six months and we are already looking at
the next generation that will run faster.”
T: 01234 321321
E: sales@lenze.co.uk
80
Camera-based safety
system suits robotics
A CAMERA-BASED GUARDING SYSTEM DEVELOPED FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE
INDUSTRY COULD PROVE VALUABLE IN MONITORING LARGER ROBOTS USED IN
PACKAGING, PARTICULARLY END-OF-LINE MACHINERY.
The SafetyEye camera system for three-dimensional zone monitoring now being introduced by
Pilz has the potential, says the company, to
reduce machine downtime significantly, as well
as save floor space compared with traditional
machinery guarding, safety light curtains and
laser area scanners.
In comparison with traditional hinged and
sliding machine guards, safety light curtains
and laser area scanners are highly advanta-
per cent less than safety light curtains, mainly
because a typical SafetyEye system takes just
two hours to install and configure.
Each SafetyEye system comprises a sensing
device with three greyscale cameras – to give
three-dimensional coverage – and an analysis
unit that contains high-performance computers
for processing the images, plus a programmable safety system to deliver the safety-related
functions and process safety-related and nonsafety-related inputs
and outputs.
The system is configured by means of
an intuitive dragand-drop software
package, with extensive diagnostics help
to minimise the time
required for troubleshooting.
In operation, the
system benefits from
separate
threedimensional ‘warning’ and ‘detection’
(danger) zones. If a
person enters a
warning zone, an
Camera-based safety: New Pilz SafetyEye gives three-dimensional zone monitoring
alarm is sounded
geous for applications requiring frequent access and the hazardous machinery is slowed down; if
by operators. Not only is opening a physical the detection zone is entered, the machinery is
guard time-consuming and fatiguing, but main- brought to an immediate standstill.
Pilz developed the SafetyEye system in coltenance can be hindered by the presence of the
laboration with DaimlerChrysler. Pilz took
guard and its supporting structure.
Nevertheless, light curtains and laser area overall responsibility for system development
scanners only monitor a flat plane – although and provided the expertise behind the safety
mirrors and/or multiple light curtains can be functionality, while DaimlerChrysler specified
the practical requirements, developed the
used to create faceted protection zones.
As a result, Pilz points out, the protected image processing algorithms and supported the
area is often greater than the hazardous zone, test programme.
The first SafetyEye application is in fact now
which is a waste of floor space and can also
mean that the barrier is triggered earlier than is on the production line for the new C-Class Mercedes-Benz.
absolutely necessary, costing process time.
In addition, Pilz reckons the cost of installing T: 01536 460766
and maintaining a SafetyEye system is up to 70 E: sales@pilz.co.uk
LABELLING, CODING, MARKING
D OMINO UK
W EBER M ARKING S YSTEMS
AstraZeneca adopts 2D item- Print-apply
meets standards
bar coding
level codes for traceability for
chilled food
AstraZeneca has adopted a coding
system developed in conjunction
with systems integrator Domino
Integrated Solutions Group to
provide authentication of drugs
produced at a number of its
worldwide sites.
Laser and inkjet printers are
being used to add a unique and
random carton number (UCN),
embedded in a two-dimensional
Data Matrix code, to the item-level
drug carton.
As a result, the drugs will be
traceable, allowing AstraZeneca to
S ESSIONS
OF
authenticate the product as it
moves throughout the supply chain.
The use of the UCN and bar
coding on each carton enables
automatic data collection and
processing, said to result in greater
supply chain control, patient safety
and brand authentication.
Simon King, director of
Domino’s Integrated Solutions
Group, explains:
“Our flexible traceability
solutions are tailored to meet the
recommendations by global
regulatory bodies and are in line
with EFPIA’s (European
Federation of Pharmaceutical
Industries and Associations’)
recent recommendation
concerning secure serialised code
structures embedded in twodimensional Data Matrix code
carriers for item-level coding.”
In addition to a serialised
number, the Data Matrix code can
also include a Global Trade Item
Number (GTIN) as well as lot
number and expiry date.
T: 01954 782551
E: enquiries@domino-uk.com
Y ORK
Shrinkfilm labels
provide answer
for difficult
shape filters
Sessions has supplied a labelling
system based on shrinkfilm to
provide a secure means of
identifying respiratory and heat
and moisture filters supplied to
hospitals.
Shaped like a spinning top, the
filters presented inherent
difficulties in handling as well as
labelling, particularly since the flat
Shrink labelling: Secure identification
of medical filters for hospitals
edge of the wide filter housing is
not parallel but tapered.
Sessions’ machine division
initially considered using rising
pucks on an indexing conveyor but
then went for the idea of using
shrink vinyl, which was tested
successfully.
The rectangular shrink labels
are pressure sensitive and applied
by a Sessions Sequence
Performance labeller to the major
diameter of the filter body then
shrunk and formed around the
minor diameter.
