In a market comparison, the reliable and robust operation of an ultrasonic tubular bag machine is outstanding, particularly for continuous 3-shift operation and for bag sizes with a cross-seam of more than 300 mm and a film thickness of only 30-35 µm.

Air-tight ultrasonic welding takes place even in contaminated sealing areas, whether this is caused by wet seams or salad leaves in the seam, as in the case of salad packing, where the filling is fibrous. This makes possible the option of subsequent automated case packing without seal checking.

With our ultrasonic sealing system, the problem of multi-film layers within the cross seam of the bag is also solved. At the same time, the width of the seam is reduced from its usual 12-14 mm to a maximum of 2 mm.
The tubular bag machines from CFS, which are impressive for their technical and quality characteristics, not only meet the project target of zero rejects in combination with the ultrasonic equipment but also generate further cost savings compared with heat sealing, because less film is used in the weld seam.
The overall system was so fine-tuned that the customer receives the first bag sealed, right from the start. In all, the systems installed have already supplied more than 10 million air-tight tubular bags.

The use of ultrasonic components in a vertical tubular bag machine produces many different advantages and a high degree of customer value:

• Consistent sealing results and quality
• Validated ultrasonic welding
• Thin sealing seams with increased strength
• Air-tight welds even when cross-seams are wetted by the product
• Reduced defective production resulting in zero rejects
• Reduced film consumption as a result of reduced seam widths
• Direct cost saving from less defective production
• Reliable air-tight welding of 2- to 3- or 4-layered film joins
• No vapour bubbles formed when filling with liquids
• Continuously operating sealing tool
• Average sealing times of only 250 ms
• Machine clock-pulse rate only affected by product
• + 10% increase in clock sequence when packing salads
• No starting-up / warming up phase
• Cold sealing tool
• Only 25% electrical energy required compared with heat sealing
• Packed contents do not stick to sealing tool
• No specific cleaning intervals
• Suitable for vertical and horizontal tubular bag applications.
  

Because of the advantages and impressive functionality of the system, a remarkably large number of well-known, major European producers visited CFS’s stand in Hall 3. Some directly suitable SX 400 Smart Packers with built-in ultrasonic sealing system were ordered for the first time or re-ordered.

To conclude, Freshconex 2010 rates as very successful for both CFS and SONOTRONIC.
In addition, there was also customer interest at Freshconex for SONOTRONIC packaging solutions relating to:

• Ultrasonic systems and the unformatted sonotrode bench for sealing, welding, blanking or cutting of 
• Stand-up and flat bags
• Blister packs, trays or cups
• Cartons