GEA’s food processing & packaging range is one of the most comprehensive on the market. At Interpack, the world’s leading trade fair for packaging technology and related processes in the food industry in Düsseldorf, the plant manufacturer will be presenting part of its new portfolio program to the general public for the first time on a 25-meter-long production line for portion-precise slicing and loading into the thermoformer.
Following Interpack, the new line concepts and the technological competence and expertise of the entire Slicing & Packaging business unit will henceforth be available to customers for extensive product testing in the newly opened Technology Center at the production site in Biedenkopf-Wallau.
The new modularity concept – the perfect symbiosis of high-tech machines, automation and digitization
GEA’s aspiration for forward-looking line concepts is to ensure maximum plant effectiveness (OEE = Overall Equipment Effectiveness) through the best possible interaction of all line components. “Our systems are designed for the smallest possible footprints. This focus allows us to ensure more capacity per square meter with our future solutions, thereby minimizing energy consumption per production area. A consistent modularity concept, which runs through the complete and innovative automation program, allows us to design individual solutions according to exact customer requirements,” explains Steffen Bamberger, Head of Product Management Automation at GEA.
The exhibited slicing and packaging line for sausage and cheese displays many new technology highlights. In the area of belt loading systems, the new OptiLoader family is being presented to the market for the first time. The OptiLoader stands for the best possible line integration and has the highest degree of modularity to ensure maximum output quantities while at the same time minimizing the footprint of a complete GEA slicer line.
GEA’s new robotics solution GEA OptiRobot 6000 is in demand when it comes to the highest degree of automation combined with super-low labor costs and ample flexibility. The new robot enables differently shaped portions (stacked, shingled, overlapped, etc.) to be loaded into a packaging machine with any kind of laying pattern fully automatically.
Another world premiere is the unveiling of GEA OptiBuffer. To ensure high line efficiency, it is imperative to avoid waiting times caused by components. In a slicing line, the reloading times of the slicer cause gaps in the product flow. However, a robot should run smoothly and continuously. “GEA solves this problem with a newly integrated, dynamic, and intelligent high-performance buffering system, with the help of which picking capacities of a robot system are effectively and exclusively used for inserting good portions into a packaging machine. This is currently unique on the market,” explains Steffen Bamberger.
The presentation of the new automation program at Interpack is rounded off by the innovative GEA PowerSort 6000 separating and sorting system, which can be configured exactly to customer requirements from the same modular system.
More sustainable packaging solutions
Sustainability is one of the most important issues in the packaging market today, and one that all companies in the value chain must address. At Interpack, GEA will showcase the GEA Thermoformer, PowerPak PLUS, the new zone heating system GEA PowerHeat for energy-efficient processing of monomaterials which enables energy savings of 25-30 percent. With the new evacuation and gassing system GEA PowerJet, protective gas can be introduced into the packaging more uniformly by means of longitudinal nozzles, and the residual oxygen content minimized, which effectively counteracts product spoilage.
GEA accelerates the digitization process of its customers
Digitization and automation are decisive factors for more sustainable and energy-saving production. GEA is strongly focused on increasing customer value by increasing the transparency and efficiency of its equipment. For this purpose, the company is expanding the number of machines for which the new GEA SmartControl HMI operating panel, as well as PerformancePlus digital services and the GEA Machine Data Interface (OPC UA) are available. GEA SmartControl HMI (Human Machine Interface) has been developed with a consistent user-centric approach that ensures maximum ease of use, transparency and safety. GEA PerformancePlus provides key indicators and analysis of the machine’s health to ensure high performance throughout its lifetime. GEA Machine Data Interface (OPC UA) allows customers to connect their machines easily and efficiently to internal control or monitoring systems and thus drive Industry 4.0 forward in real terms.
