Baking & Snack - September 2021 - 88

SNACK PACKAGING
Equipment
designed for easy
changeovers
ensures production
isn't slowed down
due to a change in
packaging format.
Heat and Control
" With today's fast-moving market trends, producers
need packaging solutions that can flex to accommodate
different bag types quickly, " said Anurag Mitra, product
marketing manager, packaging, at TNA Solutions.
However, this can sometimes come at the cost of production
efficiencies.
" Small bag capacity has certainly become a challenge
for snack manufacturers, " Mr. Almond explained. " It is a
constant challenge to balance the line and ensure order attainment
while trying to maximize processing capability. "
When it comes to managing multiple bag sizes, equipment
designed with flexibility in mind is first and foremost.
There are other considerations to improve changeovers,
but equipment design is the place to start.
" Snack manufacturers employ different approaches to
this due to budgets, existing equipment and processing
goals, but the constants are ease of jaw or former change
on vertical form/fill/seal (VFFS), ease of sanitation for
the complete line and ease of machine operation, " Mr.
Almond explained. " Snack manufacturers can further
enhance this process with technology, such as auto splice
for packaging and tool-less changeover for automation. "
On VFFS technology, common equipment for snack
packaging, jaw types and quick changes at this point
on the line help operators adapt equipment to different
products and packaging configurations quickly. TNA offers
several jaw types on its TNA robag VFFS machine as
well as patented former unload assist technology and the
capability to handle various bag sizes and formats.
" Such features, combined with the overall efficiency
offered by an integrated production line, can help snack
manufacturers mitigate the increased time needed to
fill larger bags and turn out a higher number of smaller
packs for maximum profitability, " Mr. Mitra explained.
More and more equipment is designed with changeovers
in mind. Tool-less removal of parts and accessibility
of frequently adjusted components make changeovers
88 Baking & Snack September 2021 / www.bakingbusiness.com
easier, and therefore faster, for operators. These features
enable flexibility without hindering production speeds.
While VFFS might historically be the dominant form
of packaging for snacks, new technology like robotics is
also becoming part of the packaging department and is
required to keep up with changes.
" Robotics can help as they are inherently flexible, "
said Craig Souser, president and chief executive officer,
JLS Automation. " Different sizes can be accommodated
by simple tool changes and recipe selections, so changeovers
don't have to be painful. "
Changing over digitally
Equipment designed for easy and fast changeovers is
a good first step to ensure packaging lines are flexible,
but with new technology they aren't the only steps snack
manufacturers can take. Digital tools are further automating
the process of switching to different bag formats.
" The rise of smart operating systems in packaging
equipment has really revolutionized the way we approach
product changeovers, " Mr. Mitra said. " With advanced
equipment software, for example, manufacturers
can create pre-set weighing or packaging parameters for
individual product types. "
Smart systems allow operators to choose the correct
program for a new production run. This enables changeovers
to happen automatically.
" Packaging equipment that is designed with a menudriven
operator interface allows the snack manufacturer
to input each product code into the machine and the
machine then automatically can adjust when selected by
the operator, or operators can manually adjust the machine
based on menu data, " said Mark Finneran, sales
business development, Niverplast.
Digital technology can go beyond simple automatic
adjustments, however, and link different components
in the packaging department. For example, TNA uses
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