Extrusion International 3-2017

INTERPACK 2017: REVIEW 30 Extrusion International 3/2017 ILLIG: Food packs are always designed for the respective product, e.g. the „take away container“ thermoformed by ILLIGwhich can be tightly closed or cups with IML-T decoration. With Pactivity, the new business sector for packaging development, ILLIG offers conceptual and practical solutions in thermoforming. The experts show the great potential of packaging in thermoforming and they support the development process from the initial idea through to the realization of the line concept and the production system Picture: ILLIG 360° Custom-made Packaging Development in Thermoforming excellent pack which meets all recent requirements. There are numerous development stages in between and many technical questions that have to be answered. There is, for example, a great variety of packs for fresh fruit and vegetables. Packs have to ensure visibility of their contents while also protecting it from outside influences, and they have to be suitable for trans- port and logistics processes. The ILLIG packaging experts develop different variants for ventilation (hole punch- ing or closure knobs with spacing for hinged trays) and closures (hinged lids, separate lids, without lid). Prod- uct, packaging material, volume and feasibility, all those have to be ana- lyzed. Design variants, mold design as well as line concept have to be de- termined, since thermoforming offers different methods of pack produc- tion. Which thermoforming method will be employed depends to a large extent on the properties of the pack. Design, material and output are es- sential elements. Once the initial crite- ria have been successfully determined in the packaging development stage, an extensive testing phase follows that begins with the production of samples. This is followed by a number of required product tests and finally ends with the customer approval. Subsequently, the realization of the production system can be started. ILLIG can meet these requirements thanks to its expertise in mold mak- ing and machine manufacturing and its knowledge of the markets – world- wide. Thermoformed liquid-tight container with lid A current example is the development of a thermoformed „take away con- tainer“ which can be tightly closed for the Asian market. In Asia, hot soups and meals are filled in containers to go by restaurants and mobile snack booths. Previously, such a cost-effec- tive and safe transport solution did not exist. The liquid-tight container with lid is manufactured on an auto- matic pressure forming machine, type IC-RDK 80, with a 12-up container mold out of transparent PP. The ILLIG packaging specialists designed and realized all stages of the pack devel- opment from the initial idea, the ma- terial selection, through to the mold production. This also included own application tests with respect to tight- ness and stackability (top load). ILLIG Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG www.illig.de At his year’s Interpack ILLIG, the sys- tems provider for thermoforming solutions, has presented for the first time its new „Pactivity“ business sec- tor for packaging development. Pac- tivity is a combination of Packaging and Activity. The machine manufac- turer has demonstrated its expertise in this sector with latest packaging systems. At the stand the Heilbronn experts have demonstrated the great versatility of In-Mold Labeling in ther- moforming (IML-T) in combination with clean and hygienic filling and packing of food. From the initial prod- uct ideas through to realization of the corresponding mold and production system, numerous requirements must be met. ILLIG shows the great poten- tial of thermoforming to the custom- ers and offers development services for thermoformed packs. Everything from one source. From the packaging idea to the pack and to the production system For many decades ILLIG has been engaged in packaging development and the support of customers for successful market launch of packs. In principle, each project is an individual project, whether confidential or not, since every pack is unique. From the customer’s initial idea through to an