Cutting edge
NuTEC’s 725 Portioning Depositor is a completely hydraulic C-Frame System that fits into existing production lines to deposit fillings for stuffed products and more. The system is versatile, having the ability to deposit a number of portions, fillings and toppings with unparalleled accuracy and consistency. NuTEC’s unique feed system uses a rotating spiral to gently move product to the rotary vane pump. Bridging and overworking are eliminated because product is not rolled or tumbled. Deposit sizes of up to 1 3/8-in. thick can be achieved at up to 65 cycles per minute. 1-815-722-2800.

SWF Companies is at the forefront of innovative packaging automation solutions — demonstrated by its new EH 100 “Ergo Hopper,” which dramatically improves the ergonomic loading issues surrounding the company’s line of vertical tray (TF models) and bliss case (BF models) formers. A 3-ft. loading height aids in ease of use, and with a blank capacity of up to 750 c-flute blanks, loading time is significantly reduced. Additional features on the EH 100 include steel reinforced conveyor belts, an adjustable angle incline conveyor, dual drive motors for positive blank feeding, integrated safety guard package and kwik-change crank adjustable side guides. 1-800-344-8951.

Kliklok Woodman introduces its new reliable and space-efficient Compak II, a modernization of one of the industry’s leading bag makers. The model offers the same compact footprint as the original, as well as maximum output — producing a bag width of 250 mm. Additionally, Compak II is simple to maintain and includes such features as the company’s cutting edge operator interface Insight color touchscreen, automatic machine timing, servo-driven jaw carriage, self-aligning backseal assembly, non-contact sensors. 1-770-981-5200.

Dorner Manufacturing unveils its new Heavy Duty Industrial Modular Plastic Belt Curve Conveyors, representing the first line of true curve conveyors in the company’s nearly 40-year history. The conveyors transport product around corners while maintaining product orientation and can have multiple turn sections, with incline or decline sections while using a single drive motor. Curved sections can be combined with straight sections to create an entire production line. Features include belt widths of 24-in., turns available in 45°, 90° and 180°, belt speeds of 100-ft. per minute and a T-slot frame for mounting accessories. 1-800-397-8664.

Toray Plastics (America), Inc. introduces new, cost-effective, high performance, non-PVdC-coated BOPP packaging that keeps food fresh and has better aesthetic performance than ordinary OPP films. Toray’s new Torayfan Clear Barrier polypropylene (BOPP) films, made with proprietary resins, are non-coated and have greater strength, improved feel, and equal moisture transmission rates compared to PVdC-coated films. This innovative Torayfan OPP CBS heat-sealable clear barrier film and Torayfan OPP CBP non-sealable clear barrier film is designed specifically to replace PVdC-coated film, and is ideal for packaging tortilla chips, extruded corn snacks, pork skins, crackers, cookies and more. 1-401-294-4511.

Wire Belt Company of America, a leading developer of advanced belting solutions, introduces CarrySmart, its unique, made-to-order line of conveyors. The CarrySmart line includes Flex-Turn, Flat-Flex Straight, Flat-Flex Shuttle Conveyors and CarrySmart Spreader or Converger Specialty Conveyors. The Flex-Turn Series of power turning units are able to convey product around corners and include benefits such as easy-to-clean open construction, gentle product handling and one of the tightest transfer and smallest turning radius available. 1-800-922-2637.

Meyer Machine’s new, patented EZ-Clean Vibratory discharge gate allows for a “no tools” disassembly for sanitation. Hand knobs release the gate supports and acts as a guide for access to all sides of gate surfaces and the vibratory pan bottom. Incorporated with Meyer’s Vibratory Distribution Systems, the EZ-Clean Gate provides ease of sanitation. 1-210-736-1811.

Hinds-Bock Corp. manufactures a family of bottle and rigid-container filling machines. The machines are available in pneumatic piston; servo piston, hydraulic piston, mechanical piston and servo pump filler designs. The systems can reach speeds from 15 to 150 per minute depending on product and machine style. A servo motor is used for spout movement, infinite tuning of spout speed and for multiple stage movement. PLC controls with an operator interface can be recipe driven to make changeover quick and easy. 1-877-292-5715.

The new OK Pouchpack, manufactured by O/K International Corp., is an automatic pouch handling system. The system automatically takes one or two pre-made pouches from a magazine, rotates them for printing or label application and easy filling of the pouch, and then rotates to a pouch sealer. The OK Pouchpack is compact, user friendly and can be fully validated. Benefits are an economic price, ease of calibration, availability in fully automatic or semi-automatic forms, application flexibility and changeover and faster return on investment. 1-800-521-2908.

Box Fillers from Meyer Machine have been designed to allow for gentle product transfer into a bulk box. Available as tilt-and-fill or tilt-lift-and-fill, these units deliver product to the bottom of the box, reducing product freefall to a minimum and eliminating the potential for product damage. Equipment can be furnished as a stand-alone or fully integrated system. 1-210-736-1811.

TNA Robag’s innovative design of its “gate-less” ROFLO product discharge system offers many advantages, but paramount is how gently it handles product. Its smooth, servo-driven motion allows product to flow rather than be vibrated. ROFLO’s inline accumulation ability enables flexible management of production levels along with product drive control — forward, backward, uphill and downhill. The system eliminates product breakage, maintenance, breakdown and cleaning, while using simple servo-driven mechanics. 1-972-462-6500.

I.J. White Systems is “putting innovation into motion” with new, patented technology in its Vertical Pouch Cooling and Freezing systems and Ultra Series Lowerating, Elevating and Accumulating systems. Systems enable longer production runs and faster processing times, increase efficiency and reduce operating costs. I.J. White offers ultra-chilled water packages, a recirculating closed-loop system, ultra water spray technology, stainless-steel construction and sanitary (TCP) cleaning. The company’s newest innovation is the Mass-Tier system for containers, bottles, cans, pouches and products. The systems can be designed either as Single-Path or Multi-Path depending on a plant’s particular production needs. 1-631-293-2211.

