On a first-name basis with the packaging machine – this is how the operating personnel in packaging operations in the food industry prefer to work. For Somic, this is not just a slogan: It is a real concern that should be realized in all processes in machine operation. The operators should be able to work intuitively with the machine in the daily operating routine.

The packaging process is the last link in the chain before palletizing and delivery. As in the entire line, everything must function smoothly here as well. The catalogue of requirements for companies in the food and non-food sectors is clear: Reliable carton forming, gentle product handling, and high performance in product packaging – this is often how the tender documents read which also provide an overview of the products to be processed. Somic likes to add one more item to this list: operator friendliness.

Lothar Barth, Director Sales International at Somic, explains: “We know that operators have a say when it comes to equipment selection, and we find that our customers often buy from us again. Once Somic – always Somic. And this, in turn, can only be the case if the operating personnel are also satisfied with the machine.”

For the packaging machine manufacturer from Amerang in Upper Bavaria, it is a continuous concern that all tasks related to end-of-line packaging are easy to handle and simple for the person at the machine to perform. Years ago, therefore, the company paved the way for high-speed format changeovers with its simple quick-change locking systems for product change-overs.

Of course, other elements in the Somic machine series are also designed for maximized ease of operation as standard. The first path at the start of production leads to the operator panel (HMI). With easy-to-understand symbol elements and clear menu navigation, standard tasks can be easily learned and executed. In addition, production logs can be easily called up via the screen. In this way, the production process can be easily understood through graphic displays.

Text displays in the local language are also obligatory to ensure a deep understanding and a good relationship with the machine. “We have already equipped our machines with twenty different languages in the operating panel – from Israel to Malaysia, a wide range of customer countries is already covered,” emphasizes Lothar Barth. For Somic, it goes without saying that this standard will be continued.

For convenient operation, the digital position controls during format changeover are also important. A red/green signal clearly indicates whether all adjustment positions have been correctly adjusted and a format change is complete.

Yet, it is not only the format changeover and changeover processes that are easy to follow on the HMI. An important step in daily operation is also the refeeding of the cartons. Depending on the magazine belt length and carton thickness, Somic machines can hold at least 400 to well over 1,000 blanks in the carton magazines. This is sufficient for at least 30 min of machine running time, often considerably longer. Keeping an eye on the carton magazine is therefore a standard operating task. The operator is informed by a light indicator and a display on the HMI when the magazine is slowly emptying. Optionally, the machine can be equipped with powerful LED lights that make the various operating states visually recognizable even at a greater distance.

Once the carton blank has been formed around the product grouping, two more control steps can be provided: An optionally integrated completeness check provides certainty that the preset number of products in the carton is actually packed. This is done by check weighing on the outfeed conveyor and display on the operator panel. In addition, optical sensors can be used to check the contour of the finished carton. This means that the operating personnel know immediately if something is wrong.

The employees in different functional areas in the packaging plant also have different requirements in terms of intervention options in the packaging process. The operator panel therefore offers the option of creating and managing user groups. The individual authorizations are then stored for each machine user and allow the respective assigned actions. “This is part of the standard,” assures Lothar Barth.

Statistical functions can be used here to check plant operation for production times and raw material consumption. It goes without saying that efficiency evaluations are also available. “We have made the experience that this data is often viewed by customers and even serves as a basis for further evaluations of our own,” reports Lothar Barth.