petfoodpro 3/2023

PACKAGING
After weighing, product is transferred
to the pouch filling and sealing system.
Packs are then passed through the
Ishida DAGS-G-S015 checkweigher and
metal detector combination to ensure
product is the correct weight and free of
metal contaminants. The checkweigher
incorporates Ishida’s Anti-Floor Vibration
(AFV) technology to maintain high
weighing accuracy in environments
susceptible to floor vibration. It also
features the company’s Retail Reject
Confirmation (RRC) software that checks
and confirms that out-of-spec products
or packs have been successfully removed
from the line.
“We have enjoyed a longstanding working
partnership with Ishida,” commented
Patricia Molloy, Marketing Manager of SF
Engineering. “The company’s equipment
is the best on the market, particularly
in terms of its efficiency and reliability,
and the CCW-RVE and DACS-G were the
perfect choices to ensure we could deliver
our targets for the line.”
The new line has increased throughput
by 75 percent. Operator requirement has
been reduced by 60 percent and personnel
reallocated to other manufacturing
processes, thus improving overall facility
productivity. These benefits have led to
a reduced cost per pack, with Irish Dog
Foods achieving a return on investment
within 12 months of installation.
“The line has been working well against
agreed targets and is helping with
our plans for further expansion and
automation,” said Andrew Flynn, Irish Dog
Foods’ Factory Manager. “The solution
that SF Engineering and Ishida have
delivered really is impressive.”
For more information
www.ishidaeurope.com
Robotic Technology Answers
Multiple Needs for PetFood
a way to orient and load them was very
important to the customer. With their
robots, Cama was able to successfully
orient the cups so they are all facing the
same direction, with graphics aligned and
in easy view on store shelves.
The IF318 robotic loading system from
Cama has been enhanced for a unique
petfood packaging application with a US
co-packer. Simmons Foods Inc. desired
a system that offered flexibility to load
varying product shapes, both cups and
split cups of pet food. The cups are required
to be loaded into plastic trays pre-inserted
into cartons. Prior to loading the cups,
Cama was challenged to align the cups
to provide uniformity of cup graphics for
shelf ready display. With varying flavors
and product sizes, including small round
(3.2 oz), regular round (4 oz) and a unique
split cup design, there were a multitude of
moving parts that required consolidation
into one efficient solution at a rate of 600-
700 cups per minute.
Cama provided a solution that easily meets
these needs and more. Their IF Monoblock
system orients the cups, forms cases or
cartons from blanks, inserts plastic trays
into cases, loads cups into trays within
the cases and closes the cases, all in one
compact frame. As designed for Simmons,
the system features four stations: case
forming, tray depositing, product loading,
and case closing.
Unique needs of the project: the split
cups are a fairly new product and finding
Another unique challenge for this
application was the tray handling: the
plastic trays feature grooves to hold the
required count of cups -- between 10 to
36 cups per case -- on edge. The solution
features robots to place the trays into four
cases simultaneously, then place the cups
into the slotted grooves in each tray.
Cama Group’s IF Series Monoblock
Loading Units are a unique combination
of integrated packaging machines
and robotic loading units that provide
forming, loading and closing, or lidding,
as well as added value such as reduced
footprint, flexible size changes and high
reliability. The system, equipped with
Cama’s own, Y-shaped 2-axis robot, is
designed to load various food and nonfood
products into cases, trays, cartons,
and other containers.
Photos: CAMA GROUP
For more information
www.camagroup.com
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Technology & Marketing