Show of shows – part 2

Accraply (stand E73, Hall 6) is to launch the Trine Model 4800 roll-fed labelling system to the European market. Offering a small footprint and quick change parts, the Model 4800 features advanced container control which delivers bottle handling at speeds of up to 600 containers/min; a segmented vacuum drum which eliminates the need for re-padding; and a stainless steel guard specifically designed for the beverage industry. A dual label roll unwind and automatic splice unit further supports the higher production speeds. Integral to this new development is the ability of the Model 4800 to upgrade the hundreds of installed Trine Model 4500 and Model 6500 machines without expensive conveyor changes.

Visitors to the AMP-Rose stand (3E29 in Hall 3) will see the brand new AMP700 chocolate moulding line, said to give customers "a great performance/price ratio". It can produce solid chocolate with or without inclusions or whole nuts, and offer one shot or marbled articles at speeds of up to 20 moulds/min, with a capacity of up to 800kg/hour. The 750LF cut and fold lollipop wrap machine can achieve speeds up to 350 pieces/min. As well as a fold style wrap, it can be set up to produce a twist finish. The newly updated RS68 rope sizer and BR46 batch roller will also be on show. New features give improved the access to all areas of the machine, assuring cleaning is easier and less time consuming. Both machines can now be supplied as either left to right or right to left versions.

On stand E59-03 in Hall 4, AutoCoding Systems will launch an entry level web-based product that sets up and controls coding equipment and barcode scanners on multiple lines "with speed and ease" - either at the packaging line using one line terminal for all lines, or remotely using either a simple PC, tablet, or even a smartphone. The solution is said to maximise the opportunity to "get things right first time" by managing the deployment of coding data and the checking of packaging issued to the line before its use.
This reduces the opportunity for error and, by catching mistakes at source, avoids significant changeover delays to recode or correct the packaging. Additional modules are available for increased functionality, including online QA, integration of additional devices, such as checkweighers and metal detectors, and external integration to ERP/production planning.

New developments from Edelmann (stand A14/A18 in Hall 11) include folding cartons with an integrated 40mm x 50mm screen. When the pack is opened, a video of up to 60min duration plays automatically. Usage information or details regarding the origin of the products contained can thus be displayed vividly through moving images. Another development is the Touchcode, an element which is invisibly applied in a printed image to transform folding cartons, vial cards and leaflets into interactive media. Through the touch of a smartphone or tablet, the Touchcode brings digital content directly onto the display. Contact-free data transmission using near-field communication is possible with a label integrated into the carton.

In Hall 6, on stand E73, the Novus continuous motion VFFS Bagger will be featured by HayssenSandiacre. The Novus is said to combine high speed and rapid tool-less changeover to produce high quality stand-up pouches. It is "extremely flexible" and runs Quad Seal and Doy Packs with or without recloseable features, and with easy changeover to high speed pillow. The slim-line footprint saves on space while the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLC is user-friendly, the company states.

Making its world debut at Interpack on stand B24 in Hall 12, will be Herma's new "basic" labeller - "designed to ensure reliability and precision in a broad variety of standard applications at a price that is affordable". Built on the same line as the much higher-spec Herma 400 labeller, this new model has identical connectors to those of that machine. So, the company states, customers requiring significantly higher performance and greater functionality as time progresses can easily exchange a basic labeller for a faster and more versatile model. The Herma basic offers speeds of up to 25m/min, and compatible label sizes range from 12 x 12mm to 160 x 400mm.

The new FSL 48 form, fill and seal line, tailored to meet the demands of the food industry - especially the dairy industry - will be the core element of the Illig stand E02 in Hall 6. An in-mould labeling station is integrated, and most conventional cup geometries that can be produced on form, fill and seal lines can be realised. The FSL 48 can be equipped to meet a variety of different hygiene requirements through to class IV according to VDMA (hygienic filling machines). The thermoformer's 480mm x 320mm format area is designed so that, for example, 12 standard dairy packs can be manufactured. A working speed of up to 30 cycles/min is achieved, according to the company.

Ishida Europe (Hall 15, stand 15A25/26) will unveil a 32-head mix weigher from its RV range, capable of mixing up to eight different products for discharge into the same bag or for discharging a single product into a high speed packaging machine, and therefore ideal for confectionery, nuts, frozen food or high speed multi-compartment applications. Also new will be a circular version of the Cutgate weigher, which offers "even higher speeds and unrivalled accuracy" for the weighing and packing of granular products. New equipment for quality control includes the IX-G2-4027-H X-ray system (pictured left) - offering "the highest levels of detection to pinpoint even the smallest bones in meat and poultry". Another new system for salt stick packing maximises handling efficiency and packing speeds, while "minimising product breakage".

KHS, on stand A31 in Hall 13, will focus on the KHS-Innopack Kisters TSP A-H-TPFO packaging machine, said to be extremely flexible in its use, as well as saving costs and setting new standards in sustainability. The machine is designed to process cans, glass and plastics containers as well as individually formed packs and pre-packed product groups. It can produce tray packs, tray shrink packs, pad shrink packs or shrink packs. A modular design makes it able to meet future demands and consumer requirements, with additional functional modules quickly and easily added if required. The model on display can also produce fully enclosed film packs of PET bottles (shrink packs without bullseyes) for the first time with the help of a specially constructed manipulation unit. This type of packaging can be used for both glass and PET bottles and for cans, helping to eliminate the accidental displacement of containers and the need for trays and/or pads.