T: 01904 659224
E: machine.info@
sessionsofyork.co.uk
N EWMAN L ABELLING S YSTEMS
Ampoules transferred to labelling at 500 a minute
A handling system that transfers
glass ampoules directly from
production and inspection to
labelling, without the labour cost
of loading into trays or risk of
breakage in traditional screw
transfer system systems, has been
announced by Newman.
The Ampoule Transfer System
(ATS) is said to provide delicate
handling, with no need for
synchronised starwheels to feed
82
Strathmore Foods has switched
from ink jet coding to print-apply
labelling on outer cases to comply
with GS1 standards for bar coding
in chilled food distribution.
Having expanded into the chilled
food market following its
acquisition of the McIntosh brand
the company found the ink jet
coding system used for its frozen
food was not compatible with the
screw systems, and also
provides an
accumulation buffer
between the labelling
machinery and the
inspection equipment.
Ampoules of 1-20ml
can be handled at speeds
in excess of 500 a
minute.
T: 020 8440 0044
E: sales@newman.co.uk Ampoule transfer: New system from Newman
Chilled food labelling: Weber 2600
machine at Strathmore Foods
requirements of the new market.
“Our previous coding methods
did not comply with the GS1
system for chilled food and the
requirements of the UCC/EAN128 bar code which holds all the
relevant information for the supply
chain,” explains Julie Nisbet,
project manager at Strathmore
Foods.
“As a result, our bar codes were
not reading properly and we were
getting a lot of rejects from our
customers.”
Strathmore Foods has installed
a Weber 2600 printer-applicator,
a lightweight, in-line unit which
runs Weber’s Legitronic software
package to control the labelling
operation itself and provide design,
editing and storage of the label
formats.
In addition, Weber has supplied
an on-line Geset label applicator to
add pre-printed flash labels.
T: 01875 611111
E: sales@weber.co.uk
NEW MACHINERY
B RADMAN L AKE
S TRAPEX UK
Integrated top load cartoner
offers extra flexibility
Pallet wrapper
ranges cover
rotating arm
and ring styles
The Bradman Lake ICS –
Integrated Cartoning System – is a
top load machine in which the
functions of forming, filling and
closing trays are integrated into a
single unit, eliminating the need
for three separate machines and
their demands on floorspace.
It has the flexibility to form
cartons from flat blanks either
with or without a hinged lid, in
lock style or as four corner glue
versions, while pre-glued cartons
can also be opened.
The erecting sector has
lightweight carbon fibre lock tools,
adjustable glue tools and a
powered hopper while the loading
module, with pick-and-place robot,
is available with single, double and
triple race track collators to give
speeds, respectively, of 300, 600
and 900 pieces a minute.
Elements of Bradman Lake’s
N IRO P HARMA S YSTEMS
Strapex has added two ranges of
pallet stretch-wrapping machines
to its end-of-line equipment.
The SWA range of semiautomatic wrappers are rotating
arm machines which, since they
avoid centrifugal forces by
wrapping the pallet while
stationary, are particularly suitable
for heavy, fragile or unstable loads.
Three in one: Bradman Lake integrated system for top load cartons
Compact R Closer are used in the
closing section, such as rubber
fingers for carton control and
quick size change. Closing options
include cartons with a hinged lid,
front flap glue or tuck-in, separate
lid, and folding or gluing four
upper flaps.
“One of the key features of the
ICS is its small footprint and
modularity which allows this
system to fit into small spaces and
adapt to meet the customer’s
requirements for both the feed and
discharge of products and
cartons,” says Bradman Lake.
T: 01603 441000
E: enquiries@bradmanlake.com
KHS UK
Top driven mixer
granulator for
laboratory work
e
The Collette MicroGral top-driven,
laboratory scale high-shear, mixergranulator has been designed
specifically for use in developing
formulations for granulation and
pelletisation.
The equipment is available in
two bowl sizes of 1 and 2 litres to
provide a batch capacity of 100g700g. A double jacket and heating
system option enables melt
granulation and pelletisation to be
carried out if required.
For process control the
MicroGral is equipped with
product temperature and torque
measurement.
T: 023 8026 7131
E: info@niropharma.com
84
Keeping the heat in: KHS shrink tunnel uses air curtains at infeed and outfeed
Air curtains seal shrink tunnel
By using air curtains at the infeed
and outfeed of a shrink tunnel,
rather than the more usual
hanging curtains, KHS has come
up with a system that can be
remotely monitored by a camera.
In addition, points out the
company, there is no physical
contact with packs being shrunk,
eliminating any risk of damage.
A camera can now monitor the
shrink tunnel continuously
although, says KHS the system is
intended primarily for checking the
process after a format change.
