HMPS customises case packer for dairy products

Parmalat in Nambour approached HMPS in 2014 to engineer a turnkey system consisting of a wraparound case packer and conveyor for the purpose of packing their gable top milk cartons and also for future potential packing PET bottles into shelf-ready cartons.

HMPS5000 fully automatic case packers are designed and built in various forms to suit customers’ specific needs. With the current focus on shelf-ready packaging, the case packer allows options for full wraparound and tray with hood capacity. The system erects, loads and seals cartons within one compact fully integrated machine. All frames and major internal components are manufactured in stainless steel ensuring a long-lasting, low-maintenance life.

The system installed at Parmalat currently packages tetra cartons: 300 mL cream, 600 mL cream, 1000 mL white milk and 1000 mL goat’s milk at speeds of 120 cartons/min. The machine has been designed for easy modification in the future to run bottles sizes 300, 500 and 750 mL, and 1 L round at 120 bottles/min.

The machine includes a product turning device integrated on the infeed conveyor to ensure correct orientation for shelf-ready presence. The HMPS Wraparound collates products into the required configuration prior to transferring them onto the wraparound blank. As the products are collated, a flat blank is squared and positioned in the loading station where the collation of products is loaded. Hot melt adhesive is applied to the minor flaps and the carton is held in compression to complete the end sealing. The carton is then side transferred to seal the manufacturer’s flap. Firmly bonded cartons are discharged from the machine to await palletising.