AntiSlip Gluing from Robatech has been stabilising palletised sacks at UFA AG in Sursee, Switzerland, since 2008. The contactless hot melt spray application runs reliably and guarantees transport safety without plastic film. Reason enough for UFA AG to equip its new bagging system with AntiSlip Gluing again in 2018.
When it comes to plastic avoidance, manufacturers and consumers are called upon to take action. UFA AG, a Swiss manufacturer of compound feed, mineral salts and milk powder, had already thought about avoiding plastic waste when palletising its feed sacks in 2008. At that time, the company decided in favour of Innovative and cost-effective AntiSlip Gluing solution from Robatech.
When a new bagging system was purchased for the speciality plant at the Sursee site in 2018, the palletising process was once again put to the test: should it be glued again or shrink-wrapped with plastic film?
Not passing plastic on to customers in the first place
Urs Steiner, Head of Production at UFA Sursee, emphasised the importance of proper clarification: „We asked around the company and the decision was clearly in favour of hot melt application. Shrinking would have involved more effort, taken up more space and, with a Throughput of 25,000 pallets per year also higher material costs.
Our customers already have to dispose of the feed sacks and would then also have stacks of film.“ Urs Steiner knows what he's talking about, as the delivery of palletised goods for feed preparation at the speciality plant results in a lot of waste every year. more than 2 tonnes of plastic film for disposal.
Environmentally friendly stabilisation
In the new bagging plant 500 bags filled per hour, sewn and labelled. For the subsequent palletising process, two AX-Diamond spray heads apply four hot melt curls to the surface of the passing feed bag without contact. A robot then stacks three bags, each in a layer, on the pallet.
Once two layers have been stacked, a lifting platform moves the pallet upwards and briefly presses the bags against a pressing plate. This increases the adhesion between the layers and the finished palletised stack can then be transported safely. Each layer is pressed, whereby the Product counter of the Robatech application system ensures that the last three bags remain without adhesive application.
Automation needs reliability
„We are striving for a high degree of automation “, says Urs Steiner. „Disruptions create work. We have so many systems and they all have to run as smoothly as possible without interrupting operations. Our philosophy is not to look for the cheapest, but the most reliable. With Robatech devices, there are actually no unplanned downtimes. If there is a problem, then it is not relevant or the Service technician is right on the spot. We are very satisfied.“
Flexibility through modularity
UFA AG produces in a Two-step procedure. In the mixing plant, the powdery materials delivered are weighed in batches, mixed homogeneously and stored in a silo. In the next step, the powdery mixture is continuously blown into a spray tower from above and enriched with hot fat in free fall, which is sprayed in from the side. The cold air introduced from below then creates a crystalline, free-flowing product.
„With the new bagging system, we have been able to increase the number of layers from eight to ten. That is a Logistics advantage» says Urs Steiner, describing the increase in efficiency achieved. „However, not only did the gravity-controlled pallet rack have to be converted for this, but the existing adhesive application process also had to be adapted.
Previously, we only glued on one side. That worked well. With the increase to ten layers per pallet, we had to increase the stability,“ says the UFA production manager, describing the challenge. Robatech then equipped the existing Concept melter with two new-generation AX spray heads.
„Thanks to the high level of backwards compatibility and the modular design of Robatech products, this was no problem at all. And then there's also the fact that the CoolTouch insulation on the Diamond application heads and the energy efficiency is much better, because the insulated application heads guarantee a constant adhesive temperature.“
Urs Steiner, Head of Production UFA Sursee
Simple depalletising
The Reliable bonding quality is crucial for secure palletising and easy depalletising. After all, the bags should arrive at the customer undamaged and be easy to remove without tearing.
„We are with AntiSlip Gluing has been very successful. The process is a really good thing for us, for our customers and for avoiding plastic waste.“
Urs Steiner, Head of Production UFA Sursee
Source: Robatech GmbH