Images are displayed on a monitor
and can be linked into a factorywide communication system.
T: 0121 713 6900
E: info@uk.khs-ag.com
Ring style: Strapex SWR wrappers
handles up to 50 pallets an hour
The machines require no
turntable, ramp access or hold
down device and can be pillar or
wall mounted. Optional power prestretch gives up to 300 per cent
film elongation for economy while
speed is up to 35 pallets an hour.
The SWR series of ring-style
wrappers are fully automatic and
can start and finish the wrap at
any height
The SWR30 is said to be ideal
for applications where space is at
premium and no top sheet is
required, and can wrap up to 30
pallets an hour.
The SWR40 and 45 can each
wrap 50 pallets per hour without a
top sheet, while the SWR50 is
designed for applications where a
top sheet is required and can again
handle 50 pallets an hour.
T: 01922 742500
E: info@strapex.co.uk
New Machinery
continues on page 104
NEW MACHINERY
A ETNA UK
X ACT PACKAGING
Automatic system wraps
plasterboard at less cost
Vertical bagger
from Poland
gives up to
160 bags/min
An new automatic handling and
stretch-wrapping system that allows
packs of plasterboard to be
wrapped directly after stacking on
the production line has been
developed by Aetna. First users are
achieving full payback on the
system within a matter of months of
installation, says the company.
Aetna points out that,
historically, when stacking
plasterboard to ensure protection
from dirt or moisture, manufacturers had to choose between
stacking the boards directly onto
one way pallets and then wrapping
with a horizontal wrapper, or using
skids or bearers, manually placed
onto the tops of the packs, as a
more cost effective medium.
Subsequent wrapping with shrink
or stretch film holds the skids in
place, but involves inverting the
packs before transport. Both
methods are expensive and
particularly labour intensive.
Aetna’s new handling and spiral
Faster board wrap: Aetna system is said to give rapid payback
wrapping system eliminates these
issues. Skids are automatically
delivered directly from the bulk
pallet into the skid magazine by
robot, and the system then automatically inserts the wooden skids
under the stacked plasterboard
packs at predetermined positions.
This means that the packs can be
lifted with fork trucks from the line,
with no need to stop or invert the
pack. These skids can be glued to
the bottom board or stretch
wrapped to the pack to secure them.
The system, which incorporates a
film pre-stretching device for
economy, can incorporate head and
tail wrapping for fully enclosed
packs and automatically measures
loads for either 900 or 1200mm
width and 1200 to 3600mm length.
It then calculates the number of
skids required and places them in
the correct position.
The whole operation is
continuous, requires no operator
and is capable of wrapping between
one and two large packs a minute.
T: 01234 825050
E: brendas@aetna.co.uk
P ROSEAL
Tray sealer runs
at 75 a minute
and is readily
relocatable
Capable of speeds up to 75 packs a
minute, the Proseal GT2 tray
sealer is a fully mobile unit,
mounted on castors for easy
relocation from line to line.
Servo-controlled pack transfer
is said to create a smooth
movement for trays throughout the
sealing process, avoiding spillages
and allowing speed to be raised,
while self-centring pack guides
ensure trays are accurately
positioned for sealing, particularly
after a tool change.
104
Fully mobile: Proseal GT2 tray sealer can run at 75 a minute
Further features aimed at
maintaining consistent operation
include automatic film break and
film end detection.
For ease of changeover the
machine also incorporates
Proseal’s lightweight Auto Tool
connection system, which enables
tool changes to be carried out in
around three minutes.
T: 01625 856600
E: info@prosealuk.com
A continuous motion vertical formfill-seal machine capable of 160
bags a minute is being launched on
the UK market by Xact, newly
appointed UK distributor for the
Polish manufacturer Radpack.
Aimed at both food and nonfood applications the RM-25C is
servo driven and is able to produce
a variety of bag types including
pillow, pouch, stand-up and
squared corners. Bag size range is
50-250mm wide and 80-300mm
long.
In its basic version the
machine’s features include
adjustable sealing temperatures,
auto film tracking, film splicing
unit, and an encoder or photocell
film measurement system.
T: 0151 479 3020
E: info@xactpackaging.co.uk
B OSCH PACKAGING S ERVICES
Smart card
checkweigher
handles packs
up to 30kg
The KWE 4040 checkweigher
from Bosch handles packs up to
30kg for weight and completion
checks and incorporates a smart
file card system for paperless
production control. Up to 31
machines can be networked.
The machine is said to offer
accuracy to ± 50mg and can be
supplied with a range of optional
equipment including side press
belts, acceleration belts, sorter
deflectors and collapsible belts.
Digital interfaces provide links
with coding equipment such as
lasers and ink jet printers.
T: 01332 626262
E: ukenquiries@
boschpackaging.com

May - Machinery Update

Transcription

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