Reliable end-of-line packaging for the beverage industry

To reliably protect palletized beverage products against transport stress, dirt, moisture and tampering, the BEUMER group, based in Beckum, offers the BEUMER stretch hood, a high-capacity packaging system. It pulls a stretch film hood over the beverage pallets providing significantly more protection than conventional wrapping methods. In addition, the BEUMER stretch hood ensures excellent display properties for packaged goods at Point of Sale.

A conveyor-based feeding system moves the palletized bottle crates toward the BEUMER stretch hood, a high-capacity packaging system, in order to pull a protective stretch film hood over the palletized load. The packaging system positions a stretch film hood (gusseted film tube) over the pallet. This film hood then transitions to the crimping device, where it is positively controlled in an evenly distributed, crimped profile. With pallet load height determined beforehand by an ultrasonic sensor, the film for the hood is sealed at the length required for the specific stacking height and then cut from the film roll. The pallet to be packed can have a height of up to 2,400 millimetres. The base surface of the pallet is between 700 by 700 and 1,450 by 1,250 millimetres. Special dimensions can be provided on request. The hood is stretched after the sealing and elongation process. The degree of stretch is determined by the stack dimensions, the film elasticity and the film dimensions. The BEUMER stretch hood then lowers the edges of the film hood. This process is defined as biaxial stretching, as the film is stretched both in horizontal and vertical axes. As soon as the packaging system releases the film, the film contracts again and is placed on the pallet load to protect and stabilise it. It is possible to pack the pallet both for high-bay storage systems – the pallet base is open for the skids of the fork-lift truck – and with understretch. During the understretch process, the film is pulled over the pallet base ensuring additional protection and stability. The hooded pallet is then guided to the shipping area by using a conveyor-based discharge system. This way it is possible to package up to 150 pallet loads per hour. The BEUMER stretch hood accommodates film thicknesses of between 40 and 200 micrometers - this depends on the size of the pallet load and the required stability of the products to be packaged.