Dipl Pack Unit 1.4

Diploma in Beverage Packaging (Beer)

Unit 1.4 Small Pack Operations

Secondary Packaging

Learning Material © Institute of Brewing and Distilling 2011

Qualifications

2 Diploma in Beverage Packaging (Beer)

DIPLOMA IN PACKAGING (BEER) - MODULE 1

UNIT 1.4: Small Pack Operations

ELEMENT 1.4.6: Secondary Packaging

ABSTRACT: This section provides detail behind the

purposes, materials, and types of secondary packaging.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: On completion of this unit you will

be able to:

1. Understand the purpose of secondary packaging

2. Comprehend the different types of secondary

packaging.

SYLLABUS.

1.4.6.1 Purposes and roles of secondary packaging:

• Containment and marketing function

• Collating, handling, storing and distributing of

product

• For environmental concerns and effects of

packaging see 1.1.1.2 and 3.1.1.5).

1.4.6.2 Materials (see also 1.1.2.5 and 1.1.2.7):

• Corrugated board

• Plastics

• Cardboard

1.4.6.3 Types of secondary packaging:

• Open tray; tray and shrink; shrink only

• Hi-cone; hi-cone in tray with or without shrink

• Case with or without dividers

• Carton

• Wrap around pack

• Cluster / basket pack

• Future trends

Dipl.Pack Revision Notes v2 October 2011 3

Element 1.4.6

Secondary Packaging

1.4.6.1 Purposes and Roles of Secondary

Packaging:

Soft packaging is a term used for the packaging of product

with board instead of a crate or a case. Plastic can also be

used, for example, decorated shrinkfilm or Hi-Cone (plastic

rings) for cans This type of packaging is generally associated

with one trip bottles or cans.

Typical packaging is:

1. Multipacks. These are typically in collations of

4,6,8,12,18 and 24. Packs of 10 and 20 are also

possible. This is secondary packaging and this

packaging will be used as the selling unit

2. Cartons or Tray (or Pad)/Shrink or Shrink only. This

is normally tertiary packaging used for transporting

the primary or secondary pack to the retail outlet.

However there are occasions when a tray/shrink

pack can be used as a saleable unit. In this instance

the film used will be printed.

1.4.6.2 Materials (see also unit 1.1)

The board is normally discarded after it has protected the

goods to the point of sale. Also it does not have to really

strong due to the fact that is being strengthened with

shrinkfilm; the quality does not need to be good. Also

everything is being done to reduce the cost of packaging

(Lean Manufacturing). The tendency is therefore to follow

the following guidelines:

1. The liner board that is used for board construction is

test (recycled)

2. The weight of the liner is around 125gsm – fluting

maybe lower, say 115gsm

3. The tray sides are reduced to the lowest height

possible. This is restricted by the machine which may

not be capable of going lower than 35mm, but 25mm

may be possible

4. Reduce the tray to a pad i.e. no sides. If this is done

the board which normally carries the product

information and BBE (Best Before End) is removed.

This information will then need to be printed on the

film.

5. Remove all of the board and just use shrinkwrap. This

is fine so long as the machine can support the packs. A

standard machine will have gaps in the carrying chains

and supports may have to be fitted to support the

packs. This modification is expensive so needs to be

costed out. Also there is a loss of cushioning which

inevitably protects the contents should they be

roughly handled.

There are two types seal used on machines. One is heat

seal and the other is lap seal. See figure 1.

Figure 1 Heat Seal versus Lap Seal

Heat seal is not common and has its restrictions:

1. Registered film cannot be used because there are

two rolls of film used.

2. A repeat design can be used in a restricted form. If

there is too much ink the welded joint will come

apart.

3. The heat bar tends to need a high level of

maintenance.

4. The technology is cheaper but should only really

be used when plain film is all that is required.

As a result of this, a lap seal is the most commonly used

form of seal in the beverage industry. It is now possible to

have up to seven colours so the graphics used can be of

very high quality.

