Together with the Best World team, led by Lim Sze Huey, Group Manager Product & Quality, Schubert designed the new line as the successor to its agile vision line. Based on Schubert’s proven TLM system components, the new packaging line demonstrates its flexibility and agility primarily through fast format changes, a very high format variety and low format costs. Moreover, the entire filling and packaging process is efficiently integrated into a compact single line. The foundation for the exceptionally simple and cost-effective format changes is 3D printing; with a few exceptions, all change parts are sourced from the 3D printer. In the compact line, the plastic and glass bottles are cleaned, precisely filled, sealed and packed into pre-glued automatic sideloading folding boxes in successive steps. The high demands made on the completeness and integrity of the products and packaging are ensured by several camera systems, which check the products at various points during the process and sort them out if necessary – without interrupting the continuous packaging process.
Accuracy to the point
The line also excels with its high filling accuracy (+/- 1 per cent), even with the small 15-millilitre volume – and also with high-viscosity cosmetic products. To achieve this, the Schubert experts rely on eccentric screw pumps, which have already proven their worth as dosing systems in many similar projects. With highly accurate scales used before and after the filling process (net weighing) and through the fully automatic readjustment of filling volumes, this exceptionally precise filling accuracy is achieved – at an output of up to 100 bottles per minute. This applies to all eleven formats with the various filling media and cosmetics currently being processed on the line.
Fast time-to-market thanks to 3D printing
3D printing via Schubert’s PARTBOX platform also enables the cosmetics manufacturer to print spare parts or new format parts in-house. With few exceptions, all exchangeable parts can be easily reproduced. This significantly reduces delivery times to Singapore as well as storage costs. With this sustainable and very flexible form of value creation, Best World can count on rapid implementation of future formats and a further reduction in time-to-market.