Potato Chip Manufacturer Automates Packaging Line with Printer Applicators
PREVIOUS PROCESS:
A producer of potato chips located primarily in the Midwest, but rapidly expanding to other parts of the country, packages and co-brands their chips for retail.
Prior to recent upgrades, their packaging was done manually on two lines. Potatoes were delivered in bulk, washed, cut and cooked before being filled into bags. The bags were then hand loaded into cases and manually sealed. Finally a label was applied to prepare the cases for local distribution.
ID TECHNOLOGY PROPOSAL OR SOLUTION:
The two manual packaging lines were replaced by three automated lines. The potato chip maker also added new fryers, baggers and automatic case packers. ID Technology supplied three Model 250 Swing-Arm Label Printer Applicators to label the leading panel of each case of potato chips.
The label applied by the Model 250 included; pack size, number of bags, product description (BBQ, Original, etc.), date code and a small graphic depicting chip type.
To create the label message, a PLC sends a hard code ZPL, written by ID Technology, to the Zebra PAX4 print engine built into the Model 250. The print engine buffer receives 20,000 labels from the PLC at a time. The operator selects the file to be sent based on which product is traveling down the line. When a new file is sent to the buffer, the previous file is erased before printing the next batch of labels begins. By setting the Model 250 to reverse print mode no labels are left on the tamp pad. This makes changeover quicker and easier for the operator.
Once the case exits the Belcor taper, an ID Technology Model 250 fitted with a Swing-Arm Tamp module applies the label generated from the PLC to the leading panel of the case.
COST SAVINGS/PRODUCTIVITY GAINS:
The new automated packaging lines are capable of packing 5-6 cases/min while the old manual lines averaged only 2 cases/min. ID Technology's equipment was chosen for both performance and price point.
