Making its North American debut at PACK EXPO Las Vegas was the DCG (Distribution Continuous Gentle) from Syntegon. The compact distribution system, sometimes called a “pullnose” or “pullnose-style” system, discharges as many to 32 rows of product per minute and is ideally suited for items such as sticky bars or baked products. Along with its soft pullnose system allowing for controlled product placement, the DCG has other flexible features, such as row aligners, quick belt changes, easy system integration, and fast commissioning.
“When we were developing the Syntegon DCG, we placed particular emphasis on flexibility and hygiene. Depending on production requirements and layout options, different modules can be easily combined with each other. In addition, the distribution station’s open design makes it easily accessible. Sloped surfaces help catch product residue and keep the production environment clean,” said Kimberly Kocer, Syntegon Product Manager, of the DCG.
At PACK EXPO Las Vegas specifically, the DCG was shown as the upstream infeed for an integrated flow-wrapped candy bar line. There, Eric Aasen, Product Group Sales Manager for Syntegon Packaging Technology's Horizontal Robotics and Systems Portfolio, explained that the DCG system in this specific demonstration works in tandem with a turner/aligner conveyor immediately downstream. This combination ensures that bars are fed into a specialty linear servo-based infeed in a systematic manner. As Aasen demonstrated, bars are distributed in a single row, then the turner repositions the bars, aligning them perfectly before they descend into the in-feed chain. This meticulous process ensures that the products are positioned correctly, ready for the next stage of packaging.
The Syntegon DCG gently discharges 400 products into the downstream packaging leg at 18 cycles/min. Following the DCG, the Sigpack FIT inline module continuously feeds the products to the hygienic and reliable h/f/f/s Doboy Pack 403. Again, the linear motion system with independent movers or pushers ensures gentle handling while preventing products from sticking together or accumulating along the way. The linear servo used in this module, XTS from Beckhoff, also insures precise spacing between bars, exactly matching the flow-wrapper's speed.
The flow-wrapped products continue at a rapid, steady pace on their way to the next leg of their journey–the RPP (Robotic Pick and Place). The RPP’s system’s delta robots then softly pick, group, and deposit them in batches of four into the bucket chain infeed of the final machine–the Kliklok MEC mid-range end-load cartoner, with its patented rotary carton feeder, packs batches of four products in their own cartons–up to 170 cartons/min.
Joe Larkin, also from Syntegon, said this specific MEC end-load cartoner handles 150 cartons/min on a 12-in pitch. Additionally, this machinery has the flexibility to load multiple stacked products, providing businesses with the versatility they need to handle various products.
A standout feature that Larkin emphasized was the rotary carton feeder. This component is designed to pick cartons in the direction of flow. To ensure that the cartons are picked up efficiently, a vacuum is created. Once the cartons are picked, an overhead confider descends, confining the box. This process can be visualized as a funnel guiding the product. The system then proceeds to an open flap, detect, and reject system, ensuring that only products that meet the set standards proceed to the next stage.
Syntegon’s latest offerings in the packaging machinery sector promise to bring efficiency and precision to the packaging process. With components like the DCG product distribution system, the turner/aligner conveyor, linear servo fed FIT flow-wrapping, the RPP collating unit, and MEC end-load cartoner, CPGs and food brands can expect a streamlined process that minimizes downtime and maximizes output. PW
