Shingle tray loader overcomes vertical pack problems

Pacepacker Services has designed a shingle tray loader (STL) to solve the problem of how you get the last pack into a tray when automating vertical tray packing.

The concept presents products in an upright manner and packs fresh form, fill and seal packs into retail crates. Previously a conventional ‘turntable style’ operation employing multiple people to manually load supermarket trays vertically, the packer now reaches 90 packs a minute, which Pacepacker claims ensures consistent presentation.

Incorporating the latest Fanuc M-710iC/45M robot and Pacepacker’s own-design shingle feed end-effector and tray denester, the STL can vertically pack everything from fresh produce bags (such as salad, chopped vegetables, stir fry mixes and noodles), to items such as coffee, dried pasta and flour.

“Waste through product spoiling and bags bursting can be a big problem when packs are laid flat and compressed, especially when filled trays are then stacked on top of each other,” says Pacepacker’s Paul Wilkinson.

Contact: Pacepacker Services