Laundry pods and dishwasher tablets are mostly sold in a fixed quantity and may individually vary in weight. Counting has proved to be the best solution to secure the correct number. With counting versus weighing, you will prevent undercounts and so a disappointed customer, but also an overcount and give away a free product will be secured by the industrial counting machine. A multinational now uses the Cremer’s counting and packaging machines that produces billions of laundry detergent pods and dishwashing tabs. Because of the high-volume production, the company wants to be sure that the amounts in the packaging are 100% correct, that’s why they chose for Cremer.
Compact counting and packaging solutions
Fast and accurate sorting, quantity apportionment and packing methods are crucial for ensuring manufacturing efficiency and quality control in any business that sells products in large quantities. The multinational installed several industrial counting machines from Cremer’s HQ series, a line of compact counting and packaging machines. The versatile counting machines, available in HQ, HQF and HQI models, provides fast, reliable and cost-efficient counting solutions for a wide variety of laundry detergent pods and dishwasher tablets. Discharged both in bulk quantities and as single pieces, in any type of packaging.
The HQ series is adaptable to different production levels, depending on the product type and desired output, including the high volumes that are typically in detergent production. For this multinational several production lines with counting machines are discharging the products in different types of sustainable packaging.
Vibratory plates separate the products
Stickiness of pods is a concern in the detergent industry. The multinational company manufactures liquid wash pods from water-soluble film, filled with either liquid detergent or a combination of detergent, softener and/or fragrance. The resulting product can cause to stick together. To prevent this, the pods go through a heating tunnel to dry and are sprinkled with a little drying powder. Moreover, the Cremer HQ series counting machines contain 4 vibratory plates for transport of the laundry pods and are even better at separating sticky items than previous models. Thanks to solutions like these suppliers can now develop and manufacture more innovative laundry detergent pods and dishwasher tablets – including versions with multi-ingredients and multi-colors.
100% counting accuracy
After the laundry pods or dishwasher tablets are separated and lined up behind each other on the vibratory plates, they are optical counted for 100% counting accuracy. During the free-fall of the pods and tablets the infra-red signal is interrupted, means the product is counted. Dishwasher tablets and detergent pods can be counted in exact portions into the package. Furthermore, the HQ counting machine has a compact footprint and all parts can be tool-free disassembled for easy operation and cleaning. Other features include quiet operation without compressed air, and additions such as buffer systems serve as safeguards against unplanned line interruptions.
Converting to a different type of packaging
This multinational strives for leadership in sustainability. The company’s goal is to reduce the amount of plastic material and use the most sustainable resources. The production line will be converted to a different sustainable packaging, but the counting principle remains the same. The company approaches Cremer for this at an early stage to help think about adapting the counting and packaging machines.
Solutions beyond counting
The whole production line of dishwasher tablets consists of more than making, counting, and packing the products. Cremer not only supplies the counting machines but thinks along with the customer about the entire logistical supply process. How do the products get from A to B and how can we combine flexible lines? That is a piece of extra service from Cremer that is greatly appreciated. Want to know more or need help with a counting solution for your product? Feel free to contact us!