There is one important point to note. If the multipack is

shrinkfilm and this is to be packed into tray and film; two

different qualities of plastic must be used as the same

quality will fuse together in the shrink tunnel. The qualities

recommended are LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) and

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene).

The secondary packaging machine is made up of the

modules required to make up the desired pack. An example

how this may be done is shown in figure 2.

It is also possible to have a carton wraparound included as

well (known as a combi). This makes the machine complex

and machine set up must be perfect. There can be issues in

the gluing areas where there is limited space for gluing and

compression.

Use of cartons, either open or wraparound will give extra

protection and could be an option for export. Cartons are

more expensive but if this results in less breakage it is well

worth it. It is highly recommended that packs are

professionally tested for integrity for export to a specific

country – especially if it is a new market.

The most common method for cartoning is the wraparound

method. See figure 3 (Partitions are usually left out

because such a tight pack can be achieved). There are

many companies that do this. The example shown in

figures 4, 5 & 6 is the Kister Combi which can also do tray

and shrink in the same machine.


Figure 2 Modular Set Up for the Kister. Courtesy KHS

Figure 3 Showing Carton Assembly for an Ocme Packer.

Courtesy Ocme.

Figure 4 A Kister Combi at Diageo, Runcorn

Figure 5 Kister Pack Feed at Diageo, Runcorn

Figure 6 Kister Board Feed at Diageo, Runcorn


A pack can be complex in design both physically and

graphically. It is important to get this right to ensure good

runability on the line. The board is printed using printing

methods known as ‘Gravure’, ‘Lithographic’ also known as

‘offset’ or ‘Flexographic’. For multipack design, the

Lithographic printing is the popular choice because it suits

rapid response and changes needed when on-pack

promotions and the like are run by marketing.

The gloss finish is important for two reasons:

1. It protects the print

2. It dictates the slip. This will make a difference as

too how the pack will run in the machine and on

the conveyors.

NB The gloss surface is not wanted on the areas of board

that are to be glued as it will not allow good adhesion.

The slip is measured by a test which measures the slip

angle. This is done by placing the two cut out samples with

the glossy surfaces against one another with a standard

weight placed on the top sample. The bottom sample is

secured. The slide on which they are placed is then lifted

and the angle measured as soon as the top board slips

against the bottom board. There is a standard apparatus for

this measurement.

The physical design of the pack is important for pack

integrity (holds the containers securely together) and ease

of operation within the machine. There is great expertise

needed in achieving this outcome.

The pack shape is achieved by using a die (known as a

forme) which cuts and creases the final pack. The creases

and cut outs must be clean and accurate for the pack to

perform.

Figure 7 Showing the Complexity of Cutting and Creasing.

Courtesy Mead Packaging

If there are problems with the board, it may be due to the

following:

1. Board has been stored too long – not more than

six months.

2. Storage conditions should be stable and if possible

40-50% Relative Humidity and 18-23oC. Keep clear

of heaters and cold areas.

3. Always start a run with a fresh pallet. When

returning a part pallet to the warehouse, it should

be covered with a pallet board and stretch-

wrapped.

4. Pallets should be racked rather than stacked on

top of one another.

5. The board is undercut. This is when the locks on

the wrap are not properly cut out and this could

affect the locking operation.

6. Over-creasing which could cause a split in the

board.

The wraps are packed flat on a pallet and these are then

taken from the pallet and placed in the machine. Although

it is unusual, it is possible to have this done robotically. It is

good to have a notch on one side of the card or wrap so it

is easy to that the card has been placed into the machine

the correct way.

The fully enclosed cartons and the basket packs come pre-

glued and are packed into specially designed cartons. This

design allows the operator to load the magazine directly

from the cartons.

1.4.6.3 Types of secondary packaging:

Open tray; tray and shrink; shrink only

After the multipacks have been produced they will

normally be collated in a tray or a shrinkwrap or both. It is

possible to palletise the multipacks and this trend is

encouraged by the retailer to reduce tertiary packaging.

Certainly this is easier for the larger multipacks (18+), but

with the smaller packs a purpose built palletizer or perhaps

a robot is necessary. Kister (now KHS) built a unit called a

PackRouter which collated units onto layers at the rate of

300 packs per minute.


