Schubert’s TLM line provides a soft and efficient touch to praline processing

17 Apr 2019 --- Schubert has adapted its TLM packaging line for Polish confectioner Mieszko’s filled pralines, which automates both the pre-sorting and packaging processes. The German machinery specialist designed a unique vibration unit for the delicate products, which gently places the hemispherical cherry pralines on their flat underside before the delicacies are assembled and packaged into a wide variety of assortments by pick & place robots.

The fully loaded plastic trays are placed in double-walled boxes or folding cartons. In order to keep the folding boxes open when inserting the trays, Schubert designed a special spreading tool. Moreover, unwrapped products can also be packaged in the system.

“The system’s amazing flexibility is ideal for us. We can process more than 20 different packaging combinations. I’m also enthusiastic about the tool-free conversion between formats,” says Tomasz Stiebler, Project Manager at Mieszko. Schubert already enables the robot tools to be exchanged quickly and easily as standard without the need for additional tools.

Schubert's TLM line is capable of packaging 500 pralines per minute.The new TLM praline packaging line from Schubert consists of six sub-machines. In the first one, the plastic trays are inserted into the chain. This is followed by three TLM sub-machines with integrated F4 robots, which are supplied product on three separate infeeds. At each feeder, three belts connected in series ensure the correct position of the various types of pralines.

“The first infeed conveyor delivers the wrapped chocolates unsorted in bulk. When transferring to a second conveyor, the products are no longer positioned above each other but next to each other in a single layer. The third conveyor, which follows on immediately, moves two steps forward and one step backward in an abrupt motion,” explains Michael Voelskow, Sales Account Manager, Schubert.

This motion is so perfectly balanced that any Pralines that are lying on their round side are corrected onto their flat underside. When correctly positioned, the pralines pass across a spreading belt for separation. A reflected-light scanner detects the position of the products. The image recognition system from Schubert was specially developed for packaging tasks involving large product ranges. This not only allows the position of the products to be calculated but also the quality to be assessed. Only perfect pralines are picked up by the pick & place robots and placed into the plastic trays provided.

In order to reliably package delicate products, the F4 robots in the Schubert system have individually designed tools. Soft, half-shell-shaped grippers, which are exactly adapted to the shape of the hemispherical Mieszko delicacies and work with vacuum, ensure the gentle transfer of the pralines from the belt to the plastic trays. F2 filling robots then place the filled trays into pre-erected double-walled boxes and, depending on the format, place padding paper on them to protect the products.The pralines are assembled and packaged into a wide variety of assortments by pick & place robots.

Alternatively, folding boxes can be used, which are kept open when the plastic trays are inserted by an individually designed spreading tool. Additionally, unwrapped products can also be packaged in the system by pushing them from the tray onto the infeed belts without using the vibration unit. “Tool-free” changeovers between the various packaging configurations take place within 15-20 minutes.

Facts and figures

• Three infeed belts with vibration units for orientating the wrapped products;
• Six sub-machines;
• 500 pralines per minute;
• Unwrapped and foil-wrapped pralines;
• Spreading tool for folding boxes;
• More than 20 formats;
• Tool-free format changeover in 15-20 minutes.

In the future, it will also be possible to realize other packaging variants, such as trays for very small batches that are inserted into the chain by hand, Schubert says. With the new Schubert praline packaging line, Mieszko has greatly expanded the complex packaging process for Cherrissimo pralines and is now in a position to significantly increase its production.

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