Automated multipacking

Primary packaging of Bifi snacks isn’t the only operation that has been upgraded through automation at Unilever’s Ansbach plant. Multipacking of unit packs into multipacks also took a step forward about a year ago when a Model CP5.14.14/S vertical form/fill/seal system from Hastamat (www.hastamat.com) was installed.

Pw 8743 Bifi Hastamat2

The two items packed on the new vf/f/s system are Bifi Mini and Peperami Mini. Both were multipacked manually before the Hastamat system arrived. The new machine frees up operators to work elsewhere in the plant and has brought a 50% increase in speed.

An incline conveyor takes individually wrapped units up to the distribution plate at the top of the Hastamat system. Packs drop into one of 14 dosing bins arranged around the distribution plate and then into one of 14 weighing bins. The machine controller analyzes the contents of all 14 weighing bins and signals the bins whose combined weight is closest to the target weight to drop their contents down a common tube leading down to the bagger. Servo drives and motors from B&R (www.br-automation.com) play a key role in keeping the weigher and bagger synchronized.

Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?
Discover which palletizing technology—robotic, conventional, or hybrid—will maximize your packaging line efficiency while minimizing long-term costs in this comprehensive analysis.
Read More
Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?
List: Digitalization Companies From PACK EXPO
Looking for CPG-focused digital transformation solutions? Download our editor-curated list from PACK EXPO featuring top companies offering warehouse management, ERP, digital twin, and MES software with supply chain visibility and analytics capabilities—all tailored specifically for CPG operations.
Download Now
List: Digitalization Companies From PACK EXPO