Originally Published PMPN October 2003
PRODUCT UPDATE
Adaptable CartonersContinuous and intermittent motion machines erect and fill cartons with speed and efficiency.
VRC-12
A vertical rotary cartoner erects and fills up to 80 cartons per minute or more within its compact footprint. The VRC-12 cartoner uses a special carton feeder, positively erecting cartons into buckets that hold them in place with integrated suction cups. This eliminates friction between rails and cartons and prevents scuffs and scratches on high-quality finished packages. In addition to the standard cartoning stations, this 12-station cartoner has spare stations that allow options such as a leaflet inserter, printer, bar code reader, open flap detector, missing product inspection, and automatic reject system, as required by each specific application. The cartoner is available in anodized aluminum or stainless steel constructions. It can be built to withstand harsh environments with sealed stainless steel housings that can protect against water and dust. Nuspark Engineering Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada; 416/663-7071; www.nuspark.com.
MAB B15
An intermittent motion cartoner can automatically produce up to 80 straight or reverse-tuck cartons a minute. All moving parts of the machine receive a constant oil bath, which helps the system to operate reliably. A wide range of infeeds make the B15 suitable for almost any cartoning application. In addition to cartoning equipment, the company offers a complete line of MGs/MAB case packers, tray formers, pouchers, overwrappers, and palletizers. MG America, Fairfield, NJ; 973/808-8185; www.mgamerica.com.
C 2156
A continuous motion cartoner with a 6-in. pitch can also be used for large-size cartons. With a maximum format range of 130 x 90 x 1250, the C 2156 is capable of outputting 150 cartons per minute and features a rotary carton feeder with mechanical pre-breaking for handling critical carton qualities. It can collate stacks of up to 10 blisters per carton and can also pack bottles, vials, and other pharmaceutical product containers. The C 2156 allows for rapid and easy changing of format due to a centrally adjustable leaflet insertion unit that permits the cartoner to be used with different components such as pipettes, dosing spoons, or information sheets during feeding and loading. The machine also features low wear, a non-oscillating smooth timing belt drive, and accomplished carton closure over several pitches for added safety during closing operation. Uhlmann Packaging Systems, Towaco, NJ; 973/402-8855; wberghahn@uhlmann-usa.com.
PC-Controlled Cartoner
A series of PC-controlled cartoning machines has been designed to deliver higher productivity and greater flexibility through toolless changeovers, a positive cartoning erecting system, and a quick-change modular assembly for glue-to-tuck conversions. The system operates smoothly and efficiently due to a closed drive system that is unaffected by the surrounding conditions. The user-friendly HMI/MMI touch screen interface can be provided with on-line troubleshooting diagnostics, operator and parts manuals, as well as remote reprogramming capabilities through the PC. IWKA PacSystems, Fairfield, NJ; 973/227-5575; www.iwkusa.com.
PEWO-Wallet Machine
A continuous motion packing machine has been designed for wallet card production in the pharmaceutical industry. With compact and stable construction in a balcony style, the PEWO-Wallet is capable of producing up to 200 heat-seal wallets or up to 300 hot-melt wallets per minute. During operation, the multipaneled blanks are taken from a magazine by vacuum cups and placed into a flighted chain, after which one or more blisters and/or booklets or leaflets are fed onto the flat blank. The panels are folded and either heat-sealed or hot-melt closed. The final wallet can be tape closed and passed to a subsequent packing machine. Pester USA, Allendale, NJ; 201/327-7009; www.pester.com.
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