The SL 300 is the fastest tube packaging line in Subnil’s stable. With a capacity to produce about a whopping 100,000 tubes per shift, the line starts with the CONDOR 300 linear-model tube filler. It’s a 4-head tube filler which fills product into the tube and then closes it depending on the type of tube. Metal tubes are crimped whereas plastic/laminate tubes are sealed.

Once closed, the tube is ejected out of the tube filler onto a 4-lane tube transfer system which flaps the tube exactly into the pocket of the product conveyor of the MERLIN 300XC horizontal cartoner. Here, first a pre-folded leaflet is picked up by a rotary pick-up device and fed to the pincer on the leaflet chain. Then, a carton is picked up from the stack by a 3-arm rotary pick-up device, pre-broken and then loaded into the carton chain. The tube is inserted into the carton and it is closed on both sides either by tuck-in or gluing.

The cartons then travel from the outlet of the cartoner to the in-feed conveyor of either the OSPREY 18V or 30V bundler (depending on the matrix), where they are first collated as desired. The required length of BOPP film is then brought down by grippers; the bunch is wrapped with the same and pushed to the sealing station. Here, first the main overlapped film is sealed and subsequently the films on the pack ends are sealed to create a sturdy multipack.

The multipacks then travel to one of the KESTREL series casepackers where they are collated in a required configuration and then pushed into a case, which has been opened and kept ready earlier. The case is then taped or glue-sealed.

Hence, the first machine takes in the empty tubes and the product to be filled and the last machine produces a packed case, ready to be shipped out of the customer’s factory.