LAMMA 2018 - Pacepacker helps bulk baggers achieve new heights of productivity - STAND 3A104
Agricultural packers looking for faster automated bulk bagging systems, with the ability to handle an unprecedented variety of sacks, should head to the Pacepacker stand at LAMMA 2018, to view the high-speed bagging line, FastPac. Several leading agricultural and animal feed packers have already upgraded their bagging lines with FastPac systems, reporting significant improvements to output andline efficiency as a result. Pacepacker’s FastPac range comprises a GT Series sack placer, which boasts a cycle time of up to 16-17 bpm –an increase of almost 20% on previous systems. The sack placer can handle a greater variety of sacks, including those made from difficult-to-pick-up materials,such as hessian and woven polypropylene.Horse feed supplier I’Anson recently installed the FastPac sack placer alongside an existing Total Bag Control system, primarily because it can now handle slippery and static plastics sacks without operative intervention.When taking flat bags from a stack and positioning them for filling, most conventional machines use suction cups to pick up the bags. However, this method limits the use of very porous bag materials, such as hessian, the new FastPac sack placer features mechanical grippers so it can now handle porous materials in addition to paper and plastics. To overcome the issue of bags sticking together, instead of picking bags up by the top the FastPac manoeuvres sacks into position by peeling them off the stack from the bottom. Ensuring the pace of production is not compromised, Pacepacker also upgraded other aspects of their bagging portfolio, including their flagship Total Bag Control (TBC) system. Working in tandem with the sack placer, the TBCs motorised grip arms holds the sack securely in place during filling and never lets go of the top before it’s stitched, virtually eliminating waste and ensuring a reliable seal. “Our FastPac range opens up the possibility of automating many bulk bagging operations that have traditionally remained manual,or required more expensive, non-standard sacks to enable the use of suction cups,”explains Paul Wilkinson, Pacepacker’s Commercial & Information Systems Manager. “The possibilities are interminable -from agricultural products that are bagged within hessian sacks, such as carrots and onions to animal feed.”New FastPac technology can easily be integrated with existing plant equipment, optimising machinery investments.See the FastPac system in action at Lamma 2018 on stand 3A104.