Endoline, working with Conveyor Systems Ltd, has created a customised end-of-line packing operation for GA Pet Food Partners – meeting space requirements and providing a long term automated solution which will enable the company to meet future demand.

As Europe’s leading manufacturer of own label premium dry pet foods, GA Pet Food Partners manufactures, packs and supplies pet food to some of the world’s leading pet food brands, exporting to over 50 countries worldwide.

Last year, the company invested over £80m into its Ingredients Kitchen as part of an ambitious expansion plan to develop a new dark store warehouse that will operate solely with robots and automation.

According to GA Pet Food Partners (GA), the automation of the entire process will provide its global network of partners confidence in the provenance and traceability of all recipes that are produced at the facility, while allowing for full traceability as every step is monitored.

Part of this commitment to automation included the packing process of the 80,000 tonnes of dry extruded pet food GA supplies each year.

Supplying four case erectors and its flagship 734 automatic random case sealer, Endoline worked with Conveyor Systems Ltd (CSL) to seamlessly connect each system together with conveyors to create an ergonomically friendly, automated line offering full reporting and traceability.

Modifications to meet the specification

In order to meet the wide case size range of GA, Endoline recommended the installation of two, 221 Case Erectors and two, 225 Case Erectors. While both systems are fully automatic, the 225 is designed to erect larger case sizes – up to 750mm open height. The 221 can erect up to 18 cases per minute, while the 225 runs at speeds of 10 cases per minute, providing GA Pet Food Partners with a potential case forming output of 56 cases per minute.

In addition, due to the weight variations of the filled pet food bags GA produces, between 5kg and 30kg, Endoline modified the case erectors to ensure that they were able to handle the heavy-duty cases used to hold each bag of pet food. To improve efficiency, Endoline engineers made mechanical changes to the empty case hopper on the erector to ensure the efficient and smooth delivery of cases down the hopper into the machine before erecting. The company’s unique dual opposing vacuum technology also ensures that each case is opened positively from both sides, and overcomes cases stuck together by glue migration which can happen during the case manufacturing process. The control systems on each case erector also allows for ease of case size changeover.

To maximise space efficiency, the case erectors were positioned at an angle to the line and CSL customised its conveyors to directly feed the packing line from each erector. “We designed four conveyor streams to work with each case erector. For these streams we used Interroll zero pressure, 24v accumulation roller conveyors to ensure the transportation of the cases without any risk of accumulation,” comments Jim Farquhar, Sales Director, Conveyor Systems Ltd.

A fully connected operation

Each formed case is labelled by an automatic labeller and read by a bar code reader to ensure that the size of the case corelates to the size of the pet food bag, safeguarding the smooth and efficient operation.

At the start of the line, bags full of pet food are decanted from a trolley onto an initial heavy duty plastic mattop belt conveyor, to take the loading impact, and inclined up using an incline belt conveyor. At the end of this process, a heavy duty plastic mattop conveyor was employed whereby the operator can remove the pet food bag for placement into the previously erected cartons.

Both the 24v zero pressure conveyors transporting the formed cases and the plastic mattop conveyors with bags of pet food run parallel to each other.  As many of the cartons are tall, CSL customised the carton feeding conveyor to run on a decline before being transferred, reaching the packer for ergonomic packing.

The pack station, comprised of another heavy duty mattop conveyor mounted on top of a load cell, to allow the operator to confirm the weight of the packed order, which was reported back the GA’s WMS system.

Once filled, the case is transported on a 24v zero pressure conveyor, which was again customised by CSL to incorporate a reject conveyor which diverts a case off the main line if the bar code reader determines the size/weight of it to be incorrect.

Finally, a customised incline by CSL allowed the finished packed cases to run on an incline leading up into and through to the 734 for sealing.

Endoline’s 734 Fully Automatic Random Case Sealer has the ability to seal up to 22, random sized cases per minute. Again, the system was modified by Endoline to manage the slightly longer case size runs. The high speed, award winning system uses barcode scanning technology to recognise the cases dimensions prior to sealing which is how the sealer can achieve its high throughput.

 “Through our automated systems and CSL’s experience in conveyor solutions we have created a packing line which is future-proof and able to deal with maximum output and case sizes,” comments Mark Budd, Sales Manager for Endoline Automation.

Endoline’s control systems have been interfaced with CSL’s mechanics and all of this is connected through software supplied by GA, creating a fully automated operation. “There is no room for error, and, through the software, GA can provide customers with full traceability and data reporting.” Mark comments.

Eventually, the entire packing line will be moved onto a concrete mezzanine floor within the GA warehouse. “It was vital that we created the line to fit within the required footprint. This is essentially a concept which both Endoline and CSL have proven to work well.” Mark concludes.

The entire line has been created to support GA Pet Food’s automation ambitions and the packing operation of 80,000 tonnes of dry extruded pet food

The Endoline Automation case erectors and CSL’s conveyor systems have been installed within a specific footprint so it is both ergonomically friendly, and can be later reinstated on a mezzanine floor

GA Pet Foods exports to over 50 countries worldwide

Endoline Automation, together with distributor Ferag, has assisted one of Belgium’s leading wholesalers, Conway, meet sustainability goals and increase efficiency with the installation of case erecting and case sealing systems.

