New shrink frame technique for pallet packaging

The shrink frame technique for the film packaging of pallets has developed continuously during the last decades and offers, compared to the use of shrink ovens, crucial advantages. This was the reason for the paper manufa......The shrink frame technique for the film packaging of pallets has developed continuously during the last decades and offers, compared to the use of shrink ovens, crucial advantages. This was the reason for the paper manufacturer Koehler in Kehl / Germany to install an innovative shrink packaging line from MSK, one of the internationally leading manufacturers of film packaging machines. It were demands like cost savings for energy and packaging material as well as an increased packaging capacity with which the paper manufacturer Koehler, located in Kehl / Germany, approached the machine manufacturer MSK already at the Interpack exhibition 2002. During the following reference visits the technical project management of the company Koehler had the possibility to inspect different MSK shrink packaging lines. Some of them package the pallets with a shrink hood, others envelope the pallets with shrink film before being shrinked. They all had in common the efficient shrink frame technique that realises, compared to the shrink oven which has been in use at Koehler so far, energy consumption decreased by 70% with substantially reduced maintanance costs as well as the required packaging capacity and a controllable packaging result. The performance and the technical standard of the reference machines have convinced us, confirms Volker Panther, member of the technical project management at Koehler. In summer 2003 the high speed packaging line MSK Multitech has been installed at Koehler and packages up to 100 pallets per hour. The machine is equipped with four different film formats and tunes in flexibly to various pallet sizes. The machine wraps ream wrapped folio size paper as well as paper rolls standing on pallets with an all-around watertight film packaging. The capable shrink frame technique MSK Synchrotech operates with a special developed MSK hot air system and consists of two control systems that can operate the long and short side of the shrink ring independently. Thereby, the system is able to shrink a large number of different pallet dimensions without calling for mechanical adjustment of the heating bars. The shrink frame tunes in perfectly and fully automatically to the different sizes. Compared to shrink ovens, this technique leads to energy savings with high safety standards without risk of fire and film-sparing shrinkage. The operation concept of the shrinking machine to use only the individually exactly necessary heating energy for each load unit was finally the decisive advantage in favour of MSK, explains Volker Panther. The shrink result can be specifically controlled also at high speed, so that this technology offers an outstanding display effect and load stability of the products. Compared to shrink ovens, the maintenance costs could also be reduced considerably with the new shrink frame system. Beside the shrink hood packaging line MSK also delivered conveying systems and shuttle cars. As Turn-Key-Supplier for the paper and board industry MSK further integrated additional modules like a cover board applicator for various pallet sizes as well as systems for scanning and weighing. Shrink frame technology is not very common in the paper and board industry so far, but we know that this is the future of shrink film packaging. Well-known international paper manufacturers want to be one of the first users also in this area and have decided for this new technology, explains Uwe Jonkmanns, Marketing and Sales Director of MSK. A special development specifically for the paper industry is the fully-automatical MSK load centring device that securely and accurately centres stacks of paper on the pallet after cross-cutting. Thanks to that the so called pallet hammer becomes unnecessary. The fully automated solution from MSK offers an optimal process of packaging, high transport security and cost savings. The MSK Covertech-Group globally belongs to the prime addresses in packaging machinery industry. Apart from semi- and fully automatic shrinking and stretching machines for pallet load units, the manufacturer also offers pallet conveyor techniques and in-plant handling systems - all this from one source. MSK sets the highest standards by consistently high machine reliabilty and safety, and is renowned for customer-specific innovations: At our customer test centre, the best handling and packaging method is tested for each customers original products and is analyzed with the customer himself. Thus, his experiences merge with ours and what results are unique systems and methods which create a real competitive advantage for our customer, MSK Marketing and Sales Director Uwe Jonkmanns explains. More information...