Hand packing is labour intensive and slow. Automating the process frees resources and speeds up the exercise, lowering costs and increasing packhouse productivity.
GP Graders new high speed Autopacker is a fast and efficient method of packing into cartons and supermarket Returnable Plastic Crates (RPCs). Similar to GP Graders Cherry Trickle Belt Filler, the Autopacker automatically fills cartons or RPCs to precise weights. The only human interface required being to place empty cartons or RPCs at the infeed end and to remove full cartons for palletising.
Although the usual application for Autopackers is citrus, they can be used for any volume filled fruit including stonefruit, kiwis and avocadoes.
Autopackers can pack up to 5 tonne of fruit per hour. Many packers currently using the Autopacker are importers repacking fruit into RPCs. In the past, importers selling to Coles simply inspected packed cartons. Now they are required to repack the produce. Hand repacking adds significant labour costs and not surprisingly importers have tried to limit the cost increase as much as possible. This lead to the production of the Autopacker. The Autopacker can also be used as one of several packing options on a grading/packing line.
The Carton/RPC feed system is designed for the packing type to be used, and can be adjustable for those who pack for more than one major customer. A series of conveyor belts, a load cell for weighing, carton guides, and photo eye switches ensure that cartons are located in place for filling
The automatic filling heads, unique to GP Graders, have been designed specifically for supermarket requirements, providing loose fill cartons or RPCs. The filling heads consist of two parallel belts which can travel forwards and backwards. They fill the carton or RPC until it reaches close to the target weight and then one belt reverses. A single belt continues, allowing fruit to trickle into the carton, until it reaches the target weight, while the other belt fills a waiting carton.
The GP Graders SetPoint Weigher controls the carton feed belts and the filling heads. The target weight and preliminary weight are adjustable for different produce types or different carton sizes.
When RPCs were first introduced by Coles, Citrus importer Valley Fresh repacked by hand. Valley Fresh now use the Autopacker to repack fruit into RPCs and have reported a reduction of packing staff by more than two thirds. Previously 16 staff repacked 8 pallets per hour during the morning. By the end of the day as workers tired productivity dropped.
The Autopacker packs at least as many pallets per hour and continues at the same rate all day. But only 4 and 5 staff are needed to run the line. One or two staff for tipping and crushing cartons, one sorter, one to feed empty RPCs and remove full ones and one part time supervisor.
Eliminate hand packing and handling and slash labour costs with this economical solution already used by Australia’s leading fruit packers.
