FFS is a SACMI solution for the thermoforming, filling, sealing and labeling of beverage, food and dairy containers.
Safe, high-performance and flexible, the SACMI form-fill-seal line is a valuable ‘
green transition’ ally as it focuses on the use of alternative resins for which a
complete recycling chain has already been developed.
Materials
Different resins… but which ones? Thanks to design characteristics that make it one of the highest-performing solutions on the market, SACMI FFS adapts to
any type of commercially available resin (PS, PP, PET).
From a
recycling perspective, the most evident ongoing trend is the replacement of traditional PS with alternative resins such as
PP and
PET: the exact nature of the trend depends, of course, on the country, the regulatory framework and the existence or otherwise of a complete recycling chain.
Your green transition partner
Whatever the scenario, FFS technology helps customers handle the transition profitably. Acknowledged FFS advantages include:
- productivity up to 100,000 containers per hour
- easy format changeovers/settings with different filling systems (hygienic, aseptic, ESL)
- control of multilayer solutions (PS base and PP base), hot filling (PP), high transparency (PET).
When switching from
existing lines, SACMI provides all the necessary
consultation to move from one material to another or from a traditional format to a more innovative one, all while safeguarding customer-established characteristics such as product shelf-life (barrier properties, etc.).
SACMI Packaging Center
With FFS, changeover freedom is, above all, built in at the
design stage. This is when the SACMI team can, in agreement with the customer, create the complete project: from material to container design and finished packaging, with plenty of scope for customization.
However,
flexibility on the go is equally important. In fact, even once in operation, FFS can easily accommodate format changes (container mouth remaining the same) simply by replacing or modifying the mold, all without any impact on line productivity.
SACMI’s unique in-depth understanding of materials and processes ensures the solution is
tailored to the specific needs of the customer and/or country, a key factor from a green transition perspective.
Total «in-line» process
At present, there are
over 300 FFS machines installed worldwide, mainly in the dairy sector. However, they also have a broad application range across the entire food & drink industry.
Recent orders placed by the
market’s top players have smoothed their transition from classic materials such as PS to more recyclable resins such as PP and PET.
On applications implemented to date, FFS delivers the advantages of a fully
in-line process, from management of the plastic film (heated and thermoformed with a system controlled by brushless motors) to filling, where a dual fill unit lets users simultaneously manage two products with different characteristics.
Likewise, the seal can be made with a wide range of materials - plastic, paper or aluminum - while flexible cutting allows manufacturers to make single serve products or multi-packs.