Working across four packing lines within one of Conway’s logistics centres, the successful installation of an Endoline 225 Case Erector and two, customised Endoline 704 Case Sealers, which are handling over 3,500 boxes a day, has led to a second order within Conway’s second logistics centre. In addition, the solution has enabled the company to reduce more than half the number of full-time operators working on the lines.

While improving ergonomics for manual workers, the installation has enabled Conway to run both new and used boxes, meeting the company’s goal of reducing their carbon footprint.

“Cardboard boxes have a limited ecological footprint. But we try to go one step further by limiting as much waste as possible and recovering packaging material,” comments Conway Facility Manager, Okay Ozel. “While we no longer use boxes which do not meet our quality requirements, many are still perfectly reusable.”

Part of the Lekkerland Group, the specialist on-the-go consumption company who serves some 85,500 outlets across Europe, Conway supplies Belgian gas stations, bakeries, food retailers and quick service restaurants with convenience products, from fresh food to tobacco products.

Orders from customers are received via the Conway Group’s two logistic centres in Courcelles and Temse. To streamline the picking operation, the company introduced a robust, pick-to-light system to increase efficiency and productivity. When an order comes through, the picker is optically routed to the locations and products, which were historically then taken to four packing lines where manual workers would form the cases, pack and then seal.

To enhance efficiency further, Conway worked with Ferag in Belgium, who has successfully worked as a distributor for Endoline for over 20 years, to create a solution to automate this previously labour-intensive operation within its Courcelles site.

Due to Endoline’s unique dual opposing vacuum technology, the system can process the entire range of boxes seamlessly, including those which have previously been used, at a speed of 12 per minute. In addition, the case erector’s hopper is ergonomically positioned for ease of loading.

Two, fully automatic Endoline 704 Case Sealers were also installed at the end of the packing lines, serving two lines each. Once the formed boxes are manually filled, they are pushed down to the case sealers. Significantly, the sealers adjust themselves automatically to the size of the boxes offered, without the intervention of an operator.

Up to 32 cases per minute are sealed across both systems, meeting Conway’s desire to increase productivity. With a robust capacity to run 24/7, the systems have also enabled the company to increase capacity in the future.

“We are very happy with the installation of Endoline’s equipment.” Ozel continues. “The mixed use of recovered and new boxes can pose specific challenges to the flexibility of erectors and sealers, but we have overcome this with Endoline and Ferag’s solution.”

The Conway Group is now looking to replicate the automation within its Temse logistics center.

Image 1: Endoline Automation and distributor Ferag Belgium have installed two, fully automatic Endoline 704 Case Sealers handling over 3,500 boxes a day for Conway

Image 2: While improving ergonomics for manual workers, the installation has enabled Conway to run both new and used boxes, meeting the company’s goal of reducing their carbon footprint
Photo Credit: Management Media Belgium, Packaging Magazine

In the wake of a pandemic which has seen a greater reliance on technology, Endoline Machinery, while meeting demands from food manufacturers for automation, has launched a Virtual Machine Demonstration service to ensure end-of-line machinery specifications are met exactly, without the need for face-to-face interaction.

Manufacturers are increasingly looking to integrate automated and robotic systems into their processing and packing facilities to safeguard continued manufacturing, while mitigating the current restrictions placed on manual workers.

As a designer and manufacturer of both standard and customised end-of-line packaging machines, Endoline builds systems to suit a customer’s exact requirements. However, a thorough understanding of a customer’s needs is an integral element of this process, with many personnel involved.

Leveraging its experience in dealing with global customers, who often need the involvement of several manufacturing sites across the world to link up virtually to view live Factory Acceptance Tests, Endoline have packaged up this expertise within its Virtual Machine Demonstration resource.

Through live demonstrations, manufacturers can speak to a range of Endoline personnel, including sales, technical engineers, and end-of-line machinery designers to create a system which meets their specific needs. Endoline’s prime position of building machinery in-house also enables customers to ask technical questions, and view multiple functionalities of the machine during the build process.

“We are witnessing an increasing reliance on automation to streamline processing and packing lines.” Comments Andrew Yates, Sales Director at Endoline Automation. “It is essential that we continue to deliver the same level of high-quality service and diminish any challenges customers may face when installing valuable equipment during these unprecedented times.”

The fact that Endoline’s fully automated systems can also be controlled and monitored remotely further reduces the risk to personnel as it negates the need for human presence, and allows for the factory to operate remotely.

Endoline’s Virtual Machine Demonstration can be carried across virtual conferencing platforms Zoom, Skype or Microsoft Teams.

Endoline have launched Endoline’s Virtual Machine Demonstrations for customers.

Customers can now take full advantage of Endoline’s technical build expertise through virtual demonstrations.

