Cartoning

Bar code inspection system

The Plato-0100 is a bar code inspection system from Entry Technology (Cream Ridge, NJ) that verifies readability and presence of a correct bar code on most types of packaging.

October 31, 1996

Materials: Page 816

Controls & Machine Components

Protective packaging

Xpander Pak(TM) from Xpander Pak (Glen Allen, VA) is an innovative packaging system designed to protect products under 10 lb from shock and vibration.

October 31, 1996

Additives, coatings & inks

Recycled-content PET

Wellman (Shrewsbury, NJ) has received a letter of non-objection from the FDA for the use of EcoClear(TM) recycled-content PET in levels to 100% for beverage and food packaging.

October 31, 1996

Closures

Decorating options

Twin City Bottle (Minneapolis, MN) offers decorating on plastic, glass, metal and ceramic containers and closures in sizes from 1/2-oz to 5-gal, in a variety of shapes.

October 31, 1996

Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

RF welder

Thermex-Thermatron (Bay Shore, NY) has developed a radio frequency welder that uses a combination of PLC control and specific algorithms to allow preprogramming of up to eight settings.

October 31, 1996

Closures

Vision software

Systech (Cranbury, NJ) has developed TIPS(TM) advanced vision and packaging automation solutions, a software program that allows manufacturers of food, beverages, or cosmetics to upgrade manual and mechanical visions systems.

October 31, 1996

Closures

Stock jar closures

The Elegance Jar Covers from Tech Industries (Woonsocket, RI) are suited for cosmetics and personal care applications. Made of injection-molded PP, they are available in 33-, 48-, and 53-mm sizes.

October 31, 1996

Containers

Flexible IBC

Stack Pack(TM) is a flexible IBC from Bulk-Pack (Denison, TX) designed to replace bulk boxes, multiwall bags and conventional flexible IBCs. It consists of woven PP and 2" rigid beams made of wood or plastic that fit into pockets strategically positioned around the entire container.

October 31, 1996

Bag/pouch fill/seal (pre-made bags)

Stand-up resealable bag

A patented stand-up resealable bag from Pack-Tech (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) can be filled through its gusset to eliminate problems encountered by filling through the zipper.

October 31, 1996

Flow wrapping

Flow wrapper

Rose Forgrove (St. Charles, IL) will introduce a shrink film version of the servo-driven Minerva rotary jaw flow wrapper. Designed with easy operation and maintenance in mind, it's suited for applications such as bakery, medical, meat and poultry, cosmetics and snack foods.

October 31, 1996

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Bag inserter

Bemis Packaging Machinery (Minneapolis, MN) has introduced the Series 1580 Large Drum Poly Bag Inserter. It's designed to select a gusseted PE bag from a roll, insert it into a fiber or steel drum, and cuff it over the top of the drum.

October 31, 1996

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Pump placement

New dispensing pump placement equipment from Mengibar Automation (Ivyland, PA) can unscramble, insert and tighten at up to 380 items/min. Its unique anti-jam mechanism minimizes operator intervention.

October 31, 1996

Sustainability

Cellular CPET

Shell Chemical (Houston, TX) has announced an advance in cellular CPET. Petlite(TM) II is a new resin that can be thermoformed into containers made to withstand the high-temperature baking conditions of CPET, with the potential for source reduction and cost savings.

October 31, 1996