(^Above) Macpac’s new Illig RD74c pressure former
Here at Macpac we’ve been manufacturing with Illig thermoforming and pressure forming machinery for most of our 40 years. During this time our 2 engineering teams have developed an excellent working relationship.
Most recently we completed a collaborative partnership with Illig to bring about a world first in stacking and skeletal rewind technology.
Traditional thermoforming machines use an upstacking arrangement at the end of the thermoforming process line. This involves complicated engineering whereby the forming has to be gripped in position and the stack is physically pushed upwards. A major problem for the machine operator is that formings, especially complex shapes, can have a tendency to mis-locate in the stacker causing the machine to be stopped and re-set.
We were looking to purchase a new RV74c Pressure Former from Illig. Our experience operating a wide variety of Illig’s pressure formers enabled us to provide precise engineering input about the operational difficulties. The new downstacking and rewind arrangement no longer relies on gripping the forming and pushing it upwards. Instead it utilises gravity and a motion control system to allow for the change in height as the stack develops. A key advantage is a reduction in downtime as fewer formings fail to locate properly in the stacker and much more complex shapes can also be stacked. The big plus to our customers is that the new stacking arrangement facilitates lower cost tooling as the stacker is less complicated to build requiring less engineering. The RV74c is also the first of this model to be supplied without a ‘blow box’. This offers reduced tooling costs together with easier access to cleaning, an important factor when considering food packaging.
The machine was commissioned in April 2013. Since then we have noted superior running speeds and less down time. Customers also like the lower tooling costs – no surprise there! This latest collaboration resulting in a world first demonstrates our commitment to furthering thermoforming technology.
