Complete 4-line packaging plant for sugar

For a major customer in Saudi Arabia, MF TECNO designed, assembled and installed a unique sugar packaging system consisting of 4 complete lines.

The total area of the plant is 8,000 square metres with a production capacity of 20,000 quintals / 8 hours. The plant as a whole includes machinery for:

• Sugar packaging
• Sugar pallettization
• Case packing
• Pallet Wrapping
• Transport of pallets to truck loaders

In particular, this huge sugar packaging system consists of the following machines:

• 4 UNIVERSAL 1200 Automatic Bagging Machine
• 2 BIG BAG Semi-automatic Net Weight Bagging Machine
• 1 MF 52 Vertical Packaging Machine
• 1 MF PRC 1000 6 COLUMN Palletiser
• 2 Anthropomorphic Palletiser
• 1 MF CUBE Case Packer Machine
• 1 MF WRAP 60 Automatic Pallet Wrapping Machine
• 1 Shuttle for Pallets

As mentioned, all the machinery that makes up the plant is organised into four production lines as follows:

1st Line:

In this first line we can find the MF 52 vertical packaging machine equipped with a multigravity dosing system and belts with metal detector and weight control. The MF 52 packaging machine in this configuration is able to handle 1,2,5 kg bags with sealing closure. Once filled by the MF 52, the bags are picked up by the Pick & Place robot which inserts them into cases formed by the MF CUBE Case Packer Machine. These boxes are finally closed by the MF CUBE with adhesive tape. By means of roller conveyors, the boxes arrive at the second anthropomorphic palletising robot which places them on a pallet with a flap. The pallet is then directed to the MF WRAP 60 automatic rotating wrapper which wraps up tightly the complete pallet. 

Below is an on-site video where you can see the MF52 vertical packaging machine, the MF CUBE Case packer and the robotic palletizer in action.

2nd Line:

This second line is composed of a Universal 1200 automatic bagging machine. Equipped with a net weight electronic scale with gravity feeder complete with brushless motor. This bagging machine handles small bags of 10 and 13 kg in laminated raffia with fold and double stitching. The bags are then directed to the MF PRC 1000 6-column palletiser. At the end, the finished pallet is conveyed via a shuttle to the MF WRAP 60 automatic wrapping machine.

3rd Line:

In this third line there are 3 UNIVERSAL 1200 automatic bagging machines connecting all to a single belt line. The bags coming out from the first Universal 1200 are sent directly to the truck loader. The second bagging machine can optionally send the bags to the second truck loader or to the robotic arm. The bags coming out of the third UNIVERSAL are sent to the robot arm on a roller conveyor with sling sack. In this case these three bagging machines have been engineered to handle 50 kg polypropylene bags with double stitching.

4th Line:

This fourth line is independent and it consists of 2 BIG BAG Semi-automatic Net Weight Bagging Machine. The two BIG BAG fillers are equipped with gravity hoppers able to fill 1250 kg bags.

Focus-on: MF CUBE case Packer Machine

This plant uses the MF CUBE Case Packer Machine, a state-of-the-art machine capable of forming, filling and closing American boxes (also known as RSC). Any type of product can be placed inside the box by top loading.

In a single machine that can achieve outputs of up to 12 cartons per minute, they are integrated:

• Forming the box and closing the bottom
• Product loading from above via pick & place
• Closing the top of the box

There are a number of features that make this cartoner unique:

• Modular system: possibility to choose the stations required and combine them freely
• Entirely made of 304 stainless steel
• Tape closure, by Hot Melt glue or both methods
• Flexibility: possibility to add robotic stations or sealing systems at a later date
• Pneumatic, flexible, adaptable pick and place
• Product arrangement according to shape and rigidity

The following photo shows a model of a cartoner complete with automatic magazine, pick and place system and flap opening device.

Focus-on: Sling bag

Within the third line of the plant, sling bags are used. The sling bag is a type of bag used to transport or pack large loads of packaged products in ports. The sling bag helps prevent adverse conditions during transport and reduces the total cost of transporting products. The strap system is fixedly sewn to the position of the bottom. The width and length of the strap are selected according to the container load. Sling bags are one of the most economical and ideal packaging solutions for the transport and storage of goods. Sling bags are made of a polypropylene fabric available in different designs. The fabric can be flat or circular, plastic-coated or unplasticised. The product to fill the sling determines the type of sealed seams to be used.

In the video below you can see a part of the whole system in action: