IN Brief:
- BEL 300 XL automatically detects incoming case dimensions and adjusts for larger mixed case formats without manual changeovers.
- The BEL 300 platform handles up to five case sizes simultaneously at speeds of up to 25 cases per minute.
- IPAK FS100 seals corrugated flanged trays at up to 20 trays per minute for sectors including protein, poultry, agriculture and snacks.
Wexxar Bel has introduced two automatic secondary packaging machines intended to reduce manual adjustment and improve control of mixed case and corrugated tray formats, with food applications including protein, poultry, agriculture and snacks.
The new equipment comprises the BEL 300 XL Fully Automatic Random Case Sealer and the IPAK FS100 Fully Automatic Flange Sealer. Both are due to be demonstrated at PACK EXPO International, but the announcement introduces new machinery rather than simply confirming an exhibition appearance.
BEL 300 XL extends the company’s existing BEL 300 concept to larger cases. The machine detects the dimensions of incoming corrugated cases and adjusts automatically, allowing different pack sizes to pass through the same system without operators resetting the sealer between each format.
The underlying BEL 300 platform can handle up to five case sizes simultaneously at speeds of up to 25 cases per minute. That capability is aimed at operations where secondary packs arrive in mixed dimensions rather than as long runs of identical cartons.
Mixed format production can create a disproportionate amount of labour at the end of a packaging line. A case sealer may represent only one process after the primary pack is complete, but repeated manual adjustments can interrupt upstream equipment, create queues or require accumulation to prevent the whole line from stopping.
Automatic dimensional adjustment reduces that intervention by allowing the machine to respond to each case presented to it. The engineering task is to maintain accurate folding, sealing and case control while dimensions change from one incoming pack to the next.
The second machine addresses corrugated flanged trays. IPAK FS100 is intended for applications including protein, poultry, agriculture and snacks where open corrugated trays need to remain secure through palletising, transport, warehousing and retail handling.
The system uses servo driven tray advancement combined with pneumatic active flap folding and is rated at up to 20 trays per minute. Greater control of tray movement and flap position is intended to improve repeatability before the final sealing operation.
This is secondary packaging rather than direct food tray sealing. IPAK FS100 handles corrugated transport or display trays rather than modified atmosphere or heat-sealed primary food packs, so its main function is mechanical integrity through downstream handling.
Failures at that stage can still create substantial disruption. Poorly folded or inadequately sealed corrugated trays may deform under stacking loads, open during transport or become unstable during palletising, generating product damage and rework despite the primary pack remaining intact.
Active flap control is intended to provide a more predictable tray geometry before sealing. Servo movement gives the machine tighter control of advancement through the process, which becomes useful when corrugated dimensions or board behaviour vary within normal manufacturing tolerances.
The company has also incorporated simplified controls and colour coded changeover elements into the FS100. Reducing the complexity of adjustment can shorten format changes and make correct machine setup less dependent on individual operator experience.
End of line packaging is often less visible than processing or primary packing equipment, but its performance determines how much product the complete line can release. A filler, thermoformer, bagger or cartoner cannot continue indefinitely if cases and trays cannot be sealed, labelled, palletised or moved away at an equivalent effective rate.
The problem grows as manufacturers increase the number of customer formats produced on common equipment. Different case counts, multipacks, retail ready trays and promotional configurations can all arrive at the secondary packaging stage even where the underlying food product changes very little.
Automatic adjustment therefore contributes to factory flexibility. A line able to handle several secondary pack dimensions can accommodate shorter production campaigns without requiring a lengthy manual reset every time the customer specification changes.
Labour is another consideration. Secondary packaging retains a relatively high level of manual handling in many factories because corrugated cases and trays vary more widely than primary packs. Automation can remove some repetitive intervention, although operators are still needed for replenishment, fault recovery, quality checks and maintenance.
Packaging material quality remains part of the equation. Damaged board, inconsistent scores, variable dimensions or unsuitable sealing surfaces can affect machine performance regardless of the sophistication of the automation. Equipment and corrugated specification therefore have to be treated as parts of the same packaging system.
The two Wexxar Bel launches tackle different constraints within that system. BEL 300 XL focuses on automatically accommodating larger random case sizes, while IPAK FS100 concentrates on controlled folding and sealing of corrugated flanged trays.
Neither machine changes the basic purpose of secondary packaging, but both address recurring causes of lost efficiency: manual format changes, variable cases, poor tray presentation and downstream interruptions.
Those losses can be expensive on a food line because end of line equipment sits behind higher value processing and primary packaging assets. A recurring stoppage at the case sealer can leave far more costly machinery waiting upstream, making relatively modest improvements in secondary packaging performance significant at factory level.
The new systems reflect a wider move towards packaging lines designed around greater format variation rather than a single long production run. As customers demand more pack configurations from common factories, the useful automation increasingly lies in removing the small adjustments that would otherwise interrupt production between them.
