Theegarten-Pactec Risks of conventional processes
The chocolate is packaged in a material such as plastic, by means of fold wrapping. Since plastics have poor dead-fold properties the packaging opens again after folding. It must be actively closed and fixed by sealing or glue. For this purpose, during the sealing process, the sealing tool is pressed against the packaging material from the outside to connect the outer and inner flap of the plastic packaging with each other. This ensures that the packaging is fixed after folding but is still easy for the consumer to open. The problem with this procedure is that when the sealing tool is applied, the packaging material lies close to the product. In order to effectively dissipate the heat generated, the inner wrap of aluminium paper laminate is used. However, the use of two packaging materials – aluminium paper laminate plus plastic packaging – is neither environmentally friendly nor particularly cost-saving or recyclable. Therefore, the use of a sealable, and ideally even recyclable, mono-film is recommended. The alternative, which involves the application of glue dots, ensures a permanent closure of the plastic packaging, but also has disadvantages. Clogged glue nozzles or contamination can lead to an increased susceptibility to malfunction and to the need for additional work with respect to cleaning and maintenance of the packaging machine. This reduces the efficiency of the packaging process and generates additional costs. Furthermore, the application of glue not only involves risks for the machines and aggregates, but also for the product itself. Incorrectly adjusted glue nozzles and the resulting distortion of the packaging material due to excessive glue application can result in the glue being transferred to the chocolate product and thus contaminating it.
Suction supported sealing technology
The sealing station developed by Theegarten-Pactec is located directly after the actual wrapping or packaging station. As soon as a product has reached the sealing station, the sealing tool moves to the product to be sealed at a distance of 0.5 mm to 1 mm. Negative pressure then causes the package to be sucked onto the sealing stamp. In this way, there is no direct contact between the packaging and the product during the sealing process.
The heat required for the sealing process is distributed evenly over the entire sealing surface, ensuring there are no pressure marks or other damage to the chocolate product. Active cooling of the environment ensures additional product safety. After sealing for approx. 50 - 60 milliseconds, the contact between the packaging material and the sealing jaw is terminated when the sealing stamp moves away – which may be assisted if required by switching off the vacuum. The packaging material detaches from the sealing station and once again rests directly on the chocolate product which has now been completely packed. The sealing seam only comes into contact with the product again after it has sufficiently cooled.
This innovative technology can be easily integrated into the standard packaging machines of the Dresden-based company, with implementation being possible for various service areas and products such as chocolate bars and pralines. In addition to the compact and flexible CWM2 wrapping machine for chocolate products with a capacity of up to 600 products/min, the sealing station can also be integrated into the CFW-S for chocolate bars in letter fold with or without packaging band with up to 850 products/min. Implementation in the CFW-D double-lane high-performance
packaging machine for chocolate products in letter fold with packaging band and up to 1,400 products/min is also possible without great effort. Moreover, even existing machines such as the U1-C high- performance packaging machine can be retrofitted with this new technology. Theegarten-Pactec’s innovative technology offers numerous advantages: Material costs can be reduced by eliminating the need for aluminium laminate to dissipate heat and protect the chocolate. At the same time, negative environmental influences caused by the production of the material are reduced. There is no need for an unwinding unit for aluminium paper or aluminium- PP composites in the packaging machine. This saves set-up and adjustment times and makes the packaging process more stable and therefore less susceptible to faults. Thanks to the innovative suction supported sealing technology, there is also no need to apply glue dots to permanently seal the plastic packaging. Costs for glue and for cleaning and maintenance of the packaging machine can be saved. The costs for the installation of a suction supported sealing station are much lower than those for the purchase and maintenance of gluing units. Even the contamination of chocolate products with glue is a thing of the past thanks to the new technology. The new type of suction supported sealing not only ensures process safety but also additional product safety for manufacturers. The purchase of a suction supported sealing unit is therefore profitable in the long run. Initial tests with common sealable plastic mono-films have so far produced good results. With this novel technology, Theegarten- Pactec offers manufacturers that which to score points at the POS with sustainable alternatives completely new possibilities to optimally adapt to changing consumer behaviour.
MAIN PIC: The suction supported sealing process developed by Theegarten-Pactec: The packaging material is sucked in by the sealing tool with the aid of negative pressure. There is therefore no direct contact between the packaging and the product during the sealing process, which prevents damage or pressure marks on the sensitive chocolate.
24 Kennedy’s Confection December 2020
KennedysConfection.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
