Pack Expo 2019: Schubert to present new lightline Flowpacker with latest sealing technology

12 Aug 2019 --- German-headquartered Schubert Group is set to exhibit its new lightline Flowpacker, which makes use of the company’s latest pick & place robotic technology, at Pack Expo 2019 in Las Vegas, US. The machine on display will combine a Flowpacker and a Pickerline in a single system and features Schubert’s patented, state-of-the-art sealing technology for packaging heat-sensitive products even more gently into flowpacks. The exhibition machine will be installed at a North American baked goods manufacturer after the show.

Manufacturers increasingly require integration-ready, flexible and compact machine systems. With Schubert’s new lightline machine series, manufacturers can master standardized packaging tasks with “outstanding efficiency and high quality at attractive purchase costs,” the company says.

The lightline Flowpacker to be exhibited at Pack Expo 2019 was designed for a North American, family-run baked goods manufacturer, to automate its end-of-line process by packaging freshly baked croissants and Danish pastries into flowpacks. The system fully integrates flow-wrapping into the packaging line by combining a Flowmodul and a Pickerline in one system. During the show, the machine will package chocolate biscuits in a two by two formation into flowpacks.

Schubert’s flying cross-sealing unit adapts to the variable speeds of the upstream pick & place robots to ensure high sealing quality with constant sealing times.The integrated Flowmodul is equipped with Schubert’s new patented sealing technology. First, an ultrasonic sealing system closes the flowpack’s longitudinal seam, then a heat-sealing system with a flying cross-sealing unit is used. The flying cross-sealing unit adapts to the variable speeds of the upstream pick & place robots and ensures high sealing quality with constant sealing times. Schubert’s state-of-the-art pick & place robots guarantee flexible and gentle product handling, the company says. Due to Schubert’s system modularity, the robots can be combined with other modules to integrate several packaging processes into a single system.

“Modularity is our core competence,” notes Hartmut Siegel, CEO of Schubert North America. “Modularity, flexibility, efficiency and reliable technology are the cornerstones behind the success of our top-loading packaging machines. The machines’ modular design, along with their advanced mechanical design and intelligent control systems, ensure exceptional effectiveness.”

The exhibited machine also integrates Schubert’s 3D image recognition system to detect product position, orientation, height and quality, ensuring that the robots pick up only flawless products. The machine will also be equipped with small-footprint pick & place robots to offer an even higher degree of compactness.

Schubert’s lightline machine series includes three compact preconfigured packaging machines: the lightline Cartonpacker for erecting, filling and closing cartons, the lightline Pickerline and the lightline Flowpacker for packaging products into flowpacks. The lightline Flowpacker on exhibit at Pack Expo 2019 combines a Flowmodul and Pickerline in one system to offer even greater compactness. 

Experienced service specialists in North America provide expert advice on all aspects of Schubert TLM systems. Regardless of whether manufacturing sites are in the US, Canada or Mexico, Schubert service engineers are on hand to assist customers, either personally on-site or via remote support.

Service technicians at Schubert North America are trained with a unique internally designed apprentice program that involves a comprehensive training seminar at its headquarters in Germany, as well PMMI-certified training and other industry-specific training courses run with local universities and colleges.

For more than 25 years, Schubert has been increasing its market share in North America by providing end-of-line automation solutions, with over 300 TLM packaging machines now operating on the continent. All over North America, Schubert TLM packaging machines package products of all kinds and from all industries, ranging from food, confectionery and baked goods, through to dairy products, beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and technical products, in trays, cartons, boxes, bottles, tubes or flowpacks. 

Edited by Joshua Poole