Container Handling

Robotic container sorter and cardboard box palletizer

Robotic box erector, box liner and pill bottle packing system

High-speed, end-of-line process and packaging automation is as crucial for container manufacturers as the blow molding process. ALS Mechatronic design, manufacture and install rigid container handling machinery systems suitable in the high-volume production of most HDPE, PET and PP rigid container types including plastic bottles, plastic jugs and vials of any size and style including:

Square and Rectangle Straight-Sided Containers • Round Containers • Water Cooler Bottles • Dairy Gallons • Half Gallons • Litre Milk Jugs • Pint-size Bottles…

…for any liquid: milks, juices, sauces, vinegar, food oils, water, industrial oils, alcohol, soda, medicines, household chemicals and beauty products, as well as pharmaceuticals such as dispensed tablets.

We are the experts in this field, supplying single machine solutions through to full turnkey, multi-site manufacturing automation systems world-wide, comprising:

Automatic bottle bagging machines (Autobagger)
Automatic bottle debagging machines (Auto debagger)
Robotic cells for multi-product picking, placing, sorting, bottle de-flashing
Conveyors
Palletizers
Stackers / Trolley loaders / Pallet wrappers
(Cardboard) Tray erectors
Case erectors / Cardboard box erectors
Case liners / Cardboard box liner machines
Vision inspection
Control systems & Control systems retrofit

All ALS machinery is built to globally recognised safety standards specifications using the latest technology from Rockwell Automation/Allen Bradley or Siemens depending on customer preference.

Key features and benefits across our range:

Small footprint compared to industry standard
Highly intuitive 10” touchscreen operator interfaces complete with help functions and low level fault finding displays
Can be fully flexible to run multiple products with simple changeovers
Built using modern parts, readily available worldwide
Built in web-cams and remote control-system-access
Options to suit all budget and requirements – from high speed production through to support for low outputs
3D automation simulation

Automatic Bottle Bagging.

ALS Automatic Bottle Bagging machines are high speed (up to 3 bags per minute) servo controlled multi-lane units and fully customisable to suit our customers’ specific application requirements. HDPE, PET and PP containers of different shapes and sizes can all be managed and options are available to ensure changeover time is kept to a minimum. ROI is fast as you soon realise significant cost savings in packaging costs compared to cardboard tray solutions and manual handling.

Fully Automatic Bottle Bagging Machine.

On the fully automatic bottle bagging machine (auto-bagger), the containers enter an accumulation area and are collated into rows automatically. While this is happening, a bag is made to a pre-set length, cut and sealed and placed on a pair of clamp plates in front of the accumulation area. When a full pack of containers has been accumulated, it is transferred into the open bag and then the open end is closed, creating a hygienically sealed pack. The bag of containers is then ejected out of the machine and can be automatically stacked by an optional 2 or 3-position pallet stacker, trolley loader or diverted onto a roller conveyor for transportation to a central loading area.

Ultimate bagging Control

Multiple containers can be run on one machine with adjustable change parts and the ‘flexi pack option’, which includes:

Screw Jack Height Adjustment
Hand Adjustable Clamp Plates
Hand Adjustable Pushers and Stabilisers

The 10″ colour touch screen provides an intuitive graphical interface with built in help files for all settings. Alarm and event logs make fault tracking seamless and the 5 level user security system ensures only qualified personnel can access settings while still allowing operators to run the machine.

Furthermore, the use of built-in web-cams coupled with remote control-system-access enables ALS engineers full access to make system updates and fix issues from anywhere in the world, as well as observe in real-time an operative’s interactions with the machine, to help guide best-practice.

PET / PP Bagging
Bagging is not just for HDPE bottles, PET or PP containers can be bagged just as easily. Using high slip bags and anti-static equipment the static associated with these types of containers does not cause any issues. Special ‘high slip’ change parts and guides are also used to ensure trouble free packing.

Dual Infeed Gallon / 1/2 Gallon Bagger with 2 Position Stacker.

Multiple products can be easily managed with the introduction of a second accumulation table. This particular machine will normally accumulate gallon containers in the main area while the lesser run ½ gallons are accumulated on a second table to the side (as shown to the right in the above picture). Once a full pack of ½ gallons is complete, the machine holds the gallon containers from feeding, so that the ½ gallons can pass through the main accumulation area into the bag.

Semi Automatic Bagger.

The Semi-Automatic Bagger is a cost-effective method for bagging bottles. Designed for lower output blow moulds this machine is capable of bagging over 1 pack per minute.

One operator can run as many as 6 machines at a time (depending on machine output) allowing maximum use of available labour.

