Big Packaging Line in a Small Footprint? No Problem if it Handles a Dozen Formats

Speaking of gift packs, in the case of gift packaging for the MMchen sparkling wine, for example, up to 10 of the 13 sub-machines can be used. In the first two sub-machines, F3 robots take up to 550 blanks/min from the magazine, depending on the desired output. Then, dF2 robots pick up the individual packs lying in a row, straighten them for correct orientation during transfer, and place them on a Transmodul for further processing. On the way to the next sub-machine, the tabs are glued. There, F2 robots seal the underside of the gift packs, stand them up and place them in rows of two on another Transmodul line. The KHS packer feeds the small bottles and carefully places them into the open top gift packs. In the next two sub-machines, four F2 robots then also seal the top of the packaging and place it on one of two further Transmodul sections for pre-grouping.

Securely packed and sealed

Shortly before the end of the packaging process, the shipping cases come into play: similarly to the gift packs, flattened, die-cut shippers are unstacked, erected, and placed on their own Transmodul line. In the second to last sub-machine, two F2 robots lift and transfer the prepared MMchen into the outer cartons – in four groups of six products. The Schubert machine fills up to 23 cycles/min, with three Transmodul lines working in parallel. To ensure that Rotkäppchen-Mumm can finally transport everything safely to the customers, the tabs of the large outer cartons are also glued and closed on the upper side.

The various sub-machines are linked by Schubert’s patented Transmoduls. Thanks to their inductive (wireless energy transfer) energy supply and wireless transfer of data and signals they glide back and forth on their rails along the entire line without interfaces. Maximum availability and the best possible efficiency are ensured by a considerable reduction in the number of mechanical parts.

F3 robots de-stack the blanks for the gift packages from the magazine. F2 robots erect the boxes during transfer and place them on the Transmodul.

Tight timelines for the install

One can imagine that the planning, installation, and commissioning of such a complex machine was a huge challenge for all involved. “The time slot for installation was extremely ambitious,” says Max Schwaiger, who is responsible for Packaging Product Support at KHS. “Thanks to our good project management we were able to keep to the deadlines. This wasn’t just a matter of course as the growth in the number of formats during the process resulted in a certain level of complexity.” Owing to the limited space at the final place of installation in Eltville the system had to be completely dismantled and brought into the building horizontally. With the help of 3D simulation, calculations were also made with millimeter accuracy as to how much space the machine column on the pick-and-place packer would need during erection of the machinery. In a work of absolute precision, the ceiling grid only had to be dismantled and cut out at this point.

Prepared for the future

The most important criterion for the winery was flexibility. As such, the machine is designed in such a way that only a few format changes are necessary, tools can be changed quickly, and the system can absorb new packaging variants that may be implemented in the future.

Ready for delivery to customers: The shipping cases containing the gift packaging are sealed by F2 robots.

“It was extremely important for us to know that our new packaging machine would enable us to meet all the requirements of the retail trade for many years to come,” says Joachim Engler, Technical Manager at Rotkäppchen-Mumm.

“I’m convinced that we’re also well-able to meet future demands from the retail trade with our new technology,” Grebe adds. “One prospective option could be the packaging of 0.75-liter wine bottles, for instance, and also new format sizes, such as packs of three or five.” Another major aspect of the machine’s flexibility is that it has been designed so that only a few format changeovers are necessary and the tools can be switched over relatively quickly. “We convert the machinery a maximum of four times a week. Depending on whether we’re making a hard change from fruit secco to sparkling wine, where we have to change over several Transmodul plates, or just switching the heads on the KHS pick-and-place packer, this only takes 30 to 90 minutes,” Grebe says.

More formats, twice the speed

Thanks to the Innopack TLM from KHS and Schubert, the wine producer benefits from a variety of formats that no other manufacturer could have implemented in a single machine. Last but not least, it is important to note that this new system works twice as fast as the previous machine of the sparkling wine, wine and spirits manufacturer.

“[KHS and Schubert] make a really strong team," Grebe observes. "We’d never have come up with the idea of Schubert and its Transmoduls on our own as we associate these with totally different branches of industry–from pharmaceuticals to candies. Only in conjunction with KHS’ expertise in the beverage sector and particularly in the handling of bottles have we found the perfect solution.” For Rotkäppchen-Mumm one big success factor was also that there was only one point of contact in KHS’ system of project management." 

In the meantime, the new technology also has the system operators convinced.

“Over the years our colleagues of course build up a kind of emotional bond with their old machines which can be ‘knocked back into shape’ with a hammer if need be," Grebe says. "The overall function and look of the new machine are so fascinating and convincing, however, that initial skepticism has long given way to total enthusiasm.” -PW