Kliklok Woodman has recently developed a high speed Ready Meal line for the European market, which handles ready meal trays at speeds of 250 packs per minute.
The line has been supplied for one of the major producers of ready meals in the European market and complements other Kliklok machinery already installed at the facility.
Recognising the need to increase speed and the variations inherent in handling frozen and sometimes distorted trays, Kliklok has developed a unique product, transfer and loading system.
Using the latest generation IPTU - Intelligent Product Transfer Unit - trays are received narrow end leading from upstream equipment. Having smoothly positioned the tray using the company's unique software and 'smartbelt' technology, the tray enters the rotary turret which provides mechanical control locating the tray whilst a rotary motion carefully sweeps the tray into the infeed conveyor of the cartoner, simultaneously executing a 90º change of direction.
The Rotary Transfer System is complemented by a Concorde HSR cartoner with its patented rotary feeder, aggressively feeding and erecting ready meal cartons to provide high levels of production, performance and efficiency, the company claims.
The fully integrated system overcomes the need to turn ready meal trays from narrow end loading to broad-side leading for in-line presentation to the cartoning machinery - the full responsibility being taken by Kliklok Woodman as part of the integrated line.
Kliklok Woodman International is the European division of the Kliklok Woodman Group. Based in the US, the group provides packaging equipment for a broad range of companies, focusing mainly on the food industry. Fifty years ago the company developed lock-style top loading carton former, which was subsequently expanded to include tray forming equipment, too.