Tamper-evident containers are finding their way into the South American markets.
The tampering and safety properties for food containers has become more and more important over the last few years providing immediate evidence through single or several barriers alerting the retailer and final customer of any eventual theft or product altering.
By the end of 2014, WM Wrapping Machinery SA signed an agreement with a new South American customer interested in this particular new packaging solution. The deal consisted of delivering a FC 780 E IM2 thermoforming machine including six molds for the production of eight different tamper-evident containers.
The FC 780 E IM2 is a vacuum pressure forming machine consisting of a 75 ton four press tie-bars for the forming and eventually in mold cutting followed by a second additional station, a 60 tons four press tie-bars used for separate in-line cutting followed by a stacking station. The respective forming area is 780×570 mm with a positive/negative maximum product depth up to 130 mm.
The machine is equipped with all the state-of-the-art devices including the servo plug assist in the forming station, a 3-axis robot unit for stacking with A/B/C option and a sheet temperature reader installed in the heating station guaranteeing a closed loop control of the heating temperature.
The pre-cutting technology, which is essential for achieving a perfect release of the strip and located in the hinge of the container, requires a sturdy and well-designed cutting press structure. The reliability and the high quality of the cutting press contributes to reduced knife wear, hence extending the life of cutting tools. In the meantime, the stability and the efficiency of the complete process guarantees waste reduction and consistent improved product quality.
Furthermore, molds have been studied and designed in close cooperation between the final Customer, WM and its mold supplier using the removable insert technology.
Latest market trends are indicating a higher demand and further development of the tamper-evident technology seeking at the same time reduced packaging costs.
Nowadays it is possible to produce tamper-evident containers using a shrink band solution or tamper-evident label, nevertheless, both solutions represent an additional operation within the packaging process and are consequently increasing the total packaging cost. The thermoformed tamper-evident clamshells technology on the other hand contributes in maintaining a low production cost of the container.
