Automation in the packaging industry
Automation technologies for companies
In times of a shortage of skilled labour, automation technologies offer companies the opportunity to compensate for bottlenecks in personnel. In particular physically demanding or highly standardised tasks can be taken over by using machines, robots and intelligent software solutions.
Technical requirements must be observed: With new directives on machine safety and explosion protection, the European Union (EU) has issued important guidelines that are of key importance for numerous industries. Companies must ensure that their machines and systems comply with the new requirements, which often requires investment in new technologies or the retrofitting of existing systems.
Quality requirements for packaged products play an important role in all industries. Packaging and processing machines must be designed, manufactured and handled in such a way that they guarantee the safety and quality of the products they contain. In addition, government regulations on the traceability of production data play a key role in ensuring quality, safety and transparency in the manufacture of products, particularly in the food and animal feed sectors. These regulations make it possible to trace products in the supply chain and to react quickly and effectively in the event of quality defects or sources of danger.
Modern systems
For more than 33 years, SSB Wägetechnik GmbH from Buchholz has stood for precision, reliability and the highest quality in packaging systems as well as customised solutions in bagging, weighing and control technology. SSB develops and designs filling systems according to the above criteria, from silo discharge to the finished pallet. The modern bagging systems consist of an overall concept of bagging, bag transport, palletising and final packaging. Well-known companies in the field of flour production and animal feed production, which operate both nationally and internationally, are among our long-standing customers.
Bagging
Different products require different bagging concepts. Flours or powdery products are usually bagged in valve bags using pneumatic packers. Granular products are usually bagged using FFS bagging machines. The bagging logs are recorded electronically and are available in a central database for transfer/quality assurance. Criteria relevant to calibration are of course fulfilled here.
Bag transport
For palletising the bags, it is necessary to prepare the bags optimally, i.e. to shape the bag in order to achieve a clean and stable palletising result. Furthermore, important quality checks such as bag labelling, foreign objects, metal detection or checkweighers can be integrated into the transport route.
Bag palletising
SSB offers a compact robot palletising system for various performance requirements. The filled bag is fed to the robot on a special conveyor belt. The robot palletises the bagged goods reliably and efficiently. Depending on the output, several bagging machines can work with just one robot.
Flour bagging with robot support
The robot is available in different versions up to a capacity of 1200 bags per hour. For higher bagging capacities, several robots can carry out palletising at the same time. This means that outputs of up to 2,300 bags with 2 robots are realistic. The 4-axis robot model enables precise and fast operation and can be used in a wide range of applications and therefore for a variety of products. The robot can be programmed using integrated software, making it capable of learning and can be used quickly and flexibly. The robot also offers the fastest cycle time in the robot class. There is also a large selection of accessories for the bag gripper hand. Pallet modules and soft sheet applicators can be integrated into the hand.
Pallet conveyor system/pallet packaging
The finished palletised pallet can be transported away automatically via roller conveyors. It is advisable to integrate a corresponding packaging machine into the conveyor line. Stretch wrapping machines or stretch bonnet systems are available. These protect the pallets and at the same time serve as certified Load securing. Finally, before the pallet is stored, it is labelled with the current production data. The finished product can then be transported directly to the warehouse.
Centralised control system
The focus is on the total integration of all machine components and individual machines in a central control system. This allows processes to be controlled and monitored centrally. Connections to the customer’s order or logistics systems are easy to realise. Production monitoring, product tracking and data recording are programmed on a customer-specific basis. Remote access is also possible at any time.
