Improving horizontal and vertical sealing systems in continuous automatic Form/Fill/Seal machines by electronic control

In this paper we first introduce the principle of mechanical horizontal sealing adjustment using eccentric chain wheels for traditional Form/Fill/Seal packaging machines and investigate the problems existed in such systems. We then propose a new electric control scheme to coordinate the working between vertical and horizontal sealing systems, and discuss in detail its physical design and mathematical model. Applications of this new control scheme in practice and the experiments on the spot in some factories all prove its feasibility. It can simplify the current mechanical transmission systems; improve the stability and reliability of the packaging machine. Meanwhile it can ensure the accurate seal and cut position, and satisfy the requirement of high speed packaging to greatly improve the quality and quantity of the production. It can also automatically adjust the horizontal sealing cycle according to the pouch size. This control scheme is a promising candidate for the next generation packaging control system to be widely used in the food packaging industry.