Made in Italy

13 October 2006




The Italian packaging machinery sector is acknowledged as being highly competitive in terms of solutions, process economy and practicality of use. Rod Abbott reports on recent product developments

According to UCIMA* president Giovanni Caffarelli, speaking at Ipack Ima earlier this year, Italian exports are at a record level and, despite the consistent strength of the Euro compared to the US dollar, his country's exports to the USA and China showed increases of 14% and, remarkably, 56% respectively.

Surprisingly, the national market remains weak; the small growth rate being due to the influence of imports which showed an increase of around 6% in 2005 with turnover exceeding the €3bn mark for the first time. Indeed, the boost in exports represents over 86% of the industry's turnover.

Needless to say, new developments from machinery manufacturers are prolific and the following provides an insight into how the Italian's are exploiting their expertise.

For those looking for a small vacuum packaging machine, CMT's Magnumpack 900/S can be automatic or semi-automatic. The semi- automatic version has a short inner belt so it is smaller in size. Once the product has been placed inside, two buttons are pushed, the vacuum lid closes, makes the vacuum, seals, opens again and the belt moves to discharge the product.

The automatic version has an inlet belt to enable the product to be pre-formed before being vacuumed. The process is continuous, providing high production levels, and the upper sealing bars can be settled easily so that the sealing is always in the centre of the product.

Cama Group's new generation monoblock robotic loading unit with integral forming, closing or electronic lidding machines, may be used with carton trays, single flap or three-flap lid cartons, and display box packs. It operates at up to 50-trays/min, 20-single or three-flap lid cartons/min and 50 display boxes/min.

The monoblock system comprises different modules for product loading, forming and closing/lidding, all individually contained. It allows access to each of them separately without stopping the others while using micro-accumulations between the different working stations.

Subject to the working area, manipulation speed and required pay-load, the Cama RB 501 2-axis robot or the MN 530 2- or 3-axis robot can be integrated into the machine.

In the field of vertical form-fill-seal machines, Campagnolo Packaging Systems recently launched Models C45 and C70. Model C45 has a compact and simple construction, featuring a “user-friendly” interface. A stainless steel version is also available.

Model C70 offers a little more flexibility combined with the minimum of maintenance. It can be equipped with a special device that enables Stabilo bags to be sealed on all four edges, plus other attachments depending on requirements.

Both machines can be linked with volumetric dosers and/or linear or multi-heads weighing units.

Cavanna's new high-speed wrapping line for chocolate bars features a row distributing system that is able to keep the rows in stand-by position before inserting them into the loading system that feeds the wrapper. The loading system consists of a logical sequence of conveyor belts driven by servo-motors that move the product gently into the wrapper's chain without mechanical devices.

Also fresh from Cavanna is the Flowsonic wrapping system, which hermetically seals common heat-sealable wrapping materials without using heating devices, by sealing with ultrasonic technology which is said to save energy and wrapping film.

The system is available both for new and existing wrappers and it can be used in automatic lines at a speed up to 200 packs/min.

Datasensor's SCS1 is a smart camera sensor suitable to many industrial automation applications, including process and quality inspection, mechanical part verification, measurement and positioning, as well as filling and labelling control with OCR/OCV functions.

The sensor can be set either as stand-alone, using the Teach-in function, or via PC graphic interface through the Ethernet port. During sensor functioning, 2 digital PNP outputs are activated according to the required inspection. Standard CS-mounting optics provide flexibility in terms of operating distance and field of view, while integrated or external illuminators are said to suit all application lighting requirements.

Elcu Sud Impianti has developed a bagging machine with a new high-speed dosing system said to be able to eliminate problems “frequently experienced” in bagging the unstable and aerated products.

Closing systems embrace welding, stitching, stitching with folding, stitching with crepe paper, sealing with tape both with adhesive and thermo-welded, double folding and hot melt application.

Gandus Saldatrici recently introduced the GA 160 R, which has been designed to fill and seal Doypack or stand-up bags and is suitable for packaging cosmetics such as creams or gels, as well as food products like sauces, seasonings or preparations for sweets. Its monobloc frame includes storage for bags, six independent working stations, operator panel with digital display and the unloading conveyor.

Four different versions of vertical form-fill-seal packaging machines have also been put onto the market by Gandus. The GA 400, GA 600, GA 15 and GA 2 are all suitable for packaging bags from 40mm width up to heavy-duty sacks of 25 or 50Kg.

