Collator/cartoner

A new, automated system for collating and packing flowrapped cereal and other confectionery bars is aimed at end-load carton formats. Said to perform with lower machinery costs than robotic pick-and-place systems, plus considerable savings in materials and plant space, the Racetrack cartoner erects, loads and seals end-load cartons at speeds to 400/min in a single unit. Eliminating the need to change carton style or re-originate carton supplies, the system includes a collator/loader with twin servo-driven belts, each with nine pockets, to deliver various product counts, including layered bars, to a synchronized, indexing-motion SL902 carton end loader. Cartons from a motorized magazine are erected by a triple-head rotary feeder and are loaded into the pocketed infeed conveyor by a compact overhead pusher unit, also servo-driven and triple-headed.

Bradman Lake, Inc., 704/588-3301. www.bradmanlake.com