Figure 8 PackRouter by Kister (KHS)

Master/Slave and Master/Master Concept

When linking a multipack machine to a tray/shrinkwrap

machine it is important that this is done correctly. Once the

two machines are running a good pack balance is set up

between the two. If one should stop this balance is upset.

If the upstream machine is designated ‘A’ and the

downstream one is ‘B’, then if A should stop, the line would

empty. If B stops, the line fills until the build back switch is

triggered. This is where the expressions Master/Slave,

Master/Master, Slave/Slave come from.

In a Master/Slave situation only one machine is in control.

So if A is the Master, B will stop and start as A does.

However, when B stops, A keeps running until stopped by

the build back switch. In a Master/Master situation, both

machines are in control, so when either machine stops it

will stop the other one. This maintains the balance between

the two machines. In a Slave/Slave situation neither

machine is in control of the other. So Master/Master is

what one wants.

For emptying out there is an emptying out switch.

Hi-cone; hi-cone in tray with or without shrink

ITW started producing the equivalent of Hi-Cone in 1957. It

is perhaps the simplest and cheapest form of packaging. It

is plastic and made from LDPE which has an ingredient to

make it photodegradable (becomes brittle over time when

exposed to UV light). The most common form is the Rim

Applied Carrier (RAC) which holds cans together at the

neck. (See figure 9).

There is then the Side Applied Carrier (SAC) see figure 10

and Merchandising Panel Carrier (MPC) see figure 11. For

these versions the standard Hi-Cone machine must be

modified, but with that, the machine availability tends to

reduce.

Figure 9 Hi-Cone (Rim Applied Carrier). Courtesy ITW

Figure 10 Side Applied Carrier (SAC). Courtesy ITW

Figure 11 Merchandising Panel Carrier (MPC). Courtesy ITW

The side applied version holds the cans better giving the

pack more integrity. The merchandising panel carrier is a

part-answer to the marketing critics who complain about

the lack of advertising space when it is compared with a

cardboard pack.

Another option is to use can orientation where all the cans

are turned to face the correct way. This is an expensive


option and does tend to affect the efficiency of the line.

However, some people like it as it lends to creative artwork

giving a flow from can to can. It is argued that there needs

to be supervision in the alcoholic drinks section at the

supermarkets, so they tend to turn cans to give a better

display. So, in effect, the orientation is carried out at the

outlet.

A standard machine is shown in figure 12. The Hi-Cone

carrier material is delivered on cardboard reels and two of

these are then put onto spindles, see figure 12.

One reel runs at a time. When the first one runs out, the

tail-end is welded to the start of the second reel and so on.

The carrier then passes over a drum which is fitted with

fingers which stretch the carrier material over the cans. A

cutter then cuts the cans into the format required e.g. 2x2,

2x3 or 2x4. It is also possible to have a three lane machine

producing 3x2 and 3x4. The speed of the two lane machine

is typically 800 to 1500cpm and the three lane machine up

to 2000cpm.

Figure 12 Hi-Cone Machine. Courtesy ITW.

The Hi-Cone machine is very efficient in its standard form.

Also without glue or swath from cartons it is much easier to

keep clean. The key is to ensure that the set up is correct,

the maintenance plan is adhered to and cutting blades are

regularly changed.

Like all multipack machines a smooth infeed linked to the

machine is key. On the discharge side the packs will be

conveyed to the tray/shrink packer. The link between the

two machines is important for consistent operation.

Case with or without dividers

The specification for the board is important as it will be the

ONLY protection, unlike the tray and shrink. The weight of

the liner will be around 200 to 240gsm. It is important that

the board is balanced, i.e. it has the same weight of board

both sides of the fluting, in order to avoid warp. Warp

should be no greater than 10mm per 0.6m. There is a warp

factor and this is defined by the relationship of u/L where u

is the height of the bow and L is the length of the blank (in

metres). Warp Factor= 8u/L2

Using this formula for 10mm per 0.6m, the factor is 0.22

Board should be stored at the right Relative Humidity of 4

to 9% and should be palletised and strapped with a

top board. It should also be cut cleanly with no swath. As

can be seen in figure 32 the board is flat and clean.

