IFFA 2010
Automation, integrated high production lines, and maximum hygiene
As a company specialised in packaging solutions for the meat and poultry industry, we have presented our innovations in comprehensive packaging solutions at IFFA, in collaboration with leading worldwide brands of equipment and accessories for the meat industry: AEW DELFORD, ANRITSU, CRYOVAC, DIGI, MAREL, SCANVAEGT, VEMAG, etc.
We have also presented proprietary developments in artificial vision and robotics with various automatic loading and unloading systems, as well as our new range of TFS hygienic thermoformers.
HYGIENIC THERMOFORMERS
The TFS 300 is a medium production thermoformer that is extremely versatile in preparing flexible, rigid and skin packaging for sliced meats. The line is completed with a medium production slicer (200 cuts per minute), in this way configuring a line that allows medium-sized clients to have a continuous line with the same operational advantages as high production lines.
Two TFS 700 machines were displayed, representing the highest production model, integrated into automatic lines for mince meat and sliced meats.
Mince meat: integrated line with mincer and a VEMAG portioning machine, as well as synchronised food conveyor belt systems that make it possible to automatically load six portions of mince meat into the thermoformer.
Sliced meats: integrated line with a MAREL Plyslicer 1000 automatic slicer equipped with a weight and thickness control system. In addition, its in-feed conveyor belt is connected to an ULMA robot that automatically feeds the product into the thermoformer. The device has an artificial vision system that identifies the product´s position and allows for it to be loaded in an efficient manner. At the output side, an unloading system receives the packaged product and aligns it towards a weighing and labelling system that completes the line.
HIGH PRODUCTION TRAY SEALERS
In our new stand, we have presented an integrated line with a MONDINI tray sealer (the result of a strategic alliance between both companies) in addition to ULMA´s range of semi-automatic and automatic medium production tray sealers, as well as high-end tray sealers from the leading Italian company and European reference in prepared meals as well as high production meat and poultry packaging.
The line is completed with a tray de-stacker and peripheral elements such as X-rays, weighing and labelling equipment, C labelling, and an automatic ULMA boxing robot at the end that receives the trays from the line and places them in a plastic box, ready for shipment.
MAP TRAY SEALER FOR MEDIUM PRODUCTION WITH MIRABELLA
One of the innovations presented was the SCORPIUS 600 model for packaging fresh meat with MIRABELLA film, which makes it possible to maintain the attractive and red colour of fresh meat packaged in a modified atmosphere, although it may be in contact with the top film.
HYGIENIC SALAMI PACKAGING
An artificial vision system detects the position of the salamis that arrive in a random and disorganised manner on an in-feed conveyor belt, and the ULMA loading robot automatically collects and introduces them into the ARTIC packaging machine for MAP, without there being any contact or contamination with the product during the process, in this way obtaining hygienic and high production packaging.
FLOW-VAC®, AUTOMATIC LOADER FOR VACUUM PACKAGING
This system, developed by ULMA in collaboration with CRYOVAC, simultaneously creates the necessary packaging for the length of each product and places the product inside, avoiding any contamination of the product itself as well as of the package´s sealing area, in such a way that productivity is increased while minimising the number of defects, which considerably reduces packaging costs of fresh and processed meats, as well as of cheese blocks and bars.
WEIGHING AND DOSAGING CHICKEN CUTS
Integrated line for packaging frozen chicken portions of 500 and 1,000 grams, packaged with polyethylene film for frozen products.
Along with ULMA´s VTC 700 continuous vertical packaging machine, the line integrates a multi-head system from MAREL SCANVAEGT that is especially designed for damp and aggressive environments, in addition to an AWE DELFORD checkweigher.
