One of our customer's recent product developments is the bag in box packaging. This packaging solution combines the advantages of cardboard with a plastic bag interior. The product's lightweight design offers high stacking strength and is suitable for several applications, like cooking oils or any other liquids.

As part of the product offer, our client wanted to supply their customers not only with the packaging material, but also with the case erecting and bag insertion machinery. They therefore required a machine that would achieve consistently high quality and accuracy in placing and securing the folded bag into the erected box and then expanding the inserted bag ready for filling.

The Industrial Automation Solution

Robotic Industrial Automation developed a robot-based system for the assembly of a bag-in-box style packaging by inserting a plastic bag cartridge into a range of 10, 15 and 20 litre boxes. The system uses a commercially available industrial robot to handle the cartridge from the dispenser matrix box into the cardboard outer so that it is positively located. A pulse of compressed air is fed into the open neck of the cartridge from the robot in order to break the retaining paper seal and force the bag into the box outer. At a second datum position, a nozzle then descends to engage with the cartridge aperture and a positive pulse of high volume low-pressure air forces the bag away from the cartridge platen and into the corners of the box. Once the pulse of air has cycled, the box and cartridge will be released.

This process guarantees the consistent product quality that is required when handling and filling liquids.

The Saving

The installation of the first machine proved very successful and production output has risen to 100,000 per month, whilst and storage space requirements have been considerably reduced. Our client has now placed an order for further bag insertion machines and is promoting use of the packaging solution all over Europe.   

For further information, and to find out how Industrial Automation can provide your company with its own automation solutions, feel free to contact us.