Pieri's new Avr 400 stretch wrapping machine features a steel structure said to be designed to cope with “innovative materials”. It is equipped with new powerful drives and the Ecomatrix cutting unit that ends the cycle by inserting the last film tail in the wrapping with a pneumatic arm, enabling good adhesion of the film on the palletised load.

Ricciarelli's IR5 case packer has been designed to insert double block bottom, block bottom and pillow bags, in flat or standing multiple layers, into pre-glued cardboard RSC cases.

In the pillow bag configuration, product is fed from a retractable conveyor to enable partial overlapping. In the block bottom and double block bottom bag configuration, product is fed from a servo-controlled device to prepare the layer of stand-up bags. With block bottom and double block bottom bags, the layer is compressed before filling the carton.

The IR5 bags up to 5kg of weight in pillow, block bottom and double block bottom bags with clip in standing layers, using pre-glued cardboard RSC cases, with upper and lower flaps and/or display cases in one, two or three rows.

Operating speeds up to 110 laying down packs/min, up to 90 standing packs/min with an output of 30 layers per min and 10 cases/min are said to be achievable.

New from Saccardo is the automatic, Dublino 1300 vaccum packing machine, which is made from stainless steel and suitable for packing cheese, sausages, meat and seafood. Bag sealing is controlled by temperature and not by time.

Sealing bars can work with two different bags during the same cycle because they can operatre with two different temperatures. Pack quality is claimed to be maintained because there is no risk of distortion or increase of temperature on the sealing bars.

Meanwhile Service 2000 PMR has introduced the M3001 labelling head, which can be positioned on both sides of the conveyor belt. The telescopic blade enables the user to adjust the distance between the peeled label and the product without moving the whole machine.

Confined applications that require the position of the labelling head to be at 90° to the conveyor belt can be achieved without making changes to the machine structure. Bearings for all rotating parts give added life to the machine, which accepts labels ranging from 150-170mm.

Also introduced is the New Print 4 print and apply system which is said to offer a smaller and stronger structure and is equipped with a telescopic blade. It, too, allows the labelling head to be placed at 90° to the conveyor belt.

Sichera's latest continuous/step by step motion cartoning machine, model S15 HS, is equipped with a carton forced opening system. It combines a continuous movement to a step by step movement, enabling 135 cycles/min to be achieved.

Meanwhile, the company's new vertical case packer, designed initially for the food industry, is reputed to carton 30 cases/min with a product infeed of 300 pieces/min inside a 5m footprint for a very economical outlay.

From Technowrapp comes the new B200 stretch wrapper, a rotary arm machine able to work at 40rpm. The product range includes rotary table, rotary arm and rotary ring. The B200 is able to cut the film and trim by blade without the need for a welding system. The B200E model offers a top-covering device for waterproof protection for wrapped pallets.

Fresh to the market is Teicom Sistemi's carton box filling machine which operates at 120 packs/min from two different production lines. Different solutions for the transport of the carton-box on roller or chain conveyors are available.

Also new is the company's automatic guide vehicle, which is used for transporting pallets. The vehicle is based on an automatic laser guide system and facilitates the automatic operation of collecting, deposit and transport of materials.

Tenco now offers a range of air-operated stainless steel Dosamatic and Mignon dosing machines designed for glass or plastic containers. Gaskets are made of silicone or PTFE. Intended for the food and beverage, chemical, or cosmetic sectors the machines are designed to pack liquids, semi-liquids, and high viscosity products.

According to the density and the nature of the product, different types of valves and no-drop devices are available; all are dismountable and interchangeable. Doses are adjustable from 0-5,000cc.

Finally, Tinarelli's new balcony style automatic horizontal cartoning machine runs with alternating movements and can be fed in-line in automatic or manual mode. Speed can be adjusted in a continuous way and time required for size changes is said to be below five minutes.

Different versions of this machine are available depending on the size of the product to be packed. Packaging speeds range from 60-120 packs/min.

*The Italian Association of Automatic Packing and Packaging Machinery Manufacturers


Cama Group's monoblock robotic loading unit with integral forming, closing ... Cama Group's monoblock robotic loading unit with integral forming, closing ...
Elcu Sud Impianti's bagging machine has a high-speed dosing system Elcu Sud Impianti's bagging machine has a high-speed dosing system
Campagnolo Packaging Systems' Model C45 vertical form, fill and seal ... Campagnolo Packaging Systems' Model C45 vertical form, fill and seal ...


Privacy Policy
We have updated our privacy policy. In the latest update it explains what cookies are and how we use them on our site. To learn more about cookies and their benefits, please view our privacy policy. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies. By continuing to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with our privacy policy unless you have disabled them.