AmbaFlex: Automation through accumulation

Exciting food packaging formats come with their own unique packaging challenges. In order to solve this customer's need for increased packaging line speeds, extra attention was given to product handling and accumulation.

In this project the end-user was looking to improve production rates on its frozen dinner meals packaging line by automating various parts of the process.

Automation was already in use to add dinner meal ingredients to trays, which were sealed and snap frozen in a tunnel freezer. But they still had to box the trays and case pack them through manual labor. The issues were that handing frozen food under extreme time pressure is a repetitive stress for staff and the process had inherent speed limitations.

To solve this the new solution needed to accommodate multiple product types in various unusual sizes and configurations. Packaged meals were to be transported from the spiral freezer, oriented and placed into a single file. After this, accumulation was required before the meals reached an end-load cartoner so as to manage any delays in the cartoning process.

The AmbaFlex AccuVeyor AVh was the perfect solution. For this current project, it provides anywhere between 3–12 minutes of accumulation between the orientating and singulation system and the End Load Cartoner, depending on the product. The AVh adds seamless dynamic accumulation without touching the products, making it perfect for odd and challenging shapes. In addition, it can respond to any situation on the fly, ensuring optimal efficiency.

Once the small packs have been placed into a case, conveyors receive these cases and transport them to an AmbaFlex SpiralVeyor, which then takes them to the palletiser.

With two AmbaFlex spiral solutions this customer optimized their line's potential while decreasing the pressure on valuable floor space. A true win-win situation for all involved.

This article was originally published by AmbaFlex.