LoopCut - System for packaging fine salami

Sorting and packaging lines - pick & place units

There are always new challenges or requirements for machines in our customers' production areas. We are happy to take on these requirements and develop new machines and applications.

Here we would like to present a FPA packaging solution that we designed and implemented for a German customer:

The system was designed in 2022 for separating and packaging the 25 g. mini products. After a corresponding development and design phase, the two systems were delivered and put into operation at the end of March and the end of May 2023.

The systems are used to automatically separate and align small sausage products in order to place them in the open molds of the packaging machine at the end of the line.

Before starting the system, the system operator fills the centrifuge with the 25 g liver sausage or tea sausage products. The centrifuge achieves an output of 300 pieces per minute for small products.

The products are conveyed on a round belt conveyor under a labeler and labeled. This is followed by a camera system. It checks the position of the labels and whether they have a corresponding best-before date printed on them. If one of the two points is not met, the product is immediately removed from the product flow.

The products that are deemed to be good then reach the robot cell and are put together in groups of 2 x 5. The delta picker moves to this parking position with its gripper system and removes the products from the nest to then place them in the free thermoforming molds. This procedure is repeated until the entire format set is filled.

The robot cell control system then sends a release signal to the packaging machine, which then starts its next cycle. Once this cycle is complete and the feed has started, the pick & place cell is given the go-ahead to pack additional products into the next available deep-drawing molds.
The system can be used universally because it can process a wide range of other product dimensions by exchanging the transport chain and gripper. The overall performance of the system depends on the length, weight and caliber of the products and the corresponding fill level in the centrifuge.

ROBOT SYSTEM for self-service packaging of trays

The first robot solution was developed from the FPA for the final packaging of finished, filled trays.

It was delivered and put into operation just one year after the FPA was founded.

The packaging system takes the fully labeled trays and checks the labels for the correctness of the information. A 6-axis robot then picks up the trays and places them in the corresponding empty cardboard boxes according to the specified packing pattern.

The filled box is then fed into an existing elevator as a stacking unit of 4. The system was designed for high flexibility and is able to process different sizes of cardboard boxes and trays in a pure manner.

After the design and production phase, the system was delivered and put into operation at the beginning of April 2022. As is often the case with new developments, some of the process and reliability of the gripper system had to be optimized until everything worked smoothly.

The system contains two camera systems at the inlet of the cell to monitor and check the printing and position of the labels. Among other things, the correct placement and the order number, including the consistency of the label lettering, are checked.

The system achieves an output of 60 packs per minute. A packaging solution for fresh meat trays with an output of > 80 packs per minute is currently being developed on a similar basis, and will be implemented at a maximum width of 600 mm.

PORTCUT 80 - CUTTING SAUSAGE PRODUCTS

The FPA PortCut 80 for self-service products cuts raw, boiled and cooked sausages. The system cuts product sizes from 35 up to 80 mm caliber with a length of 180 - 400 mm.

The cutting angle of the cutter can be manually adjusted continuously from 45 - 90 degrees. A simple plug-in system allows the knife to be changed in just a few seconds. The very narrow surface of the blade leaves a much lower number of CFU (colony forming units) on the cutting surface compared to cutting with a conventional knife or a circular knife.

FUNCTIONAL PRINCIPLE

The cutting process with the PortCut 80 takes place vertically using a servo drive. The products are held in position by hold-down devices mounted above the transport line.

The exact center of the product is determined with a 2D camera system when it enters the knife area and positioned directly in line with the knife. Thanks to the electrically operated knife, it can be stopped at any height. This means less travel time than with pneumatically operated knives and the result is a higher number of pieces and significantly less wear. Furthermore, a servo drive is more energy efficient and expensive compressed air can be saved.

FASTPACKER
FULLY AUTOMATIC PACKAGING OF TRAYS IN THE SMALLEST SPACE
The FPA FASTPACKER was designed and developed to be able to offer a space-saving, ergonomic, practical and financially lucrative solution in all companies.

On the one hand, the system is easy to operate and technically maintain, and its compact dimensions mean that the system can be installed in small rooms or in the hallway. The dimensions of the system are just (LxWxH) 3100 x 600 x 1650 mm

The system can automatically insert trays of 0.4 to 1 kg of pure type into trays (also with protective corners) and thus offers versatile application options and good investment protection.
Variants with different tray dimensions and tray dimensions are feasible, but affect the external dimensions of the inserter and the size of the investment.

FUNCTIONAL PRINCIPLE
In the tray inlet area, the labels (top and bottom) are checked by cameras. If there are any errors, the tray is then blown out. The trays then move to the receiving position of the lifting and rotating device. Here, the trays are picked up by two suction cups and placed in a nest rotated by 90°. Here, the kinematics pick up the trays and position them in the tray.

The trays are placed above the tray feed, but on the same line. Depending on requirements, they can be rotated by 90° on the conveyor or not. From here, the trays are moved to a magazine, which acts as an intermediate storage area. Short-term gaps in the feed can thus be bridged.

The tray is then brought from the lowest magazine position to the receiving position and loaded. The loaded tray is then brought to the discharge conveyor below the loading position using a lowering aid.

