Multivac is launching a new model of its R 900 thermoforming packaging machine, which is said to be particularly suited to large products requiring an extremely deep pack cavity.
The R 900 was developed as part of a project with a Multivac customer – a manufacturer of medical products, packing multi-component systems for the operating theatre.
The products (such as syringes, scalpels, clamps and suture materials) were previously packed in special film pouches, meaning there were frequent faults in the packs, since creases formed in the pouch neck during sealing.
Thanks to the new Multivac R 900 thermoforming technology, the number of faulty packs can now be reduced and the loading of the products into the pack can be automated, as the products are loaded into the pack cavities with several robots.
“We have developed a new machine concept, which enables a thermoforming depth of 450mm to be achieved,” says Multivac product manager Natalie Schmid.
This allows for complete sets of the multi-component systems – up to 15cm high and often consisting of 2 or 3 layers – to be packed automatically on a high-output thermoforming packaging machine.
“With the first customer machine it is therefore possible to form and seal large packs in a width range of 200 to 600mm, up to 430mm in length and up to 450mm in depth,” says Schmid.
The machine frame height is 1300mm.
The R 900 is equipped with a jumbo film unwind, and Multivac has integrated a separate film unwind and a separate pre-sealing station in the packaging machine for the Tyvek strip, through which the OP kit is subsequently sterilised.
Flexible films (mono PE) with a thickness of approx. 600µ are used for the packaging films – a thermoforming ratio of up to 14 can be achieved with the new R 900 machine design.
The Multivac R 900 also features a new lifting unit with servo drive at the forming station; a trapezoidal spindle for the forming plug, which optimises the forming of the pack cavities; new energy efficient servo lifting units for the sealing die and cutting unit; and an integrated common air discharge for the forming system.
Multivac has equipped the R 900 machine with a special lifting trolley of the HW 201 type, and the doors in the area of the lifting units can also be opened more easily thanks to a special type of side panel.
