Vertical form, fill and seal advances

It included the SmartPacker CX250 and the upgraded version of the SmartPacker CX400, which has been developed to meet increasing demand of customers in the protein sector where very high hygiene standards are required.

The main differences compared with standard SmartPacker machines are a full stainless film feed with sealed bearing rollers and sloping horizontal surfaces to allow water to run off quickly.

To further prevent contamination, the stainless steel 316 frame and film feed also feature smoother surfaces.

Hygiene is also enhanced with GEA’s maintenance-free closing mechanism. The vacuum table is replaced by a closed clamping table, which prevents dirt entering the vacuum system.

The machine can also be ordered with an electrical cabinet specified in accordance with IP67 dust and water resistance specifications.

All SmartPackers include a sensitive ‘product in seal’ detection system, which automatically opens the jaws as soon as an object or product particle is detected.

In effect, a double-length bag is created, which avoids disruption to production. Contamination or damage to the cross-seal jaws and knife is also avoided, which means less downtime and waste, claims GEA.

Various bag formats can be used on the CX400, including pillow, quatroseal, block bottom, envelope, zipper and doy style. The maximum bag width (for pillow bags) is 400mm at up to 120 bags a minute.

Contact GEA​ for more information.