Syntegon delivers enhanced next generation flow wrapper
German-headquartered Syntegon Technology has launched its latest generation of flow wrappers – the Pack 202 aimed at confectionery and bakery markets for chocolate bars, cookies and wider snacks and bakery ranges, reports Neill Barston.
As the company explained to Confectionery Production, the new line builds on the success of its predecessor, the Pack 201, operating and low and medium-speeds, and has been developed as a fully automated horizontal system that has been upgraded in a number of areas.
The key enhancements to the line, delivered through its facilities in Schiedam, Netherlands, include an easily removable discharge belt, upgrades to the cross-seal and fin seal units, and a highly intuitive, user-friendly design.
Furthermore, the Pack 202 is a heat-sealing flow wrapper. Supported pack styles include pillow, gusseted and easy-to-open packs, which are said to make it suitable for a broader range of applications across the sector.
A number of features on the Pack 403 have been integrated into the Pack 202 to improve the user experience. Sequentially numbered film rollers facilitate film threading for repeatable, consistent changeovers and minimise downtime caused by “trial-and-error” adjustments. The flow wrapper also comprises an optional automatic film splicer with laser-etched instructions on the deckplate to secure fast and smooth film changes without having to stop the machine.
“Our new flow wrapper for small to mid-sized manufacturers certainly packs a punch: We were able to integrate some of the features of our Pack 403 for medium to high speed applications into the new Pack 202. The machine is easy to operate, clean and maintain, which reduces downtime and maximises overall equipment effectiveness,” explains Christiaan Mulder, the company’s product manager in Schiedam.
Speaking further on its design, he explained that modifications to the cross and fin-seal components include finwheel module synchronisation, with the Pack 202 now featuring an improved canting mechanism. This means that at the turn of a dial, operators can tilt the fin modules and adjust them easily for more consistent seals.
The cross-seal unit on the Pack 202 has also been improved significantly: The standard double-spring kit offers more consistent and stable seals than previous models, while the adjustment resolution has been doubled, thus enabling more precise and repeatable crimper adjustments. It has been equipped with a standard 450-millimetre dual backstand in Europe, with a further 650-millimetre option also available.
“The standard Pack 202 version for the European market now features Beckhoff controls and HMI 4.0, which is a significant benefit for brand owners,” Mulder added.
In addition, the Pack 202 is equipped with a new reject belt. The upper section of the reject belt is easy to remove for quick belt changes and cleaning processes. The detection function on the discharge belt rejects faulty packages and automatically ejects them using compressed air. For larger and heavier products, a two-meter-long discharge module with reject plow is available as an option.
As the business noted, it has increased its efforts to develop intelligent and sustainable technologies, working closely with material suppliers and brand owners throughout the supply chain to test and adjust its equipment in terms of its ability to use alternative packaging machine materials.
