Lantech self-threader makes shrink wrapping easier

The new self-threader forming head on the SW-5000 shrink wrapping machine is designed to deliver a perfectly centered lap seal without setup adjustment, and changes over in seconds with its unique quick-disconnect feature.

Rated at 75 packages/min, Lantech believes that the high-output SW-5000 machine is ideal for products ranging from food to pharmaceuticals.

"This machine breaks new ground in shrink packaging by eliminating operator intervention in setup of the lap-seal,"​ said Jean-Louis Limousin, Lantech's design leader for Shrink Packaging.

"You simply pull the web of film into the forming head, and that's it. The forming head automatically aligns the film for a perfect lap seal that stays that way."​

Designed as a zero-maintenance machine, the SW-5000 helps packagers reduce cost with its use of flat film - typically 8 to 13 per cent less expensive than center-folded film - and elimination of film scrap. The machine comes with a static emitter and has an optional hot block available to close the lap seal. Lantech's Ever-Clean end seal system is reliable and maintenance-free with a seal bar that cuts and seals with separate heated surfaces.

The separate sealing surfaces operate at minimum required temperature to prevent melted film build-up from compromising seal quality.

The flight-lug infeed on the SW-5000 provides excellent control of products, and quick-change pins allow the entire infeed conveyor to be rapidly setup for new product dimensions. The SW-5000 accepts a minimum package size of 3"L x 1.5"W x 0.125"H to a maximum of 40"L x 15"W x 6"H. Product detection allows the machine to function equally well in intermittent or continuous motion.

All setup parameters, including electronic film collapse and product spacing, are displayed in a single view on the color touch-screen LCD control, mounted on a swing arm that allows the machine to be operated from either side. Up to 16 setups can be stored in memory. The control has three levels of access, all password protected.

Options for the machines include print registration, gated infeed, exit transition rollers and custom infeeds. The SW-5000, says Lantech, is designed for easy integration of collating and feeding devices.

The launch of the new self-threader forming head is the latest innovation from the company. Last month the firm announced that it was launching a touchscreen control for all its automated stretch wrap systems in order to offer a number of productivity advantages.

This system features five pre-programmed wrap patterns that can be changed by the user and switched on the fly. In addition, the control readily accommodates custom wrap patterns with separate settings for film overlap (up and down) as standard. The control upgrade also includes a new ANSI-compliant signal light and horn for alarms, a complete alarm history, animated "help" screens keyed to faults, and combination starters for all motors to eliminate fuses.

Meat packaging represents one of the largest applications for stretch film, and is a sector that has seen significant innovation in recent months. Packagers in this industry require film that has enough oxygen permeability to allow the formation of oxymyglobin, which gives the desired fresh red look to the meat.

The new control from Lantech could therefore enable food packagers to take proper advantage of a growing market. The system eliminates the need for a laptop PC to change standard programme timers or monitor the PLC I/O for troubleshooting, while free PLC programming software from Lantech allows full access to the control's code for in-depth changes.

Lantech​ is the world's largest manufacturer of stretch wrapping technology, with 50,000 systems around the world. It has manufacturing operations in the US and the Netherlands.