Hastamat Interview: Weighing and Packaging Automation
About this episode
In this Piepenbrock Packaging Presents podcast episode, Thomas Bornemann, Director Sales & Marketing, and Dennis Feldbusch, Area Sales Manager, of Hastamat, a German turnkey packaging solution provider whose first machines date to 1953, discuss planning packaging automation, multihead weighers, transfer systems and vertical form-fill-seal machines. Topics include giveaway, weighing accuracy, bag sealing, recyclable films, used equipment, service and hygienic design.
In this episode
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Guest
Area Sales Manager, Hastamat
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Guest
Director Sales & Marketing, Hastamat
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Host
President, Piepenbrock Packaging
The answers
Every question from the interview, in the order it was asked. Each page has the answer on video and its full transcript.
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2:21 Hastamat Introduction
Thomas Bornemann describes Hastamat as a turnkey solution provider in packaging that developed its first machines in 1953.
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3:45 Planning Automation
Thomas Bornemann says Hastamat first needs to know the type of packaging and whether the product is placed oriented or in bulk, in trays, cans or bags.
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2:05 In-House or Co-Packer
Dennis Feldbusch says one product, one filling weight and one bag running 24-7 makes in-house production the best way.
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2:37 Capacity and Buffers
Thomas Bornemann recommends at least 10 to 15% extra capacity on a packaging line.
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3:09 Product Shape and Orientation
Thomas Bornemann says a machine designed to keep stick products oriented can also run bulk products, but a machine bought for bulk products cannot be used for stick-shaped products.
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2:55 Multi-Ingredient Weighing
Dennis Feldbusch says Hastamat weighers can run up to four to six different products, flavors or ingredients, mixed on top and brought down into the packaging machine.
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2:48 Bag Formats and Changeovers
Dennis Feldbusch says a multihead weigher can run many different products with the same setup, and the transfer system is designed for quick, tool-less changeover.
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3:25 Weighers and Transfer Systems
Thomas Bornemann explains that a combination weigher's bins are each controlled by a load cell, and the weigher finds the combination of bins that makes the requested filling weight.
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2:55 Buying Used Equipment
Thomas Bornemann says one of the biggest risks with used machines is finding out later that spare parts are no longer available, so customers pay double in the end.
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2:36 Service and Documentation
Thomas Bornemann says checking the available local support is a very important part of buying packaging machinery, and that Hastamat, a German manufacturer selling machines all over the world, gives customers the best support.
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3:22 Reducing Giveaway
Thomas Bornemann says many times the cost of giveaway is higher than buying a new machine, and customers do not always calculate it when buying equipment.
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2:43 Weighing Accuracy and Controls
Thomas Bornemann says that in general, automatic weighers fill a maximum of 0.3 to 0.5 grams above the nominal filling weight, and customers can set their own plus/minus levels.
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1:56 Challenging Products
Dennis Feldbusch says sticky products can be handled with different coatings on the vibration chutes and with dimple plates.
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3:30 Bag Sealing
Thomas Bornemann explains that the film is sealed by temperature in combination with pressure, and that laminates and mono materials require different sealing systems.
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2:41 Recyclable Films
Thomas Bornemann says Hastamat has a lot of experience with recyclable films because it works very closely with film manufacturers, and it has shown fully recyclable materials, such as paper with a sealing layer or PE mono material, at exhibitions.
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2:48 Bag and Film Specifications
Thomas Bornemann says roll film is cheaper than pre-made bags, and for standard production, bags formed on a vertical machine save a lot of money.
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2:45 Hygiene, Installation, and Training
Thomas Bornemann says hygienic design reduces cleaning time and therefore downtime, and that Hastamat's hygienic design is visible from the first second compared with other suppliers; Hastamat vertical machines are hygienically designed, and its weighers are offered at different levels of hygienic design.
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Common questions
- Should a food manufacturer buy a turnkey packaging line or piecemeal equipment?
- Dennis Feldbusch of Hastamat recommends a complete turnkey solution over piecemeal equipment. With one supplier covering buffer and distribution systems, the multihead weigher, the transfer system and the bagger, everything is synchronized and the customer has one contact person for the whole line in case of a problem or service.
- How much does product giveaway cost compared with a new packaging machine?
- According to Thomas Bornemann of Hastamat, giveaway means cost for the customer, and many times the cost of giveaway is higher than buying a new machine. He says customers do not always calculate it, and that a weighing system is much more accurate than filling by volume.
- How accurate is a multihead weigher?
- Thomas Bornemann of Hastamat says that in general an automatic weigher fills a maximum of 0.3 to 0.5 grams above the nominal filling weight, and customers can set their own plus and minus levels. If the right model is chosen from the beginning, accuracy has nothing to do with speed.
- How long do Hastamat packaging machines last?
- Thomas Bornemann of Hastamat says the oldest machines he knows of are still in production after 35 to 40 years, so few used Hastamat machines are available. Dennis Feldbusch adds that it is not a machine you have to replace in two to five years.