Automated packing solution alleviates labour constraints

HMPS, a leading Australian case packing and palletising machinery builder, has been awarded the contract for the installation of its HMPS1000 RSC Bag in Box (BIB) Case Packer and System Integration solution at a major local food and beverage company.

A large dairy producer requested the supply and installation of an HMPS1000 Bag in Box Case Packer. The machine had to erect, load and seal a carton containing cream cheese.

HMPS had to work to specific customer requirements and the HMPS machine had to be integrated with two other machines from separate suppliers – a Vertical Form Filled Seal ( VFFS) machine and a pumping dosing unit containing a lance which would fill the cheese into the bag.

The system integration had to be seamless to avoid downtime. Downtime in this particular application would mean spoilt goods for the customer or manual labour.

A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THINGS

According to Mark Emmett, Managing Director of HMPS the intricacy of this machine is in the way the bag is filled. “Normal Bag in Box machines would fill the bags and then place the bags into the box. This particular machine places the bag into the box and then filled it once in the carton,” he says.

Due to the long thin shape of the carton, which had to be exactly this shape and size, made it difficult to place a filled bag into the box. “Processed cheese comes with its own set of packaging challenges. There should be no air bubbles, the bag needs to be completely filled with high temperature cheese in a way which will allow it to set in the correct size and shape during transit. Once filled, it is difficult to fit a bag of processed cheese into a carton as the cheese immediately starts to set and takes on the shape of the bag, and not the carton.”

The lance used in this process had the advantage that it could start filling the bag from the bottom, and move up it starts filling – this means no air bubbles and no splashing. The speed of the pump could also be varied to allow for faster filling initially and then slowing down as it gets to the top of the bag. The result is a complete square block of cheese with no air bubbles which could be cut to the exact size needed for a fast food chain.

The installation, which was recently completed, will see the company benefiting from an automated, low maintenance and easy-clean solution that meets Australian OH&S (Occupational Health & Safety) standards. The solution will ultimately alleviate the company’s end-of-line labour constraints.

The HMPS solution

The HMPS BIB case packer solution offers an estimated lifespan of 10 years and minimal running cost as all parts are local and readily available; services are also conducted by an Australian team. All HMPS systems are explicitly designed and built to meet Australian and International safety standards.

Additionally, HMPS conducted its own comprehensive risk assessment and pre-installation machine testing to ensure the system meets safety requirements and adheres to the company’s output specifications. The system also meets the following standards: • Australian Guarding Standard AS4024. • Department of Labour – Occupational Health and

Safety; and • Local electrical authorities and wiring rules AS3000. To ensure maximum system usage, HMPS will also provide comprehensive operator and maintenance training during the installations process.

THE HMPS SYSTEM BENEFITS

The food and beverage company’s packing operations will upon completion of the project benefit from the following important features, says HMPS: • An automated system that provides significant labour saving and consistently packaged products. • Low maintenance as the HMPS BIB system is stainless steel which ensure both life and ideal food and beverage application. Also, fully welded frames reduce the possibility of bacterial growth. • A proven bag loading system which ensures correct bag orientation and minimises damage risk. • A large capacity carton magazine with low loading height which enables the system to operate for long periods of time without operator attention. Partnering with HMPS offers the following important benefits: • Quick install – HMPS designs, builds and tests all its packaging machines locally which mean quicker delivery and installation. • Responsive support – dealing with an Australian company means the food and beverage company benefits from rapid, real-time response. • HMPS is the largest case packing and palletising machinery builder in Australia with 35 years’ experience and over 300 installations in Australia and New Zealand.