A Flowmodul system from Schubert saves up to 70 per cent of floor space compared to a mechanical flow-wrapping machine. The Schubert Flowmodul’s extremely slim machine layout is based on an approach pursued by company founder Gerhard Schubert as early as in the 1980s: robot-assisted packaging processes.
With the help of robotics, Crailsheim-based packaging machine manufacturer Schubert develops high-performance innovations again and again. An example of this is the Schubert Flowmodul. With this unit, the flow-wrapping process is entirely integrated into a TLM picker line. This enables a machine layout which is exceptionally slim and compact. Compared to a traditional flow-wrapping system with conventional feed, a Flowmodul requires only one third of the footprint. At the same time, the machine’s exceptionally high efficiency of over 99 percent ensures better performance.
Since the Flowmodul’s market launch two years ago, 25 companies worldwide have been won over by its many advantages. In addition to the space-saving design and extremely high efficiency, the flow-wrapping component enables effective quality control of the products to be packaged and can be flexibly adapted to a wide variety of requirements. Small batch sizes, frequent product changes and a large variety of products can be realised as well as the packaging of highly sensitive products.
This quantum leap in terms of the compact machine layout was enabled by the use of robots. The pick & place robots in the Flowmodul, with their individually designed tools, carefully place any conceivable product into the flow-wrapping component’s feed system. In contrast to the long feed belts of mechanical systems, processing with these F4 robots is much more gentle and efficient: with no risk of product damage on long feed paths, no rejects due to breakage, no unnecessary contamination of the packaging system.
Moreover, upstream image processing with a 3D scanner performs the optical quality control of the products to be packaged. It checks position, orientation, shape, colour and volume as per the customer’s specifications. This ensures that only absolutely faultless goods are picked up by the F4 robots and placed into the feed chain. The Flowmodul also offers maximum flexibility in terms of product mix. The robots are able to group and stack even very fragile crackers or biscuits in all possible variations. The interaction between the image processing, the pick & place robots and the integrated flow-wrapping component guarantees a product quality of almost 100 per cent.
The Schubert Flowmodul is compatible with all standard heat- and cold-sealing films. Thanks to a new cross-sealing unit developed by Schubert, the highly efficient flow-wrapping component now also packs heat-sensitive products, such as chocolate, with the cost-effective and practical heat-sealing technology. And it contributes up to 17 per cent savings in material costs for the film.