Endoline Machinery has set the benchmark for health and safety within food manufacturing facilities across the UK with the launch of its latest system – the 704 Fully Automatic Random Case Sealer.

At the same time Endoline, who are UK leaders in the design and build of end-of-line machinery, are addressing the misconceptions food manufacturers, in particular SME’s, have around health and safety regulations and European CE Equipment Marking.

In 2016 The Food Standards Agency (FSA) began the roll out of a four year plan which will see a new, tougher regulatory model in place by 2020, which will include greater guidance on machine safety. Already, following the initial launch, food manufacturers, whose health and safety regulations do not comply, have been given stiffer sentences.

Consequently, getting health and safety right has never been more paramount, particularly as automation amongst food and drink manufacturers is still on an upward trajectory, with 73% engaged in automating their manufacturing processes at the end of last year.

With the increased governance around health and safety, safeguarding machinery in areas where manual operators also work, is a key concern amongst food manufacturers. “The over-riding objective when installing end of line systems is to increase productivity and output.” Andrew Yates, Sales Director of Endoline Machinery, explains. “As a result, many manufacturers will take a CE certified machine at face value. There are, however, a number of other factors which need to be considered, especially the risk assessment of the environment the machine will be installed within.”

While all of its machinery complies with CE regulations, Endoline stresses the importance of full transparency between customers and machinery manufacturers. “It isn’t just a case of conforming to regulations and getting the CE mark on a machine. Manufacturers need to understand the area the machine will be located in and assess the environment for any safety concerns such as access.” Andrew continues.

As testament to this, Endoline will unveil, on stand C52, its re-engineered 704 Fully Automatic Random Case Sealer – which not only meets all CE regulations, but now features an infeed Safety Light curtain as standard, and ergonomic design improvements for safer operator access.

While these additional components are not pre-requisites for CE certification, Endoline has taken them from its flagship 744 high speed, random case sealer – which is installed within blue chip food manufacturing sites across the globe.

End of line equipment can present significant hazards. Not only do they operate automatically and, in some cases, at very high speed, but the openings, to allow the cases to be transported through the system, are often large enough to be a potential for unauthorised access.

The introduction of the infeed Safety Light curtain on the 704, not only safeguards the machine, but eliminates the need for additional safety guarding so reducing the overall footprint of the machine even further.

As a market leading manufacturer, Endoline is offering its customers comprehensive guidance and support on all matters of Health and Safety requirements surrounding their machinery. As an active member of the Working Committee for Safety of Packaging Machines EN 415-7, Endoline also stresses that health and safety features can be retrofitted to machinery to ensure that a company’s investment is future proof.

“With so much uncertainty surrounding Brexit and stringent regulations it is important that our customers see us as an authority in health and safety machinery. We continuously review safety levels of all machines and offer our customers ongoing support to ensure they remain compliant.” Andrew concludes.

In a direct bid to offer customers greater energy efficiency, Endoline Machinery have re-engineered one of its flagship random case sealers with a linear actuator system, reducing air consumption, which could ultimately reduce running costs and significantly cut a manufacturer’s carbon footprint and noise emission.

Over recent years, manufactures have significantly increased their investment in end-of-line automation. And these companies are now looking to extract every ounce of reliability and efficiency out of these turnkey lines, ensuring they deliver top performance at the lowest possible cost.

Continually evaluating every component of its systems, Endoline replaced pneumatic components on its 734 high speed random case sealer with servo driven linear actuators to reduce pneumatic supply demands. “In its old format, the 734 could consume up to 390 litres of air per minute.” Explains Keith Habben, Engineering Manager at Endoline Machinery. “When the system was first launched in 2003, it was commonly installed as a stand-alone machine. However, with manufacturers now integrating other systems to create fully turnkey lines, the requirements for overall air consumption can significantly increase and consequently, air supply and noise levels will also rise.”

Commonly driven by motors, pneumatic compressors need to run continually, consuming energy and air even when the machine is stationery. When additional machinery is added to the line, also requiring air, the pressure fluctuations can also have a detrimental effect on reliability and efficiency of the whole production line. By replacing the core pneumatic components on its 734 with the servo driven linear actuators, Endoline are set to help manufacturers reduce running costs and noise emissions significantly.

Installed within almost 100 factories globally, the high speed, fully automatic, 734 sealer can seal up to 20 random cases per minute, and is a widely respected addition to many automated lines on a snack food manufacturer’s factory floor.

Endoline upgraded a 734 machine on site at Bird Bros, a national distributor of eggs, 12 months ago in a bid to improve performance and record the improvements to line efficiency. With a weekly output of 3 million eggs, Bird Bros installed a state-of-the-art, fully automated production line several years ago with Endoline, and were welcome ‘guinea pigs’ to Endoline’s innovation.

“Since the 734 was upgraded, demand on air has reduced considerably, we have removed three air cylinders, which has made a dramatic improvement to noise emissions.”  Comments Joe Fox, Packing Centre Engineer at Bird Bros.

Endoline can upgrade all existing customers 734 machines to this new system.