Sonoco is bringing new concepts to the consumer, supplying packaging that not only is innovative but saves time and money as well. One such innovation is a new Contour rigid can, the company’s newest rigid paperboard package. Its unique, easy-grip shape is fun and functional, making it the perfect choice for snacks. The can comes with a contour-hugging shrink sleeve or shrink roll-fed label. Another is the self-heating cup. Sonoco partnered with OnTech Delaware, LLC. to bring the North American market a self-heating cup for anytime, anywhere consumption of beverages. 1-843-383-7000.

The Rademaker Multibake line offers the perfect balance with an optimum price/quality ratio, and perfect control of the baking process. There are four oven types in a modular system, among them the Rademaker Multibake d, which is a directly heated oven, equipped with modulating burners. The second is the Rademaker Multibake i, standing for impingement. The oven employs hot air transported at a high speed to both the top and bottom of product. Third in the system is the Rademaker Multibake r, meaning radiant. This indirectly heated oven operates on the cyclotherm principle, with modulating burners and large regulating range. The fourth is the Rademaker Multibake h, which is a hybrid variant, comprising multiple oven types grouped in a single oven unit. 1-330-650-2345.

Taylor Products, a division of Magnum Systems, announces the release of its Robotic Valve Bag Placer. This system is the latest in innovation with the most technologically advanced robotic capabilities due to the company’s relationship with FANUC Robotics, the world’s largest robotics producer. The placer is capable of placing bags on multiple machines, being mounted in multiple positions and is customizable to specific applications. 1-888-882-9567.

Aeroglide Corp. announces its latest model in the AeroFlow Toaster product line. The model offers the option to have all burners, fans and dust separation built internally to the toaster, providing everything in one complete package, minimizing the need for external ducting for recirculating air and heated process air. AeroFlow impingement toasters and driers use high-velocity air jets from nozzles above the conveyor, which impinge air through the product bed and onto a non-perforated conveyor, creating a gentle tumbling action as the bed of product is fluidized and dried. The system provides a state-of-the-art design for drying, toasting, roasting, puffing and cooling products. 1-919-851-2000.

BluePrint Automation introduces its Robotic Vertical Packer, a case-packing system for vertical case-packing of flexible bags. The system is ideal for packing fragile products such as chips and other snacks. Its simple design and small footprint make the system ideal for ease of use, and a fast packing capacity of up to 150 bpm can’t be beat. Product is collapsed into a group using BluePrint’s packed, positive Smart-Trak system. Then, product is picked up by one of the company’s specially designed end-effectors. A fully servo-driven robot ensures smooth placement of product into an intermediary cassette. Cases are then tipped toward the cassette, and the stack is side-loaded into a secondary container for vertical (stand-up) presentation. 1-804-520-5400.

Just in time for customers who want to extend, repair or replace their Werner-Lahara or APV Recirc ovens — APV Baker announces the availability of its new EM Recirc oven modules — offering improved baking, sanitation and maintenance with modularity for faster installation. Improved ductwork design, higher airflow and enhanced controls ensure consistency and reduce baking time while retaining flexibility and the unique baking characteristics of the original Recirc oven. Safety improvements include eliminating the need for access ladders and handrails, removal of glass windows and insulation batts. Controls include touchscreen operator interface with full process visualization, intuitive operation, recipe control and advanced alarms. The system can be integrated with upstream and downstream equipment, along with higher-level systems like SCADA. 1-616-784-3111.

SpanTech LLC introduces its new WhisperTrax Wedge Conveyor. The dual-chain design allows users to incline or decline product in a small footprint, saving floor space. Configurable for a wide range of applications, the continuous gripping chain crimps product at the in-feed and transports it in a variable angle of incline or decline up to 90°. Models are manually adjustable for fixed positions or fully adjustable with a hand crank. Variable speed ranges are available, and elevation changes up to 30 ft. are possible. Two models are offered with options to fit almost any application. 1-270-651-9166.

Dipix Technologies has a family of automated food inspection systems that provide customers with 2D, 3D and color measurements that show exactly what is happening to product continuously, accurately and reliably. Dipix has over 100 systems installed in a variety of bakeries, providing a wide range of capabilities and benefits such as automated 100% inspection systems with individual piece rejection, real-time process and product data for plant operators, more accurate and easier QA and lab procedures, automated QA and plant performance reports, integration of weight, moisture, and other data into production reporting, and trending and better control of product specifications and quality data. Dipix equipment can contribute to process and quality improvements in food manufacturing facilities in a positive way. 1-613-596-4942.

Belt Storage Systems from Meyer Machine provide a complete, controllable process for the supply of product points downstream. Meyer Belt Storage Systems can be customized to meet special requirements, including capacities ranging from 500 to 70,000 pounds with sidewall construction of stainless or mild steel and any combination of feed and discharge options. This system works well with both free and non-free flowing products. 1-210-736-1811.

The latest model of O/K International’s T-PAKTM 550 system is equipped with a flat conveyor and a foam compression belt. The bag, containing product, travels down the conveyor to a foam compression belt, which removes air from the bag without harming the product. The bag then enters the OK Supersealer for that “perfect seal.”

Hinds-Bock single- or multiple-piston Servo Filler/Depositors are ideal for applications where product shape or spreading are important. Servo motor control of pistons gives operators infinite control of piston movement for a new flow. Hinds-Bock Filler/Depositors interface with check-weighers and are designed for automatic adjustment of depositor weights. 1-877-292-5715.