Lights-out powder packaging avoids human errors
22 Sep 2017
Reducing the opportunity for human error during packing and protecting the plant operators – this features provide our powder filling system RBF-500 Li (Limited intervention).
One of the most important manufacturer of sweeteners based in South-East Asia was looking for a highly accurate solution for its product. The 200 micron powder in its bulk form must be handled carefully to avoid creating dust that is both wasteful and which could contaminate the working environment. As a result of the ever increasing market for the product, and the requirement to continue to protect the environment by minimizing power losses, the customer selected the 500 Li unit as the only solution suitable for this application. Although the customer already has a number of packing lines, but none can match these accuracy, consistency and dust control features.
Unattended operation maximizes product safety
The GEA RBF-500 Li is a compact, single-head, lights-out filling machine that delivers benefits from improved reliability and absolute product integrity. It brings together the separate elements of the filling line into a single machine.
The design offers complete control of the bags throughout the process and includes a de-aeration station for improved bag stability and automated neck stretching, heat sealing and weight checking.
It has a fully enclosed filling area that eliminates dust migration and eliminates the risk of product contamination. The weight data from the check-weigher is used to auto-tune the filling process and maintain the filling accuracy. Its automatic, ‘lights-out’ operation provides exceptional productivity and aims to reduce human intervention, and therefore the risk of contamination and human error, to an absolute minimum.
Controlled filling minimizes dust development
The GEA system uses a vertical filling technique in which the filling head is lowered into the bag and withdrawn as the bag fills. This discharges the powder into the bag carefully, thereby significantly reducing the creation of dust that would otherwise contaminate the working area and waste valuable product. Before sealing, the system removed excess air from the package to minimize the packed volume and ensure product freshness. Bags are filled with a guaranteed accuracy of up +/- 10 to 20 grams at 1 Sigma depending on the product being filled.
