Wrap-Around Case Packing for Dessert Cups

Company

This application was developed for a subsidiary of an international group operating in 30 countries and specialising in food for babies and children. Based in France, the company produces fruit-based and organic desserts.

Experiencing strong growth, the company wanted to increase its production capacity and the flexibility of its manufacturing equipment. It therefore contacted JYGA for a project to automatically case-pack thermoformed dessert cups. The cups are grouped in packs of four, with or without a sleeve or carrier.

The case packer needed to receive the products from an existing line, automatically pack them into cases and discharge the full cases.

The layout also had to allow for the integration of four sticker applicators and a case labeller.

The company also wanted to check the number of packs per case and provide an outfeed for incomplete cases or manual palletising, as well as an outfeed to an existing palletiser.

Project & solution

To meet these requirements, JYGA recommended installing a mechanised open-case wrap-around case packer.

The machine includes a flat cardboard blank magazine, a product handling and batch-preparation module, a mechanised product-loading module and a discharge module.

Specific features:
At the case-packing station, the 2-axis manipulator is fitted with a vacuum-cup gripper to pick the batch waiting on the layer-preparation conveyor. The gripper is equipped with an overhead vacuum generator.

At the closing station, a volume sensor checks whether the case is full, while counter-pressure supports allow empty cases to be formed.
At the final station, a motorised transfer sends incomplete cases to a gravity accumulation conveyor.

This outfeed can also be used to retrieve empty or full cases for manual palletising.