FDBusiness.com

With food product recalls occurring at an even greater frequency and severity, manufacturers are going to greater lengths to protect their product integrity while minimising contamination. Following a request from a leading ingredients supplier to a global soft drinks company for extra protection from cross product contamination during the case sealing process, Endoline Machinery developed a unique case sealing system which both glues AND tapes filled cases – the new dual sealing system.

With additional technology to handle both single wall and twin walled cases to ensure a precise seal each time, the new dual sealing system offers an alternative to using separate tape and glue machines. Compactly designed to meet with the tight space requirements, the machine was built to meet the size of the previous case sealer, which only offered a glue finish.

The beverage company, who produce the ingredients for a range of different varieties of soft drinks and supply bottling factories worldwide, already have several Endoline case sealers within their factory and new Endoline were up to the challenge of designing the special case sealer.

One particular ingredient is the granules which are used in the production of diet and low sugar drink alternatives for a global soft drinks company. It was this product which the beverage company were sealing which prompted their request for heightened sealing capabilities to meet stringent regulations placed on them by the soft drinks company.

“With a vast array of granules, each batch has to be packed in a separate case as they have to be used correctly according to the specific recipe for each drink. As the product is very valuable and travels for long distances it has to be safeguarded and the company were looking for a sealer to both glue and tape for added protection.” Grigory Belosky, Endoline’s European Sales Manager, explains.

Utilising Festo pneumatics and Allen Bradley components Endoline brought the technologies from their existing tape and glue sealing machines together to design the new dual sealing system. The entire machine frame and side drives were altered to accommodate both the folding and gluing assemblies along with the taping system. The machine also had a special switch to disable the glue and with the easily removable tape units the machine could be run to seal with both tape and glue or just one type of seal offering complete flexibility.

To withstand the twin wall cases, which offered additional protection to the granules, Endoline integrated a dual hook system onto the machine. “Twin wall cases, while offering added durability during transportation, are inherently difficult to handle due to their stiff nature. The dual action hook ensures that the inner flaps of the case are effectively pushed into place before sealing, which overcomes tearing or the risk of the case opening at a later stage.”

Once a filled box runs into the dual sealing system the dual action hook closes the rear flap before glue is applied and the outer flaps are closed. The glued case then moves under the taping head for final sealing.

With a daily output of over 10,000 cases per day the dual sealing system is achieving a perfect seal on cases ranging from almost empty to 25kg in weight. In addition the beverage company is now looking to retrofit the dual action hook onto existing case sealers. Also due to the success of this machine the same customers site in Egypt have just ordered a repeat order for their production line.