Single-source solution for frozen pancakes and waffles

Flow-wrapping machine with pick and place robots in one system
3D scanners ensure precise picking
Space-saving solution and strong service support
Fully automatic flight change for utmost flexibility
Output of up to 600 products and 100 flowpacks per minute
Machine flow-wraps double packages of different frozen products

Requirements

Portioned packaging formats and product variety for more consumer flexibility

Flow-wrapping machine with pick and place robots for gently stacking and packing up to 600 frozen pancakes per minute:

The possibility to seamlessly combine the packaging of different products and formats in a single system convinced our customer.

For flow-wrapping its frozen pancakes in a new, more consumer-oriented packaging design and to increase its overall production output and flexibility, the bakery opted for a Schubert solution. The TLM packaging machine was required to flow-wrap frozen pancakes and offer the opportunity to pack new products and other formats afterwards. Schubert’s flow wrapping machine successfully meets all requirements and challenges such as stacking and handling the sensitive frozen products.

Solution

A single-source solution for supply chain optimization

The TLM packaging machine for De Wafelbakkers is a fully integrated single-source solution, that offers clear potential for space savings, even better supply chain optimization and guarantees stronger service support. It combines a flow-wrapping machine with pick and place robots in one system. This offers higher production efficiency, maximum flexibility and the opportunity to pack new products and other formats afterwards. The format changeover required for this is quickly realized.

De Wafelbakkers relied on Schubert’s expertise in gently handling all types of sensitive products. The Crailsheim-based company develops the tools for its pick and place robots individually and precisely for each customer product. This is how Schubert could provide De Wafelbakkers with the ideal solution.

The possibility to seamlessly combine the packaging of different products and formats in a single system was one of the decisive factors when opting for Schubert’s solution.

Dumas Garrett

President of De Wafelbakkers, August 2019

Technical Details

High efficiency meets utmost flexibility

In the first step of the packaging process, the frozen products are transferred from a 1000-mm-wide, multitrack product infeed band to a 1200-millimeter spreading belt, which transfers the products into Schubert's TLM system. The integrated 3D scanner detects damaged products and excludes them from any further packaging process. Ten camera-guided F4 robots pick and place the pancakes on top of each other, depending on the desired packaging format. The flow-wrapping machine gently packages the stacks of products into flowpacks and seals them directly. Schubert’s patented sealing technology ensures constant sealing times and enables the customer to program the sealing to the millisecond. For each flowpack, the cross-sealing unit immediately adapts to the variable speed of the upstream pick and place robots.

4 process steps in one line: product spreading (infeed), product scanning and stacking as well as flow-wrapping
4 submachines, 10 camera-guided F4 robots, 2 Flowmoduls and a 3D scanner
New, unique sealing technology