Because it no longer wanted to sell its dessert cups in shrink-wrapped plastic trays, the British company Premier Foods invested in a combined packing and palletising centre. The cups are now packed in cardboard boxes using tray erectors and palletisers and then palletised fully automatically. At the same time, the palletising centre disposes of two other packaging lines. The entire system was successfully accepted in February 2022.
As one of the UK's largest food companies, Premier Foods employs over 4,000 people at 15 production sites and branches across the UK. The brand portfolio ranges from flavourings and seasonings, sauces and accompaniments, convenience foods, snacks and soups to aseptically packaged desserts. The Group also manufactures products such as cakes and desserts on behalf of many food retailers in the UK.
At the Ambrosia Creamery, Premier Foods produces the UK's favourite rice pudding and custard products as well as numerous other desserts.
The first packaging system from A+F went into operation at the Lifton site back in 2012. „The most recent collaboration was about creating a to develop a modern multipack format for our popular dessert cups. At the same time, we wanted to switch to a more sustainable carton solution,“ summarises Graeme Strike, the project manager at Ambrosia. At that time, the filled cups were placed in an open plastic tray, which was additionally sealed with a shrink film before palletising. „Now we pack our cups in solid cardboard sleeves and corrugated cardboard boxes."
In addition, a to find a suitable system layout in order to realise the planned palletising centre with integrated packaging unit in the planned hall. to be able to. In addition, all existing options, from the cup filler to product routing, were to be retained. „The flexibility of the design of the packaging unit consisting of tray erector and labeller was extremely important here. This ensured that the cups could continue to leave the filling machine in the established format and still be processed seamlessly by the new packaging and palletising line,“ explains Strike.
The existing systems could be easily adapted to the new conditions. The order included the layout, two new palletisers, the conversion of an existing palletiser, a MultiFormer tray erector and a SetLine type palletiser, all the necessary conveyors as well as the mechanical and control-side connection to the specified interfaces. Two spiral conveyors were purchased and integrated as a general contractor. External units such as X-ray/checkweighers, inkjet printers, pallet wrappers and pallet and carton labellers were also taken over.
When planning the system, special attention was attention to the most energy-efficient operation possible - One of the aims here is to minimise the use of costly pneumatics. Consequently, the latest servo and three-phase drives are used and vacuum pumps replace conventional venturi vacuum generators.
Assembly in Lifton began at the end of 2021, after which the new packing and palletising centre reached its specified output in a short space of time. Successful acceptance followed just a few weeks after commissioning in February 2022. The „digital twin“ tool was also helpful. With this clarified via a computer simulation in the run-up to an investment how the task set by the customer can be realised in a technically and economically sensible way. can be realised. In the Premier Foods project, this related to the design of pallet transport. However, the „digital twin“ goes far beyond pure computer simulation. The tool precisely controls the PLC that will be used by the customer, which in turn controls the simulation. The results of these tests, which were carried out almost under operating conditions The knowledge gained helps to optimise machine design and subsequent commissioning at the customer's premises.
The packing and palletising solution is currently used in two-shift operation. The palletiser forms the packaging variants: 2 cups x 1 layer = 2 cups, 2 cups x 2 layers = 4 cups and 3 cups x 2 layers = 6 cups. Its nominal output is 304 cups per minute. The tray erector subsequently forms the required Container consisting of sleeve and wraparound tray. Its rated output is 19.0 packs per minute for the 2-cup sleeves and 12.7 packs per minute for the 3-cup sleeves. The palletiser for the new carton packaging also has a rated output of 19.0 packs per minute. The other two palletisers simultaneously dispose of two other packaging lines. Their rated output is 13.9 packs per minute each.
„We knew the capabilities of the company and its components,“ summarises Strike. The framework conditions were more challenging, as the project was carried out against the difficult backdrop of the UK's exit from the EU and the COVID pandemic. „Despite these completely new challenges, the A+F team always worked closely and cooperatively with us. This was certainly one of the key factors in ensuring that this project was realised on budget and on time. We can all be proud of that.“
Author: Michael Hafer, A+F Automation und Fördertechnik GmbH
