For the fourth year in a row, Syntegon has won the German Packaging Prize from the German Packaging Institute. The IDH handling system convinced the jury in the ‘Packaging Machines’ category. It highlighted the innovative picker technology, which enables manufacturers to drastically reduce the space required from the infeed belt to the packaging machine. Despite its compact footprint, the system offers a high degree of format, pack style, and layout flexibility.
“Our Intelligent Direct Handling System, or IDH, ensures both high pack style flexibility and particularly gentle handling – the latter of which also minimizes product loss,” says Daniel Bossel, product manager at Syntegon. “This award shows that we are continuously contributing to innovate and sustainable packaging technology. The prize also underlines Syntegon’s decades of robotics expertise for the food industry.”
Linear motor technology ensures gentle handling
The picker technology, which is based on innovative linear motor technology, is at the heart of the IDH. Each of the pickers can be controlled individually by a motor. Its slow and smooth movements minimize mechanical stress. Delicate products such as cookies and crackers are transported gently from the process belt into a feeder or directly into trays. The IDH pickers grip the products with minimal vacuum application. This reduces damage and product breakage – an important step in minimizing food waste while ensuring optimum line efficiency.
High flexibility thanks to innovative robotics technology
The new pick-and-place technology is also key to the IDH’s high flexibility: depending on the production volume, manufacturers can integrate up to 40 pickers. Together, they can achieve a maximum output of up to 1,250 products per minute. The system groups and loads cookies in four different formats: slug and pile packages in trays or flow wrappers. Its high pack style flexibility makes the IDH an efficient and versatile solution for the high-speed sector and fits seamlessly into Syntegon’s pick-and-place portfolio.
The German Packaging Award
The German Packaging Institute has been awarding the German Packaging Award since 1963. The international competition is the most important European showcase of achievements in the packaging industry and is held annually under the patronage of the German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy. An independent jury evaluates the best innovations and solutions in a total of ten categories.