On a Semi-Automatic Bagger the bottles enter into an accumulation area and are collated into rows automatically. The operator is required to place a pre-made bag onto a loading station and tell the machine the bag is on. Once the machine has pushed the bottles into the bag, the operator is then required to press and hold 2 buttons to initiate a seal cycle, in order to close the open end of the bag; creating a hygienically sealed pack. The operator is then required to remove the bag from the loading table.

Stackers.

Whether the requirement is for straight forward 2 position pick and place or for a more sophisticated, robotic arm stacking system to enable greater flexibility and control; ALS can deliver the right solution to fit need and budget.

Stackers can add layer/slip sheets to each bag or just on certain levels depending on preference. These are often an important addition when packed containers are ultra-lightweight or when extra rigidity is required. A typical operating speed for a 3-position stacker is 3 bags per minute with no slip sheets and 1.5 bags per minute with slip sheets. Packs can be stacked to any height, up to 3 metres.

For easy transportation and/or storage, ALS have designed a novel, collapsible trolley system. We are happy to provide the full trolley design specifications free of charge to our customers, for production by their own local fabricators, who can invariably deliver this at the best possible price.

Debagging.

The Belt Accumulation Debagger is a high-speed method of introducing bagged bottles into your conveyor system. The Mat-top Conveyor will continuously introduce bottles to the filler while the operator is removing another bag. The optional “hot knife” cut off is available to open bags even more rapidly and so further increase your productivity.

On a Semi-automatic Debagger full bags of bottles are loaded on to the end of the machine via a Mat-top Conveyor and the operator cuts the tail end off the bag. The bag is then pulled off the bottles through two rollers. The bottles are then released from the bag removal area and are driven by the Mat-top Conveyor toward the bottle accelerator. The accelerator sweeps off a single row of bottles at a time on to an exit conveyor and then on to the filler.

Palletisers.

The ALS fully and semi automatic Palletisers pack plastic containers onto half or full height pallets up to 1400mm square. The machine loads empty pallets after they have either been automatically loaded via pallet dispenser and optional feed roller conveyor into the hoist area or have been added manually by an operator.

A servo controlled hoist (capable of carrying up to 1,000KG in weight), then loads the pallet into position ready for the first layer of containers. The Palletizer then accumulates containers using a servo-driven pusher-arm and following bar so as to ensure bottles cannot fall over.

The 2 axis are linked together electronically for accurate control and travel at speeds of up to 2 metres per second, enabling high speed product accumulation and transfer onto the pallet.

Light Guard and Laser Safety Scanners create invisible entry barriers to ensure automatic and immediate machine cut off, keeping everyone safe.

Slip Sheets can be placed at each layer on the pallet by an operator or by the optional Automatic Slip Sheet Loader, which includes Top Frame loader as the final layer to complete the frame of the pallet.

Additional options that can be supplied include:

Complete roller conveyor to move full pallets out
Strappers
Wrappers
Vision Inspection

Conveyor Systems.

ALS Mechatronic supply a complete line of conveyors to handle all your container conveying needs, including: industry standard stainless steel table-top, wash-down conveyors for filling room applications, rope, cable, slat top, belt, roller, eagle rope, mat-top chain and many others – all manufactured to meet and exceed local safety and regulatory requirements.

We’re also jointly responsible for the industry’s largest and most innovative Alpine conveyor, which has transformed Plains Dairy into one of the most high-tech, ultra-efficient dairies in the United States: Read the case study to find out more.

As the only economical, safe and hygienic method of enabling plastic containers to be moved hundreds of feet, conveyors are the main arteries of any production facility, of which they are not many we haven’t experience of. We can supply conveyors that support accumulation and surge (including vacuum assist to convey up inclines at higher speeds as well as stabilise top-heavy containers) during filling and/or packaging processes. Our use of cable drives with direct drive AC motors are always controlled with a variable speed drive to ensure ultimate flexibility, meaning whatever your conveying need, we’ll almost certainly have a solution to fit.

Turnkey

ALS Mechatronic are responsible for advancing the capabilities and productivity of many worldwide customers delivering solutions where others have said it’s impossible.

ALS are equally happy delivering single machine solutions and control system retrofits as we are designing and delivering, the industry’s largest Alpine conveyor and turnkey solutions comprising; end-to-end machinery and control automation which support our customers’ exacting requirements.

Maintenance and Support

It is as important to us as it is to you, that your investments remain efficient so naturally we offer timely systems updates, fixes and servicing and; our promise, that no matter how challenging an issue, we’ll sort it!

What’s more our clever use of web cam and VPN technology, enables swift issues resolution, wherever you or we are in the world!

Contact us for Further Information.

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