The wraps are finally coming off the wide range of new and innovative packaging equipment offerings at AUSPACK PLUS 2013 as the first visitors stream into the show.
After months, or in some cases, even years of planning, AUSPACK PLUS exhibitors were eager to finally put their latest and greatest product offerings in front of prospective buyers.
Among these was MPI Australia which is presenting the new FAS SPrint Bagger, from Automated Packaging Systems of the USA, at the show.
The machine has been specifically designed for use in food packaging applications where it is in contact with moisture, oils, chemicals and foods in areas that require daily wash down procedures.
Constructed of stainless steel construction and with a 90 degree tilting load area, the new bag packaging system is ergonomically designed so an operator can stand in front of a horizontal row of pre-opened bags that are moving along a variable speed conveyor, thus allowing a wide range of bulk and portion pack food items to be easily loaded, including frozen meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, and snack foods.
Matthews Australasia has traditionally mounted some of the most impressive stands at previous editions of the show and has once again lived up to its reputation.
The chairman of AUSPACK PLUS organiser the Australian Packaging and Processing Machine Association (APPMA), Mark Dingley, put on his Matthews cap (he is the company's general manager of operations) to say how he relished the show, and took pride in the company's stand.
“AUSPACK PLUS has always been enjoyable for Matthews – we value talking to customers and being able to demonstrate our solutions to potential customers. Actually watching a demonstration really helps people to understand how we can assist in streamlining their product ID processes,” he said.
Matthews has launched this morning the new Avery Dennison 81x Label Printer Applicator (LPA) at its stand.
Using a backing-paper-free labelling material, the new Avery 81x LPA radically reduces energy and material use, hence waste, for carton and tray labelling — at a lower total applied cost.
It does this by using an innovative, backing-paper-free label material, LightSmart Technology, which becomes sticky through heat activation after the print and cut — a key differentiator to existing liner-less LPA solutions.
Matthews is also showcasing and demonstrating its recently launched Linx CJ400 at the show, as well as a range of new products to enhance its portfolio.
“We are showing a range of technologies, including our iDSnet Enterprise and iDSnet Manager reporting software, small character continuous inkjet coders, thermal transfer over printers, lasers, large character drop-on-demand printers, label applicators and label print applicators (LPA).
“In fact, we have a special custom-built LPA on the stand to celebrate our 1000th Fox IV LPA installation in the Australian market,” Dingle said.
“This year, Matthews is also showing our range of machine vision technologies and our capability to check packaging quality. Our iQVision technologies include a range of vision systems for inspection, guidance, identification, measurement, tracking and counting, across a host of industries,” he said
To even further boost stand visitor numbers, the company has kicked off its Win an iPad competition, and is inviting visitors to drop by its “Chameleon Bar” at stand 172 each afternoon.
Amidst all the automated and robotic systems being put through their paces at AUSPACK PLUS, robotics specialist ABB again is one of the standouts, showing off its latest MicroFlex e150 servo drive.
The MicroFlex e150 is designed to control a wide range of motion applications from simple point to point motion to advanced motion. The servo drive combines Ethernet technology, advanced multitasking programming and single phase operation in a compact package.
The drive is designed to control a wide range of demanding motion applications, such as cutting and forming, pick and place, packaging, pharmaceutical/life sciences and laser/water-jet/textile cutting machines.
Exhibitors busily make their last minute stand preparations on the eve of the opening of AUSPACK PLUS 2013.