The carton size must also be correct. If too small, it is

impossible to close the flaps. If the carton size is too big,

the containers will not be secure and it is also difficult to

achieve good gluing as there is no resistance during

compression. The best way is to make the carton to suit

the container plus the manufacturer’s tolerance to the

container. Ask for some blanks to be made and then try

them out before committing to a long run.

The hot resin glue needs to be to the correct specification

taking special note of the open time which is the time

before the glue gives an effective bond. The glue must be

lean and it is recommended that the granules are kept in

a clean plastic tub to avoid contamination.

If packs are being fed into the cartoning machine, the

Master/Master link between the multipacker and the

carton machine still applies.

It will also be possible to feed in loose product. In both

instances, a steady and controlled infeed is important.

When bringing in loose product the chain lubrication

should be adjust so as to ensure that the bottles or cans

do not enter the machine wet. It must be carefully

adjusted. For cans it is possible to consider dry

lubrication. For glass bottles on stainless steel a

satisfactory dry product is being developed by

manufacturers and it will be available.

Initially the product is guided into the machine and is

then separated mechanically or electronically into the

groups required for packaging in the next stage. The

guides need to be adjusted well to avoid snags.

The cardboard blanks are then fed into the machine one

at a time and are wrapped around the containers.

Flippers and guides then bring the carton together. As

that is being done hot glue is directed inside flaps as they

are closing the carton. The gluing points are then

compressed to give the final carton.

A manufacturer will offer many formats. It is wise to

ensure that the machine is capable of handling these

before committing to them. Also ensure that turning and

splitting of packs is not an issue. Some machines pack on

a length, others width. When on width, this will give a

different number of lanes for 4 packs and 6 packs.

Whereas when packed on a length it is the same number

of lanes. Also the packs are more likely to be in the

correct orientation when packed on a length. See figure

13.


Figure 13 Demonstrating the different number of lanes

needed depending on the orientation of the carton. It is

easier to turn a carton than a pack.

Carton, Wrap around pack, Cluster / basket pack

Packaging into crates is only suitable for the returnable

trade. Multiple packaging, which is often referred to as soft

packaging, is suitable for one trip packaging, and is

extensively used to sell the product. Kraft and corrugated

board, and plastic are used in different forms in order to

collate the containers into 4s 6s 8s 10s 12s 15s etc and

these in turn are packed into a units of, normally, 24 or 30.

When a product is sold, it is in the interest of sales and

marketing to ensure that as many primary units are sold as

possible within one single purchase. Sales and marketing

are also trying to create an impulse buy. This leads to a

plethora of multipacks being produced on a packaging line;

and they are not always production friendly.

The companies that produce board produce the design, and

manufacture the pack – the board is imported. The

machines that wrap them around the containers (bottles or

cans) are leased. These packs may be open ended or be

fully enclosed FEC – Fully Enclosed Carton). See figure 14.

Figure 14 Display of Multipacks. Courtesy Mead Packaging

If exporting to the USA a ‘Carrier’ or ‘Basket Pack’ is likely to

be used. They are erected in much the same way as an

open ended pack and have a handle in the centre. They can

be designed to carry four or six bottles, usually six, in the

same number of cells divided equally between both sides of

the handle. See figure 15.

Figure 15 Diagram of Basket Pack for Six Bottles – Top view

For cans, probably the cheapest option is to use hi-cone

which is manufactured by ITW. See figure 16.The machine

for applying the hi-cone is also leased.

Figure 16 Hi-Cone (Rim Applied Carrier). Courtesy ITW

Another option is to use decorated shrinkfilm. In this

instance the film can be bought from any shrinkfilm

manufacturer and the multipacks produced in a shrinkwrap

machine which has been designed for this purpose. See

figure 17.

