The Belgian company TG Packaging develops and builds fully automatic packaging machines and complete production lines tailored to the needs of the food industry. Cookies, waffles, coffee and even pet food can be stacked, loaded into trays and packaged in portions or pieces. The market leader in the handling and packaging of cookie fourré - double-decker cookies with a chocolate cream filling in between - recently launched a new high-end X-Fold machine called 'CM90 X-Fold' for folded packaging with an 'easy-open system' for this popular sweet treat. The automation technology for this comes from Sigmatek, whose Dutch partner Sigmacontrol supported the project with its expertise. The compact, robust hardware components from the Salzburg-based manufacturer scored highly in terms of space saving, as did the cross-disciplinary, object-oriented engineering software 'Lasal' in terms of programming time. The result is an efficient all-in-one solution that ensures consistency from the control system to the drives and from the safety technology to the visualization.

Smart design for greater efficiency

If you compare the 'CM 90' with its predecessor model, the 'CM 60', the two differ in their basic design: all machine components in the CM 90 are mounted on an approximately 10 cm thick aluminum plate; this means that play and torque can be reduced to a minimum and the machine can be expanded with the necessary modules if required. Two redundant, fully automatic film rollers on the new machine ensure the smooth transfer of the film.

Although this system has been around for many years for flow-wrapping machines, so-called 'flow packers', it has not yet been used for X-folding machines: In a flow packer, the film runs through continuously and is then cut off; with the X-fold, you always take a piece of film and the product is pushed through. A servo-controlled arm converts the intermittent movement into a continuous movement. This allowed the splicer of the flow packer to be integrated into the new machine - a major advantage. Other special features implemented in this machine include an automatic lubrication system and sensors that track every step of the process, for example the height and position control of the infeed, the positions of the film and corrugated board or the slug infeed width.

The data obtained in this way is stored in the machine, analyzed and used to optimize the packaging process. An inspection and rejection system is integrated into both the infeed and output for quality control. Rejects can be caused by incorrect positioning of the film, incorrect positioning of the tear strip or poor gluing. The rejects or rejected products can now also be traced via the software. This makes it easier to identify the causes of any loss of efficiency.

Higher productivity thanks to servo drives

Increasing production from 60 to 90 packaged units per minute is remarkable, especially with a machine concept that was already setting standards for this type of packaging. The trick lies in the handling of the film by the machine. Servo-controlled grippers are used to hold and tighten the film. As a result, the position is detected very accurately and the film can move faster than would be the case with a chain or gear drive.

In terms of throughput speed, the work step for sealing the longitudinal seam is the bottleneck for productivity. The CM 90 therefore has a sealing station with a carousel, in which the heat sealing takes place in two steps along the roll-shaped packaging before the ends of the cookie roll are provided with the X-fold in the so-called folding cabinet. The product passes through a total of six sealing stations. This results in greater speed, no interruptions due to film changes and faster format changes during product changeovers. This is made possible by servomotor-controlled intelligent processes, which ultimately ensure greater productivity and less waste.

Compact automation of complex processes

TG Packaging has standardized its entire line with an integrated automation solution from Sigmatek: The combination of the IPC 221 industrial computer, the compact standard and safety I/O modules from the S-DIAS series and the modular DIAS-Drive 100 multi-axis system as well as matching servomotors ensures highly dynamic motion sequences. An 8.4-inch multi-touch panel with EDGE2 technology processor and OPC UA connectivity is available for operation and visualization. With the object-oriented Lasal engineering toolset, applications can be created modularly, hardware-independently and quickly. With the complete solution and the new packaging process, output was increased by 50% from 60 to 90 units per minute.
90 units per minute.

When choosing Sigmatek, the decisive factor for TG Packaging was that the hardware and software are independent of each other, so that components can be replaced even after many years if repairs are required. In addition, the fully integrated control system offers many advantages: for example, all door and emergency stop switches are connected separately and directly to the 'S-Dias' safety modules. The entire system was programmed using the object-oriented engineering package 'Lasal' with technical support from Sigmacontrol in Barendrecht. The engineering toolset saves time during programming and configuration, thanks in part to the simple reuse of objects and the extensive libraries with ready-made machine functions.

The author: Ingrid Traintinger is Head of Marketing at Sigmatek in Lamprechtshausen, Austria.

© Sigmatek

Thinking ahead creates intelligent solutions

The new design of the faster X-folding machine offers higher overall performance, which is noticeable in many ways: when switching to other product types - from square to rectangular or oval cookies, for example - it is now easier to adjust the machine accordingly. Diameters and lengths can be parameterized more easily and quickly than with the previous machine. In addition, customer-specific modules can be added more easily.

For example, the patented 'Easy-Open' system is fully integrated into the packaging of 'single and double-decker chocolate cookies' and ensures easy opening and resealing. Both the film and the roll carton are punched in advance and an additional roll with the film labels runs along with them. Such additional modules are also servo-controlled and can be programmed via the software. The X-Fold module is located at the end of a long production chain and is therefore always to some extent dependent on what happens in the upstream process stations and in the feed systems. Not least for this reason, TG Packaging has also specialized in feeding systems in order to increase the efficiency of entire lines even further.