E - BOX PALLETIZER - DEPALLETIZER
SEMI- OR FULLY AUTOMATIC PALLETIZING AND DEPALLETIZING IN THE SMALLEST SPACE

The palletizing system was designed and developed to be able to offer small and medium-sized companies a space-saving, ergonomic, practical and financially lucrative solution.
On the one hand, the system is easy to operate and maintain technically, and its compact dimensions mean that it can be installed in small rooms or in the hallway.

The dimensions of the system are just (LxWxH) 2,250 x 1,100 x 2,500 mm.

The cell can automatically palletize and depalletize E1, E2 and E3 boxes of up to 25 kg, and thus offers a wide range of applications and good investment protection. It is also possible to further automate the system by later connecting conveyor technology or handling modules.

Using this box stacker means that employees are no longer overloaded. The boxes no longer have to be lifted, but only moved horizontally. There is no longer any unergonomic handling of the heavy boxes on the floor or at a height of 1.7 meters.

FUNCTIONAL PRINCIPLE
The boxes are pushed onto the gravity roller conveyor at an ergonomic working height at the input area and the access is automatically and safely closed. The double gripper then moves within the cell to the two boxes that have been placed down, locks them, lifts the boxes over the free area of ​​the pallet and moves them to the free storage space on the pallet.

A stable and maintenance-free drive ensures that the system is highly reliable and easy to clean. The gripper is housed in a protected housing.
The safety door for the input or output of full boxes closes using two-hand operation, the door on the pallet entry side is equipped with two tested safety switches. A light protection grille or an automatic roller door can be optionally selected for an additional charge. However, it should be noted that the length of the system is extended by approx. 800mm due to the safety requirements.

Sorting and packaging lines - pick & place units

There are always new challenges or requirements for machines in our customers' production areas. We are happy to take on these requirements and develop new machines and applications.

Here we would like to present a FPA packaging solution that we designed and implemented for a German customer:

The system was designed in 2022 for separating and packaging the 25 g. mini products. After a corresponding development and design phase, the two systems were delivered and put into operation at the end of March and the end of May 2023.

The systems are used to automatically separate and align small sausage products in order to place them in the open molds of the packaging machine at the end of the line.

Before starting the system, the system operator fills the centrifuge with the 25 g liver sausage or tea sausage products. The centrifuge achieves an output of 300 pieces per minute for small products.

The products are conveyed on a round belt conveyor under a labeler and labeled. This is followed by a camera system. It checks the position of the labels and whether they have a corresponding best-before date printed on them. If one of the two points is not met, the product is immediately removed from the product flow.

The products that are deemed to be good then reach the robot cell and are put together in groups of 2 x 5. The delta picker moves to this parking position with its gripper system and removes the products from the nest to then place them in the free thermoforming molds. This procedure is repeated until the entire format set is filled.

The robot cell control system then sends a release signal to the packaging machine, which then starts its next cycle. Once this cycle is complete and the feed has started, the pick & place cell is given the go-ahead to pack additional products into the next available deep-drawing molds.
The system can be used universally because it can process a wide range of other product dimensions by exchanging the transport chain and gripper. The overall performance of the system depends on the length, weight and caliber of the products and the corresponding fill level in the centrifuge.

ROBOT SYSTEM for self-service packaging of trays

The first robot solution was developed from the FPA for the final packaging of finished, filled trays.

It was delivered and put into operation just one year after the FPA was founded.

The packaging system takes the fully labeled trays and checks the labels for the correctness of the information. A 6-axis robot then picks up the trays and places them in the corresponding empty cardboard boxes according to the specified packing pattern.

The filled box is then fed into an existing elevator as a stacking unit of 4. The system was designed for high flexibility and is able to process different sizes of cardboard boxes and trays in a pure manner.

After the design and production phase, the system was delivered and put into operation at the beginning of April 2022. As is often the case with new developments, some of the process and reliability of the gripper system had to be optimized until everything worked smoothly.

The system contains two camera systems at the inlet of the cell to monitor and check the printing and position of the labels. Among other things, the correct placement and the order number, including the consistency of the label lettering, are checked.

The system achieves an output of 60 packs per minute. A packaging solution for fresh meat trays with an output of > 80 packs per minute is currently being developed on a similar basis, and will be implemented at a maximum width of 600 mm.

PORTCUT 80 - CUTTING SAUSAGE PRODUCTS

The FPA PortCut 80 for self-service products cuts raw, boiled and cooked sausages. The system cuts product sizes from 35 up to 80 mm caliber with a length of 180 - 400 mm.

The cutting angle of the cutter can be manually adjusted continuously from 45 - 90 degrees. A simple plug-in system allows the knife to be changed in just a few seconds. The very narrow surface of the blade leaves a much lower number of CFU (colony forming units) on the cutting surface compared to cutting with a conventional knife or a circular knife.

FUNCTIONAL PRINCIPLE

The cutting process with the PortCut 80 takes place vertically using a servo drive. The products are held in position by hold-down devices mounted above the transport line.

The exact center of the product is determined with a 2D camera system when it enters the knife area and positioned directly in line with the knife. Thanks to the electrically operated knife, it can be stopped at any height. This means less travel time than with pneumatically operated knives and the result is a higher number of pieces and significantly less wear. Furthermore, a servo drive is more energy efficient and expensive compressed air can be saved.