AN instant noodle meal producer has been able to speed up its operation and uncover savings in wrapping materials after investing in a new packaging line from YPS.
The firm turned to YPS for a replacement for a side sealer packaging line from another supplier that had reportedly become ‘increasingly unreliable’.
Line speed was paramount in the fast-paced, high-volume environment. The packaging line would be fed by an automatic pot filler and would have to keep in time with that rapid equipment.
YPS proposed a servo-driven side sealer and double chamber shrink tunnel. Ultra-thin film is also being supplied, which is said to have led to ‘significant’ savings in materials use.
With potential throughput of up to 10,000 cycles per hour, the side sealer can handle the desired throughput of instant meals. The speed is achieved by a combination of the servo-driven motor and the continuous motion transverse sealing bar, which moves with the product, ensuring there is no need for a stop/start action which would slow the process down. Adding a double chamber shrink tunnel was designed to ensure the greatest capacity at the heat shrink stage of the process.
Vacuum belts also contribute to the overall process speed and assist in creating a tighter pack around the product. The side sealer is configured to create the side seal before the transverse seal, which YPS explained is the primary driver in creating tighter packs around the products.
The resulting pack creates an improved aesthetic as less film needs to be shrunk.
The side sealer is running an ultra-thin film, supplied by YPS. The material can be supplied with 30% recycled content for greater environmental benefits. This has reduced material thickness for the customer from 35 micron to 12.5 micron with no loss of performance – a plastics saving of some 64%.
Packaging capacity has at least tripled compared with the previous line.
“Working with this food production company has been an exciting project, as we’ve been able to help them achieve a significant step forward in their packaging,” said Glyn Johnson, MD of YPS. “Coupling the latest in machine and materials technology has delivered speed and efficiency to the customer, while contributing to their environmental aims.”