Figure 17 Shrinkfilm Packs. Courtesy Kister

Board Multipacks

These packs provide a good up-market style and the board

is recyclable. Apart from the look and convenience, they

can create the ideal price point by, for example, selling a

multiple which only has 18 cans in it against a pack that has

20 cans in it.

There are two types of machine needed. One for the open

ended wraparound (sometimes known as a wrap or a

clusterpak® Mead registered). See figure 18. The other for

the fully enclosed carton (FEC), see figure 19.

There are other types of packs which can be used for

multiples. In most of these cases the machine is purchased

and the board is supplied by a board manufacturing

company. Some will use corrugated rather than flat board,

and the choice of pack sizes will be reduced.

Figure 18 Clusterpak Machine for Wraps. Courtesy Mead


Figure 19 Multipack Machine for FECs. Courtesy Mead

Packaging

Without a doubt soft packaging can be the greatest source

of downtime on a packaging line if it is not managed

correctly. Both the materials and the machine set up must

be absolutely right for good efficient output.

As mentioned earlier the set up of the machine is

important. These days they are sophisticated but there is

usually some mechanical work to be done.

The set up is a good example of mechatronics. Both the

mechanical and electronic settings must be set correctly for

the pack being run. The electronic settings are set up during

commissioning for each individual pack so they are

generally correct. When the pack is selected on the panel,

these values are set automatically. However, if the

mechanical settings are not correct, it is tempting to change

the electronic values to overcome the mechanical fault –

this practice is not encouraged, as it never really leads to a

satisfactory result.

Another important point is the infeed and discharge. If this

is poorly designed there will be constant issues.

Infeed

There needs to be a smooth flow of product into the

machine and it is important that time is taken to set this up

properly. The infeed conveyors will be required to reduce

the mass flow of product into lanes appropriate for the

machine. This can be a critical part of the operation

especially for high speed canning. For bottles there is also

the issue of possible label damage and noise reduction.

Slat lubrication can also have an effect on performance.

This must be absolutely right. Too little and the containers

will not flow, too much and there will be issues with wet

board. This could give rise to poor gluing performance, pack

damage down stream, dirty marks and poor locking.

As soon as product enters the machine it is metered into

the appropriate channels. This can be achieved by using any

of the following methods:

1. Starwheels,

2. Scrolls

3. Metering flights

4. Flightbars

The containers are then collated into groups to suit the

pack format.

Discharge

This again is an area that needs to be right. Once the packs

have been formed they will need to be divided and maybe

turned. This area can also give problems if it is not done

right. It is often tempting to go for the cheaper option and

this is not a good way to go. It is better to go for a robust

divider and for a positive rotating device if this is needed.

These devices are usually available from the provider of the

multipack machine and can often be included in the lease.

It is better to have them as an integral part of the machine

as the feed into them will be more controlled.

Future trends

Shrinkwrap

This is a nice pack, more expensive than hi-cone, but less

expensive than board. See figure 17.The argument used

against this package is that it gives a cheaper image and

does not give as much protection as board. Certainly it is

not as popular as the board multipack but it could be on

the review list when cost cutting is being looked at.

The machine used is much the same as a standard film

wrap machine, using the lap seal method see figure 20.

The cans or bottles are fed into the machine and are

collated into groups of, usually, 4, 6 or 8.

Figure 20 Shrinkwrap Unit. Courtesy KHS (Kister).

The film is fed from under the machine and is split into the

appropriate width for the pack. The film is registered so as

to ensure that the decoration is always in the same place

on the pack. A cutter cuts the film as the register mark is

detected. Next, a rotating flight bar then flicks the film

over the packs, overlapping it under each pack.

These packs then enter a shrink tunnel where film is

shrunk and the tight packs are formed. It is also possible to

add a handle. See figure 21.


Figure 21 Multipack in shrinkfilm with a handle. Courtesy

KHS (Kister)

Figure 18 Clusterpak Machine for Wraps. Courtesy Mead


Figure 19 Multipack Machine for FECs. Courtesy Mead Packaging

Dipl Pack Unit 1.4

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