Multivac packaging procedure for producing portion packs

Multivac has designed a packaging procedure for producing portion packs, using die technology and automation to deliver a significant saving in packaging material consumption.

The company utilises particularly wide and long dies in the thermoforming packaging procedure. These bigger footprint dies can result in pack outputs of approximately 960 portion packs/min at just 15 cycles/min.

With the ability to run larger output footprints, delivering a greater output per cycle, portion packing lines may be run at slower speeds. The flexibility of cycle speeds can introduce the opportunity for more effective management of upstream and downstream processes such as filling, cutting, quality control, pack handling and secondary packaging in boxes.

In order to cut the larger number of packs cleanly out of the film, two cutting tools are positioned one after the other. These cut the portion packs out of the film in two stages, similar to the pattern of a chess board. With the two-stage cutting system, the partitions between the packs can be designed to be narrower than with conventional die processes. With this reduction in the widths of the partitions, manufacturers can save a significant amount of packaging material.

The two-stage cutting procedure has a positive effect on the handling of the portion packs after cutting. Since only half the number of packs are handled, the removal from each cutting tool and the transfer of the packs to downstream processes, such as secondary packaging in boxes or quality inspection, can be performed in a highly controlled manner.