Advanced Thermoforming, 2nd Edition

Chapter 41Ultrasonic Sealing and Cutting in Thermoforming

In common thermoforming, filling, and sealing applications the processes of sealing and cutting are performed in two separate steps.¹ In order to combine sealing and cutting in one station a new device has been developed employing ultrasonic technology so that both functions can be executed simultaneously. The ultrasonic sealing and cutting station reduces sealing times, cutting forces, wear and tear, as well as floor space, facilitating fast format changes. Contaminated rims can be sealed without compromising the sealing integrity and thus preventing any exposure to the atmosphere, so that neither are food items permitted to spoil nor medical items to lose their sterility. This device provides data for logged sealing quality and is linked with the control system of the entire packaging line.

41.1 BACKGROUND

When in the past Schubert robotic picker lines were connected inline with thermoform lines and sealing stations, the four‐axis robots (F44) could not attain their full efficiency. The intermittent mode of operation of the thermoform module and the sealing station impeded the continuous run of the packaging film and the trays molded therein.

A newly developed thermoforming machine system works with moving and repeating forming and sealing/cutting modules. The reciprocating modules facilitate a continuous running of the packaging film and thus the efficiency of the picker line increases.

The principal forming, filling, ...