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Versatron Solves Co-Packer Problem |
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By
Ted Dickes
North East Regional Manager
Clement Pappas Company, Inc., Seabrook, NJ,
is a large and successful contract packer for
the beverage industry. Clement Pappas serves
a wide variety of private label and supermarket
brands, including juice in glass and PET containers.
The critical success factors in their business
are rapid response capability on incoming orders
and the flexibility to handle a wide variety
of products, both of which demand high line speeds
and changeover versatility. Their business requires
multi-shift and 24-hour-per-day operations. Standard-Knapp's
recently-installed Versatron
939S Servo Case Packer is making a strong contribution toward
maintaining Clement Pappas' success factors.
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| The
Versatron's back-to-back case handling helps
Clement Pappas to meet cycle time requirements. |
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Large
64 oz. and 128 oz. PET containers are the mainstay
of the company's operations. With the trend
towards using lighter weight containers expected
to continue for both glass and PET containers,
it is essential to minimize the impact during
the vertical case loading process. The Versatron
939S Case
Packer, with its unique "soft catch" technology,
has solved that problem with an advanced motion
control system. Unlike conventional drop packers,
when the container is released from the packing
grid and begins its descent, Versatron's servo-controlled "soft
catch" lift table begins a carefully measured
rate of descent that nearly matches that of
the container, thus producing a soft, safe
landing for the product. Clement Pappas felt
this was particularly important with the large
128 oz. size.
Although
the Versatron 939S has a cycle rate up to 45
cases per minute, which would have met Pappas'
speed requirements, Tom DeThomas, Director
of Engineering, asked Standard-Knapp to incorporate
another unique feature of Versatron — that
of "back-to-back" dual case handling. In this
instance, each load cycle of the machine packs
two cases simultaneously. As DeThomas remarked, "I
particularly like this feature of the machine
because I can reduce the actual cycle rate
of the machine and still more than meet our
need for high speeds."
Handling
the 128 oz. container 2x2 and packed in dual
mode means that more than 60 pounds of product
is loaded at each cycle. The importance of
the "soft catch" servo-controlled system, not
only in protecting the product but also in
reducing shock and impact on machine components,
is shown in reduced maintenance time and parts
costs. It can also be seen that this controlled
and continuous descent path, from grid release
to a soft landing and discharge, is far superior
to the drop-stop and restart method used by
competitive equipment. |
Clement
Pappas also appreciates the Versatron 939S's
convenient and rapid changeover, made possible
by a touch screen operator interface, for easy
setup, drop-in lane guide spacers, and our
patented lightweight "snap-in" grid. Our highly
successful "by-the-numbers" changeover system
allows even inexperienced operators to complete
the machine changeover with confidence.
It
is certain that the vertical case packer, long
an industry workhorse, will remain a very cost-effective
solution for food and beverage manufacturers
for many years to come. And, with its advanced
technology and multiple user benefits, the
Versatron 939S will continue to solve problems
for companies like Clement Pappas. |
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The
Merits of Tandem Case Handling
S-K's
930 and 940 Series Offer Faster Cycle Times, Quick
Changeover and Greater Product Flexibility |
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By
Bob Reynolds
Vice President of Operations
Standard-Knapp has been manufacturing vertical
case packers for over 50 years. Vertical packers
are particularly important for reshipper-style
production operations and for applications that
require center partitions for container protection.
Although vertical packers have been in decline
in the last three decades due to the trend towards
bulk handling of containers and the material savings
offered by tray/shrink packaging, a considerable
demand still exists for the more conventional vertical
case packers. Standard-Knapp's vertical case packers
possess an overall versatility still unmatched
by alternative machinery. Couple this advantage
with the overall price/performance value, and it
becomes obvious why a number of leading edge manufacturers
still opt for Standard-Knapp's conventional vertical
packer for their operations. |
As the line
speeds of food and beverage manufacturers have been
pushed higher and higher, case packers have
been challenged to keep up. There are several ways
to achieve high case per minute rates on a vertical
case packing line. Continuous motion, multiple head "gripper" style
packers have been available since the early 1970s and
can achieve decent throughput for certain bottle/case
combinations. However, a simpler approach for many
applications is tandem case handling. For each packing
cycle, two cases are positioned on the lift table in
preparation for the vertical descent of the containers.
While the pair of cases is elevated into position,
two sets of bottles are advanced onto the riding strips
in preparation for loading. These two sets are funneled
into the two cases simultaneously, effectively doubling
the case rate for each machine cycle. As a result,
packers with tandem case capability can operate at
2/3 to 1/2 the cycle rate of a traditional single case
packer and achieve the same case output. Alternatively,
tandem packers can achieve twice the case output for
the same machine cycle rate as compared to a single
head configuration. However, this may be limited by
the quantity of bottles per case and the overall bottle
size.
 Many
recent Standard-Knapp customers have opted for tandem
case handling based on its many advantages. Speeds
of 30 to 45 cases per minute can be achieved with
cycle rates of 15 to 23 cycles per minute. This is
often the best solution for product that does not
handle well at the faster cycle rates. In particular,
heavy product can run more efficiently with fewer
product descents per cycle. This also tends to reduce
maintenance costs by having fewer motions per case
packed. Tandem case packing can also be used in combination
with Standard-Knapp's servo case feed technology
to achieve very high case throughputs.
A
tandem case packer differs from a single case machine
in three
ways:
1.
The grid opening and lift table frequently must be
longer to handle two cases per cycle.