Loma Systems and Lock Inspection in Hall 17, stand B52, will unveil three new inspection systems, including the SureTune IQ3+ ST 'next generation' metal detector, plus major enhancements to Lock's Insight pharmaceutical metal detector. "Packed with some incredible new innovations," the IQ3+ ST is said to resolve challenges such as user traceability, with a new Access Log supporting CFR21.Part 11 and storing up to 500 events. It also addresses drifting of the head coil and false product rejects caused by subtle variations in atmospheric temperature and product characteristics. An intelligent Product Validation System now memorises defined test intervals by product and the individual retailer's code of practice. For ease of installation, there are 200 product presets and the permanent memory stores up to 8,000 data events, even during a power interruption or disconnect.

Mettler-Toledo (Hall 11, stand B55) will showcase a new generation of Garvens checkweighers for use in many industries, including pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics. They are said to ensure precise weighing results, regardless of production environments, delivering "unparalleled weighing accuracy with high throughput". The company will also debut its latest generation of Safeline x-ray inspection systems. The X36 Series is designed for monitoring a wide range of food and pharmaceutical products, and deploys advanced imaging technology to ensure maximum efficiency on processing lines. A newly enhanced conveyor system with improved hygienic design for integration with the company's Safeline metal detectors is also to be presented.

As demonstrated on stand CS104 at the Components for Processing and Packaging show in the Congress Center South, Microscan's compact smart cameras and intuitive, scalable machine vision software allow machine builders and manufacturers to implement machine vision inspection and identification in their packaging lines quickly and easily. The company's products help track production data, guide the movement of goods, verify print, barcode and text quality, guarantee correct label application, and enable final lot tracking.

Polyolefins additives supplier Milliken (stand C32 in Hall 10) will demonstrate why Ultra Clear PP offers "the optimal cost-effective solution to the packaging trend for resource efficiency and attention grabbing appeal". A host of commercial packaging examples based on PP clarified with Milliken's Millad NX 8000 series will bring to life the exceptional clarity, aesthetics and lowest weight potential achievable for thermoforming, foldable packaging, and injection moulded and blow moulded applications. Ultra Clear PP is claimed to set a new clarity standard comparable to glass clear materials, and to offer specific benefits for different processes. Millad NX 8000 is said to overcome the traditional undesirable milky appearance of PP in thermoforming, creating highly attractive transparency similar to PET for sheet and thermoformed applications such as cups, trays, clamshells and containers. It also offers important performance benefits such as easy peel and seal, chemical resistance and impact resistance.

Oystar Hassia (Hall 6, stand B73) has expanded its portfolio in the lower-to-mid-level output range with an ergonomic FFS (form, fill, seal) machine for mini-portions and cups. At only 6m long and 1.3m wide, the new system "can be integrated into any production hall without claiming too much space". The cup web is transported at a comfortable height of 1 metre, making visual inspection of the work process easier for operators. Also new is a FFS machine for stickpacks, said to have an attractive price-to-performance ratio and to be suitable for a wide range of applications: in addition to liquids and pasty products, it can handle powders and granules with customised filling systems. Stickpacks up to 50mm wide and 200mm long can be produced at speeds up to 57,000 stickpacks/hour.

On stand E73 in Hall 6, PneumaticScaleAngelus will introduce the Angelus V-Series 12V seamer - "a hygienic European design engineered to today's seamer challenges, including quality, delivery, and consistent seam quality". The company also offers monoblocked filler and capper machines, as well as the advanced UniFuge under CARR Centritech, which utilises a gamma irradiated, single-use module that requires neither CIP nor SIP.

Rockwell Automation boasts that some 215 OEMs at Interpack 2014 will be displaying new and enhanced machines running discrete and integrated automation, motion, process and safety solutions based on its Allen-Bradley products. In addition, the company's stand (A61, Hall 6) will showcase its latest technology with multimedia presentations.

Among the new products on RPC's stand D21 in Hall 10 will be the patented Bebo Swing, developed by RPC Bebo Plastik to integrate easy opening, reclosing and tamper-evidence for spreadable products such as cheese, margarine and butter. The feature can be designed for various shapes and is suitable for products both with and without lidding film. It can be manufactured in monolayer or multilayer PP where EVOH provides a barrier against oxygen ingress for extended ambient shelf life. A light barrier can also be incorporated for light-sensitive products. For pharmaceutical markets, RPC Formatec has introduced a "cost-effective" system that enables users of pressurised metered dose inhalers to count down easily the number of doses taken from their inhalers. The Single Dose Counter allows users to keep track of their medication and alerts them when the inhaler needs replacing. RPC Superfos has also developed a new pack to replace aluminium trays for pet foods. It offers longer shelf life, recloseability and high speed filling.

www.interpack.com
www.accraply.com
www.amp-rose.com
www.autocodingsystems.com
www.edelmann.de
www.hayssensandiacre.com
www.herma.com
www.illig.de
www.ishidaeurope.com
www.khs.com
www.lockinspection.com
www.loma.com
www.mt.com
www.microscan.com
www.milliken.com
www.oystar-group.com
www.pneumaticscaleangelus.com
www.rockwell.com
www.rpc-group.com