Case Study - Cheese Packing - Updated

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production automation specialists

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Cheese Packing case studies

Throughout our 25 year history RML have become leaders in providing automation solutions to the Australasian dairy sector, and in particular the cheese industry. We have a developed close relationships with many of the key dairy players including Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd, and have installations in factories across Australasia.

RML are seeking to expand on the successes achieved in this area and are actively pursuing markets in the USA, Europe and the United Kingdom.

RML have become specialists in cheese packing from the primary 20kg block wrap-around, right through to the various food service and retail packs.

RML have standard packing solutions for:

Slice on Slice cheese (SOS)

Individually wrapped sliced cheese (IWS)

Consumer chunks and food service blocks

Food service shred bags

Retail shred pouches

Instant quick frozen (IQF) into lined box

20kg wrap around with or without collars

RML are also experienced in designing and manufacturing machines that wrap specialty soft cheese in a variety of shapes and foil types.




case studies cheese packing

20kg Cheese Boxes - Open Country Cheese RML were approached by Open Country Cheese (a progressive start-up cheese manufacturer) to provide a cost effective high performance 20kg cheese block wrap-around machine. The machine was required to produce high quality box wrapping of cheese with and without a corrugated collar. A full preventative maintenance contract was also purchased from RML as part of the solution, however the packer ran successfully without

Retail Pouches - Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd

The solution provided, includes integrated continuous motion carton erecting, and a vision guided robotic packing system ensuring packets are picked in the correct orientation. An ABB340 robot picks the product from the in-feed conveyor and places it into a flighted collation belt in the correct layer number. This enables a higher pick speed of incoming product for smaller unit weight packs. What is special about this machine is it can be retro fitted with a system for standing up the gusseted pouches and packing them into shelf ready RSC formats.

intervention for the rest of the season, after being installed as peak production was being reached. Features of this case packer include a compact footprint, easy operator set up, quality components and finish, high safety standard and consistently reliable performance. Working closely with corrugated board companies, cheese producers and component suppliers has enabled RML to evolve this premier wrap around case packer.

RML often add value to an installation by complementing the equipment with additional automation such as seal integrity checking systems, elevators, turners, labelers and conveying.

Food Service Blocks - Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd

Fonterra not only provide cheese products to the retail sector but also the food service sector. In this case cheese blocks of various sizes are packed into top load RSC cartons using an integrated robotic case packer, RML call the p255i. An ABB260 robot was selected this time for the payload of up to 10kg, speed of 30 units per minute or up to 10 cartons per minute. Because packing is achieved into a continuous moving carton, a special gripper head was

developed which avoided the need for a shoe horn frame. Additional features of this machine include product out of dimension shutdown, block inverting and a block in-feed turner. The product capacity ranges from 500g to 5kg.

When Fonterra embarked on changing their retail pouch packing operation they invited RML to propose a solution. They required a packing system that could handle 100g - 750g pillow packs, zip pouches and gusseted bags of shredded cheese at up to 120 per minute. As well as this, it was expected that packs would be received by the packer in inconsistent orientations. RML’s experience and capabilities in product handling and corrugated board packing, enabled them to deal with these criteria and they subsequently worked closely with Fonterra to ensure a robust automated solution was implemented.





Fonterra traditionally packed ‘slice on slice’ by hand into a wide range of RSC cartons with internal dividers and layer boards. The automation of such a wide mix of packaging was impractical. RML combined their packaging knowledge and machinery capability with Fonterra’s operational and market expertise to arrive at a solution. A totally new packing format and box design evolved that enabled RML to provide a high performing packing machine (RML p225i wrap around packer) giving Fonterra the opportunity to achieve packing automation excellence. This system involved the integration of product collation divider inserts and layer pad placement stations with an easily adjustable wrap-around system.

Slice on Slice - Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd

“The machine has been extremely reliable since installation and rml have been helpful and efficient in providing after sales service. The staff of rml are easy to communicate with regarding any issues we have had.” - Michael Jones, Group Engineering Manager, Bega Co-operative Society Ltd

The machine also features an innovative flight pitch adjusting mechanism, facilitating smooth and reliable product changeovers. With Bega being in a remote location in Australia, they needed to have quality reliable machinery and also be sure we could service the machine in a timely manor.

An ABB260 robot gave an in-feed management system that is highly flexible, easy to configure and consistent in performance. The machine runs at a speed of up to 70 packs per minute or up to 14 boxes per minute. The machine features an Allen Bradley panel view HMI interface for operator controls, product presets, fault notification and diagnostics, and has electrically interlocked safety and guarding to AS4024.1.

Group Engineering Manager of Bega Co-operative, Michael Jones, came to New Zealand and consulted with RML to design a machine that would automate the packing of their ‘slice on slice’ product range. There were strict requirements around divider insert and retention of packaging parameters. The solution delivered to Bega - RML p245 side load case packer is fully adjustable for a range of products. The unique product stacking and collating section incorporates a divider inserter. Servo control ensures high speed, reliable operation whilst making product change overs quicker and repeatable.

Slice on Slice - Bega Co-operative Ltd





Case Study - Retail and Food Service Cream Cheese Line

This new line is designed to pack 1kg retail and 5kg food service packs of cream cheese. The line is made up of - - RML c198 RSC glue case closer - RMLp254 top load robotic case packer - RML lane switch and reject system - RR Fisher Weigh Conveyor - Propac VFFS Bagger - RML e178 glue RSC erector - RML p715 robotic load continuous motion cartoner

RML c198 RSC Glue Case Closer

RML Lane Switch & Reject System

RML p254 Top Load Robotic Case Packer

RR Fisher Weigh Conveyor

Propac VFFS Bagger

RML e178 Glue RSC

RML p715 Robotic Load Continuous Motion Cartoner





Case Study - Retail and Food Service Cream Cheese Line





Case Study - Dairy Bag in Box Line

This line is designed to pack food service 3 litre, 5 litre, 10 litre and 20 litre bags of dairy product into RSC boxes. The line is made up of - - RML p220 Bag Loader Unit - RML Box Lift Unit - 3M-Matic 800af Tape Closer - Out-Feed Table - Roller Conveyor - Transfer Unit

RML p220 Bag Loader Unit

Outfeed Table

3M-Matic 800af Tape Closer RML Box

Lift

Roller Conveyor

Transfer Unit





Proposal Case Study - Packing Infant Formula

This RML p735 high speed cartoner is designed to pack bags of infant formula (400g) into traditional skillet cartons.





20kg Cheese Block Packing RML p225 wrap-around packer

Slice on Slice Packing - With dividers and layer-boards. RML p225i wrap around packer

Slice on Slice Packing - With dividers no layer-boards. RML p245 side load case packer

Food Service Shred Packing RML p255i top load packer

Individually Wrapped Slice Cheese RML p235 and p255i case packers

Consumer Block Packing RML p235 and RML p255i case packers

Specialty Cheese Wrapping RML c330 and rml c315 wrappers

Food Service Block Packing RML p255i top load packer

Retail Pouch Packing RML p255i top load packer

Case Study - Cheese Packing - Updated

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