2. Table sensors must detect the presence of two
cases.
3. The grid must be specially designed to handle
the corrugated thickness created where the two
cases butt
together.
| Tandem grid easily slides out of the 949
Packer. |
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Standard-Knapp
pioneered tandem case packing 30 years ago.
We offer several models to meet our
customers' needs. The Model 930, Model 939E,
and Model 939S can all be equipped for tandem
case
packing, if each case length is less than 12
inches. For case lengths greater than 12 inches,
we offer
Models 940 and
949S, which are specially designed to pack longer
cases in pairs.
In
comparison to
most continuous motion "gripper" solutions,
tandem packers have several advantages, including
less floor space, fewer change parts, less
complex operation and reduced maintenance
requirements.
Tandem packers are also quicker and easier
to changeover, a benefit of considerable
importance
for those
who need both speed and flexibility. In addition,
tandem packers have a better value-to-price
relationship in comparison to the alternatives.
Standard-Knapp
has recently developed tandem packer solutions
for several customers, including
Anheuser-Busch,
Miller Brewing, Molson, S.C. Johnson (aerosol
cans), Clement Pappas (juice), and H.P. Hood
(dairy).
The container size has varied from 8 oz.
all the way up to 1 gallon. Typical case types
have included
tablock, prime flap RSC, and trays. As end
users add new bottles to the line, they can
order change
part kits (grids) and expect the design and
fabrication to be completed in under a month.
In addition to
higher speeds, the Standard-Knapp tandem
case
packers offer a proven packing concept, quick
changeover,
high reliability, and the ultimate in product flexibility. |
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| Standard-Knapp
Introduces Continuum™ Stacker |
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By
Kristofer Kolstad
Vice President of Marketing
Standard-Knapp has added the new 296I
Continuum Tray Stacker to our Continuum family of machinery.
The Stacker creates two tiers of trays before
the trays enter the shrink wrapper, doubling
the tray output for the same packs per minute
rate. This enables the palletizer to increase
its capacity by a factor of two without increasing
its cycle rate. When operating at 100 trays
per minute, the shrink wrapper and palletizer
must only operate at 50 packs per minute.
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Tray stacking has another inherent advantage for
supply chain and warehouse management. Stacking
and shrink-wrapping two 12-count trays is usually
much more manageable than handling a single 24-count
tray. There is a reduced likelihood of the tray
coming undone, and it is easier to handle the two-tiered
pack due to its more stable shape and aspect ratio.
When the film is removed, each individual tray
is easier to handle and stock onto the retail shelf.
Although
tray stackers are traditionally used in
the canned food industry, they are also
used for glass jars, PET, and fiber cans
(Sonoco cans). Baby food, pet food, and
snack food are three examples of applications
for Standard-Knapp stackers in the food
industry.
Several
important features differentiate the Continuum
from other stackers. Physically located
between the tray packer and shrink wrapper,
it takes up only five linear feet of floor
space. Competitive models require lengthy
infeed and discharge conveyors, often taking
up 10 or more feet. The Continuum stacker
is electronically and mechanically integrated
to the tray packer/shrink wrapper system,
allowing smooth and efficient operation
without harsh transitions or retiming issues.
A simple two-position clutch changes the
operation from single- to double-tier,
allowing operators to easily complete changeovers.
Compact design, high efficiency and simple
operation have been key design-drivers
for the Continuum Stacker.
For
two-tier operation, the second tray of
each pair is lifted for stacking, while
the first tray packed slows to half speed,
allowing the second tray to "catch up." Once
this occurs the second tray is placed on
top of the first tray, and the two trays
are discharged and transported to the shrink
wrapper for bundling. (Please see sidebar
and accompanying illustration for complete
description of operation.)
For
single-tier operation, a two-position clutch
allows for a change in the ratio of the
infeed and discharge lugs from two-to-one
to one-to-one. A toggle in the touch screen
turns off the side lifters, and the stacker
easily acts as a pass-though conveyor.
Standard-Knapp
will continue to develop new Continuum
tray packing products. You may visit Standard-Knapp
at the Pack Expo in Chicago this November
to see our Continuum family of machinery. |
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Continuum
Stacker Operation for Double-Tier
Trays
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| 1.
Single-tier trays are discharged from
the compression pockets of the tray
packer and handed off to the stacker
infeed lugs. The handoff is direct
and positive and does not require retiming. |
| 2.
The infeed lugs move at exactly the
same rate as the compression pockets
because they are mechanically linked
at a one-to-one ratio to the compression
pockets. |
| 3.
The infeed lugs transport the single
trays to the point where the side lifters
can secure and raise the tray for stacking.
These lifters move on a cam path that
has been designed for a wide range
of products. Every other tray is lifted,
beginning with the second tray in a
pair. |
| 4.
The first tray is advanced to a second
set of lugs that move at half the speed
of the infeed lugs. |
| 5.
The second tray is lifted by a single
axis servo motor and accelerated forward
to catch up with the first tray. |
| 6.
When the second tray is gently placed
on the first tray, the two-tier pack
is then engaged by the flights of the
shrink wrapper for bundling. |
| 7.
The discharge lug is mechanically linked
at a one-to-one ratio to the shrink
wrapper flight to ensure a positive
handoff. The shrink wrapper flight
moves at 1/2 of the rate of the tray
compression pockets because two trays
from the tray packer are required to
make one two-tier pack going into the
shrink wrapper. |
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