Wrap-around case packers with in-line infeed

WP ERGON Series

WP 400 ERGON - Wrap-around case packers up to 40 ppm

The WP ERGON series includes automatic machines for the packaging of plastic, metal, cardboard and glass containers in corrugated cardboard cases and/or trays without film.

The WP ERGON series case packers can achieve an output up to 80 packs per minute, according to the machine model and to the product. The pack collations can vary according to the containers shape and dimensions; in general, the most requested collations are: 2x3, 3x4 and 4x6. 

Moreover, all WP ERGON case packers are equipped with an electronic grouping system, manual format changeover and with the “Easy-Load” system to automatically load the cardbord blank magazine.

The blanks magazine capacity can be increased through modular units of expansion.

WP 400
Speed (PPM)40
Packaging TypeTray only
Wrap-around case
Lanes1

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1 On the machine's inlet conveyor belt, featuring low-friction chains made of thermoplastic material, a specific group of motorized oscillanting guides accurately lines up the loose containers moving towards the pack formation zone, where the containers are clustered in the selected format through electronically synchronized fingers, operating in continuous motion.


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2The new Easy-Load system automatically loads cardboard blanks into the dedicated blank magazine of the machine. The new loading device is made up of a group of motorized mat-equipped conveyor belts on which the operator easily places the cardboard blanks in uniform horizontal stacks.


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3A corrugated cardboard blank is picked from the blank magazine by a newly designed picker equipped with vacuum suction cups; then, the carboard blank is carried up along the blank ramp and positioned under the incoming pack collation with short side leading. The tray/case former features a continuous wrap-around system.


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4The flap folding devices fold the blank’s side flaps and then the upper/lower flaps of both the front and back side of the pack. The hot melt glue sealing ensures an excellent resistance of the pack.


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5At the machine outlet, the pack walls are pressed by special guides.


  • Machine bearing frame made of sand-blasted and powder-painted steel
  • Sliding protection doors in anodised aluminium featuring a rounded shape which let all the motors (featuring low energy consumption) be placed externally if compared to the mechanical groups they activate. The closing system of doors is equipped with a slow-down device, which accompanies the door smoothly in its final phase of closure
  • Absence of gearboxes and prevailing employment of ICOS brushless motors equipped with digital servo-driver integrated into the motor
  • Continuous motion product grouping device, with electronically synchronized fingers made of plastic material
  • For life lubricated bearings
  • Infeed conveyor with chains made of thermoplastic material featuring low friction coefficient and a motorized system of oscillating laning guides
  • Cardboard magazine situated beneath the infeed conveyor in an easily accessible position (P and T models)
  • Cam-operated cardboard blank picker equipped with vacuum suction cups system
  • Machine electrical cabinet with air conditioner
  • Interactive 15'' touchscreen display and operator panel mounted on an arm sliding on a rail

Modular design

SMI machines are designed according to advanced principles of module assembly and feature interchangeable mechanical and electronic components, which ensure a reduction of the down-times during technical interventions or programmed maintenance and the optimization of the use of spare parts on stock.

Operational flexibility

These machines can package a wide range of products in several pack collations, so as to effectively meet the end user's current and future requirements. Moreover, each machine can be equipped with additional devices, which increase its basic functions and ensure a high level of customization of the final package.

Motors directly connected to the drive shafts

SMI machines do not include gearboxes: the motors are directly connected to the drive shafts. The consequent advantage is the reduction of maintenance, energy consumption and noise.

Continuous motion pack formation

The continuous motion packaging system ensures a fluid production process and protects the containers from strikes, thus granting more reliability, a better quality of the pack and a reduction of mechanical wear.

Thermoplastic material dividing pins

In the pack formation zone, the use of dividing pins made of thermoplastic material, that last longer than those made of metal, reduces the machine noise and protects the fragile containers (such as glass containers) and their labels.

Easy and cost-saving maintenance

The rounded safety doors enable to have more space inside the machine and thus to install motors externally compared to the mechanical units they drive, which allows the operator to easily perform the activities connected to the plant maintenance.

New shapes

All of the models of SMI case packers can realize hexagonal or octagonal microflute/miniflute cardboard cases, which can be subject to more sophisticated printing processes, as compared to the standard corrugated cardboard.

Perfect cases

SMI case packers are equipped with fixed guides, which press the pack walls at the machine outlet. This system ensures a perfectly balanced, resistant case, whereas the rotary chain pressing systems can not guarantee the same quality level.

"User-friendly" man-machine interface

The POSYC® control panel, sliding on a boom running the whole length the machine, is very easy to use, thanks to the intuitive interface, the touch screen and the diagnosis functions and real-time technical support on the POSYC®.

Easy-Load

Cardboard multipack sleevers with in-line infeed

The innovative “Easy-Load” system allows the automatic loading of the cardboard blanks magazine and features considerable advantages from an operating and functional point of view; in fact, the operator can easily load the cardboard blanks, stacked horizontally in uniform groups, because the feeding belt of the cardboard blanks magazine is positioned at the same working height as the packer's infeed belt, rather than under it.

More in detail, the new system patented by SMI is made up of a series of conveyor belts, fitted with motorized mats, which feed the packer's cardboard blanks magazine; the cardboard blank stacks are carried on these belts up to the area in which they are translated and then continue up to the collection system at case/shrink packer infeed.

Thanks to specific sensors, the layout and feed of the cardboard blanks on the conveyor belts fitted with the motorized mats and their loading into the packer's magazine is, in fact, fully automated.

Therefore, the innovative solution devised by SMI eliminates the disadvantages related to the traditional loading of the cardboard blanks magazine, which force the operator to bend his/her body continuously to place the blanks in the bottom part of the machine.

The technology used in the "Easy-Load" magazine also features the great advantage of ensuring fluid and constant picking operations with a wide range of cardboard blanks having a thickness between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

PID SBP

Cardboard multipack sleevers with in-line infeed

The PID SBP® inserts stretched board pre-assembled partitions into cardboard boxes, in order to protect fragile products (such as glass containers) and save their labels from abrasions.

This device can be installed on the WP wrap-around case packers and on the CM combined packers.

Compared with the traditional inserting systems of non-preassembled partitions, the PID SBP® allows to:

  • reduce the partitions purchasing cost by about 20% and their storage volume by at least 60%;
  • have a more compact machine, since both the partition magazine and the Partition Inserting Device are mounted on top of the machine; in this way, the machine dimensions are the same as those of a conventional case packer;
  • speed up the partition insertion operation and the loading times of the relevant magazine, since partitions are already pre-assembled;
  • reduce the sensitivity of partitions to humidity and climate changes.

The PID SBP® and the pre-assembled partitions magazine are mounted at the machine inlet, on top of the pack-forming section. The maximum operating speed is 40 packs/minute (1-head model) or 60 packs/minute (2-head model).

A mechanical arm equipped with vacuum suckers picks a stretched board pre-assembled partition from the partition magazine, opens it and lowers it between the products that have just been grouped in the required pack collation.

Finally a cardboard blank is wrapped around the products by means of special guides, thus forming a case.

Images are for illustrative purposes and data are not binding, as they have to be confirmed by SMI according to the machine user's production conditions and technical specifications.