Packaging machinery that’s fully packaged in plastic

The polyurethane integral skin foam is easy to mold, lightweight, robust, heat-resistant and can be processed cost-effectively
The new “Swing” packaging machinery is the first of its kind in the world to feature an all-plastic modular design. The complete housing, carriage, hood and bath – six parts in all – are produced from the Baydur® 60 polyurethane integral skin foam from Bayer MaterialScience, which is supplied by the systems house BaySystems Italia.
Leverkusen, April 2008 – Protective packaging is essential when transporting high-quality products. A multitude of sophisticated packaging machines is available on the market to cater for the wide range of product shapes and sizes. In contrast, the Italdibipack Group in Pogliano Milanese, Italy, has remained committed to offering its customers simple and flexible packaging solutions for more than 30 years. One of the group’s key areas of activity is the development and production of heat-shrink packaging machinery. Its new “Swing” model is the first of its kind in the world to feature an all-plastic modular design. The machine won the “Premio Innovazione” from the Milan Chamber of Commerce for Trade and Industry for its outstanding functionality, ease of use and stylish appearance.

The complete housing, carriage, hood and bath – six parts in all – are produced from the Baydur® 60 polyurethane integral skin foam from Bayer MaterialScience, which is supplied by the systems house BaySystems Italia. Thanks to the excellent flow properties of the reaction mixture, this material offers virtually unlimited possibilities in the design of molded parts. The sandwich structure lends the parts an extreme robustness and low weight. The high heat resistance of the system is extremely beneficial when operating the machine because packaging films are sealed at internal machine temperatures of around 90 °C. This also protects operating personnel against burns through contact with hot plant components. “The polyurethane system meets all our requirements and is therefore ideally suited to this application,” explains Luciano Butturini, President of Italdibipack. “The development is another example of the outstanding problem-solving skills of our global polyurethane systems partner BaySystems and testimony to its close cooperation with its customers,” adds Ivano Colpani of the polyurethane systems house BaySystems Italia.

The Italian company 2a.effe, Lissone, produces the six polyurethane parts in molds made from an aluminum alloy. The molds can be manufactured at low cost, thus enabling cost-effective production in medium quantities, too. The screw threads are also included in the molding process, thus facilitating subsequent assembly and enabling reproducible quality. The machine, which is available in different colors, was designed by Sinthesi Engineering sas, Parabiago.