GEA premieres its PowerPak PLUS
thermoforming packaging machine
Greater process reliability and reduced
resource consumption during the
packaging of fresh products – both are
guaranteed with the latest generation
of GEA thermoforming packaging
technology, the GEA PowerPak PLUS.
The machine was presented for the first
time during the GEA Packaging Days
customer event at the production site in
Wallau, Germany, at the end of last year.
In May, the technology group will use the
international trade fair IFFA in Frankfurt
(Hall 8/Stand D06) to showcase the
system on a larger scale.
Groundbreaking advances in film
handling and hygiene
“Before developing the machine further,
we undertook a customer survey. By
doing so, we were able to incorporate our
customers’ wishes to further improve
process reliability and packaging quality
as well as machine running times of our
already proven thermoforming machines
in the PowerPak product range,” explains
Volker Sassmannshausen, Product
Controlled unwinding in the bottom film
infeed module prevents the bottom film
from curling. Typical tolerances of the film
reels like mis-alignment or curvature can
be automatically adjusted. As a result of
the innovations in film unwinding and film
run, the sealing station design has also
Customer convinced by test results
The PowerPak PLUS thermoforming
packaging machine has been in use at
Handl Tyrol GmbH since the summer of
2018 for packaging bacon products. “It
has proven itself from day one,” confirms
Dieter Roos, Head of Production at
Manager Thermoforming. Based on been updated. their feedback, we chose to focus on The entire top film unwinding system is primarily with printed films, packing
film unwinding and feeding, hygiene located in the area of the sealing station weights and sizes are constantly
and overall handling. Consequently, the and easily accessed. In addition, the changing at Handl Tyrol.
sealing station and bottom film infeed sealing station structure has also been of the PowerPak PLUS thermoformer fundamentally improved and is now were completely redesigned to facilitate protected by vertically adjustable and process transparency and traceability – transparent safety doors, which can be contributing to the greater sustainability lowered quickly and easily when required, of packaging processes in the food eliminating the need for loose, protective industry. hoods. Optimized film handling reduces film Other significant innovations in the PLUS: Handl Tyrol has seen real economic
consumption sealing station include the motor-driven benefits as a result of shorter set-up
The unwinding systems for both evacuation and gasification valves in times, which are now70 percent quicker
combination with pressure sensors. They and has also halved its film changeover
enable individual, reproducible as well times, with 75 percent less film being
as product- and packaging- dependent lost during changeovers and virtually zero
processes. And, for example, under-, packaging errors.
the top and bottom films have been
optimized and are now motor-driven
and synchronized with the machine’s
advancing cycle. In combination with the
innovative web tension system, they
facilitate a controlled unwinding and a
simplified and secure film path.
40 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
upper- and product vacuum are able to be
controlled and monitored, ensuring the
necessary process transparency.
the Schönwies site in Austria. Working
“The new machine model sets a
benchmark in terms of film unwinding,”
reports Roos. “The top and bottom film
are threaded quickly and easily. No more
adjustments are required, and film is
no longer wasted.” As a result of the
technical innovations in the PowerPak
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