Fishing and processing company FISK Seafood, based in the north of Iceland, has placed an order with high-tech processing equipment supplier Valka for a new batching and automatic packing system for light salted frozen fillets.
The system is designed to automatically weigh, batch and pack products to final boxes with unparalleled accuracy and precision, saving considerably in the giveaway for each packed box.
‘This investment shows that we at FISK Seafood are forward-looking in our decisions,’ said Ásmundur Baldvinsson, manager of land-based production at FISK Seafood.
‘I’m confident that we will achieve a short payback time. The most significant benefit is realised with batching precision; however, the level of automation will also enable direct gains with labour costs.’
Managing the giveaway weight in any fixed weight product is crucial, and traditional batching graders decide on where to place each portions based on statistical guesswork.
Valka’s approach has batching and packing robot recognising the weight of several portions in advance before applying a game a theory algorithm. This continually optimises the best solution based on actual piece weights, resulting in virtually no overpack.
As traditional pneumatic arms would damage glazing, and potentially break thin parts such as tails, the Valka Packing Robot is designed with a unique carousel. The built-in cars of the carousel carefully pick up and transport the product. An integrated cartesian robot then gently slides the portion for delivery directly above the final packaging. The system allows products to travel gently and smoothly through the carousel, without attrition or breakage to the product.
‘We’re grateful for the trust FISK Seafood has shown us. Companies like Valka would not exist without partners who are willing to try things for the first time,’ said Guðjón Ingi Guðjónsson, one of Valka’s sales managers.
‘Our solution has been a great success in the packaging of fresh products for a long time, and with some clever design updates, the Aligner Packing Robot is a flexible and hugely valuable solution for diverse packing needs.’
