Sweet snacks are popular around the world as on-the-go treats or as small gifts. From chocolate and cereal bars, through to bite-sized pastries or baked goods, the treats are most often packed in convenient formats.
One of the most frequently selected types of packaging is the 'flowpack', which allows large amounts to be packaged quickly. But the packaging process doesn't end there. To ensure safe transportation and an attractive presentation in the trade, the individual products need to be grouped into containers, such as display cartons. To take on this challenge efficiently, manufacturers rely on high-performance automation solutions - and local conditions tend to be as varied as the confectionery products themselves.
Flexible and without an electrical cabinet
With its TLM packaging systems, Gerhard Schubert GmbH offers a modular system that can flexibly adapt to different customer requirements. Each sub-machine takes on a special function - from erecting the cartons, to grouping products, to filling and closing the packages.
At the ProSweets fair, Schubert will be presenting a TLM system consisting of three sub-machines, which packages flowpacks filled with puff pastry . In the future, the system, which has already been sold to an Italian confectionery manufacturer, will be processing 135g, 200g, 400g and 500g flowpacks with a performance of up to 110 packs per minute.
The machine to be exhibited is the new model of a packaging machine - without an electrical cabinet - developed by Schubert. It sets a new benchmark in terms of efficiency, availability and the use of identical parts within the system. A visible sign of the elimination of the conventional electrical system on the packaging machine is the narrower head of the TLM machine's frame. The number of electronic parts has been greatly reduced, leaving only a few components. At the same time, the operation and maintenance of the machine is easier than ever.
The TLM machine packages the tubular bags optionally in display cartons or pre-glued RSC cartons. The flowpacks can be grouped into the display cartons in different configurations: either single- or multi-row, standing or lying, on the short or long side. If products are packed standing, the product belt is swivelled so that an F2 filling robot can take on the formations in the correct orientation and place them in the cartons. Subsequently, a TLM-F2 closing robot closes the carton.
At the Schubert stand F020/G029 in Hall 10.1, the TLM system will process 200g tube bags, standing on the high edge in display boxes in two rows side by side. The printed label is always oriented to the front on all packages.
3D scanners for the highest quality control
TLM technology is basically suitable for any product and even sensitive products, such as puff pastry, can be handled gently. Schubert offers a range of innovative technologies for efficient, high-performance production processes. For packaging sweets, snacks and baked goods, with Schubert's 3D scanner, a robust and highly secure image recognition system, which far surpasses conventional vision systems in terms of performance, is available to confectionery manufacturers.
When using the 3D scanner, customers benefit from a high level of quality control. From the data sourced by the 3D scanner, a TLM packaging machine's vision system determines the three-dimensional shape of the product to be packaged, as well as its volume and - with uniform product density - its weight. A TLM system with the scanner can single out 3D defects. For example, it can identify the brown sandwich cookie with brown cream, which is missing its top section, and eject it from the product flow.
