Ultrasonic Net Sealing Machine GKV 6000
The GKV 6000 was developed for packaging small products in the low weight range and optimized for processing standard-sized fat balls / suet balls. The functional scope of this net packaging machine has been reduced to the bare essentials, enabling the most cost-efficient packaging of identical products. For example, this machine features a pneumatic net take-off system, which can be manually adjusted in length. In addition, the wear components have been reduced to a minimum and great importance has been attached to ease of maintenance, so that wear parts can usually be replaced by the machine operator without the need for a service intervention.
- Proven a hundred times — the most classic solution for fat balls (approx. 80–90 g)
- Pure net packaging without wire clip
- Low wear, low maintenance costs
- Packing lengths up to max. 180 mm (manually adjustable)
- Suitable for netting tubes with a diameter of 70 — 100 mm
- Automatic tube changing system for refilling netting without machine downtime
- Use of sustainable & compostable bio netting e.g. made of PLA (DIN EN 13432:2000–12, EC Directive 90/128/CE, BPI) possible
- Digital ultrasound station with automatic readjustment unit
- Controlled pneumatic net knife
- Easy maintenance due to retractable net gathering unit
- Extremely durable design and low susceptibility to faults
Global market leader in the area of net sealing machines
With the implementation of ultrasonic welding technology in a new generation of net packaging machines, we at Gekupack® succeeded as early as 1994 in taking a step towards species-pure packaging that has received much attention from the industry. The ultrasonic net sealing machines not only eliminate the use of metal as sealing material (clip, clip wire) when sealing the PE net bags (other materials such as PLA are also compatible), but also seal the packages completely and reliably without any additional foreign material. The single-species net packaging produced in this way is thus more sustainable than conventional packaging in many respects and also offers significant economic advantages.
- Netting is way more resource-saving than film material.
- The species-pure packings exhibit a significantly higher recyclability than the corresponding bags with wire clips.
- Our machines feature minimal wear and tear, as the number of wearing parts compared to conventional net clipping machines is drastically reduced to only 3 real wear parts in total.
- The wear components (e.g. the net cutting knife) are easy to replace due to a speacial pull out gathering unit without the need of a service call.
Seit der Erfindung der Netzschweißtechnik auf Basis der Ultraschalltechnologie haben wir unsere Maschinen kontinuierlich weiterentwickelt – auch unter enger Einbindung unserer Kunden. Inzwischen sind die Netzschweißmaschinen nicht nur wesentlich effizienter als dies zu Beginn der Fall war, was mitunter auch auf anderen technologischen Erfolgen und eingesetzten Komponenten beruht, sie sind auch kompatibel mit diversen nachhaltigen Netzmaterialien (z. B. kompostierbarem Netz). Here you can learn more about possible packaging types and materials.
This technique is used in packaging chunky goods such as garlic, confectionery, cheese snacks, peanuts, fat balls, lemons, garlic or onions, potatoes, as well as hardware and toys, such as LEGO bricks, footballs, golf balls, etc..
he high performance and reliability of our ultrasonic net sealing machines, combined with the competence and decades of experience in engineering and manufacturing not only the sealing machines themselves, but also all the necessary additional components to complete entire packaging systems, have led to the outstanding reputation of Gekupack® and have made GK Industries the global market leader in this field. Our value proposition is rounded off by an excellent spare parts availability and supply worldwide.
How does ultrasonic net sealing work?
Ultrasonic sealing has become a popular method in the packaging industry for producing reproducible packs from securely and efficiently welded netting. Ultrasonic sealing is a welding process based on the use of ultrasonic waves and, according to DIN 8580, is one of the main group 4 joining techniques. In this process, the molecules or atoms contained in the materials to be sealed are set in vibration by means of high-frequency oscillations in the ultrasonic range (>20 kHz). The resulting friction effect generates heat, which causes the materials to fuse together and creates a strong bond.
An ultrasonic generator initially generates electrical oscillations (electrical energy) in the high-frequency range. Via a hf-cable these initially still electrical vibrations are applied to the converter (also: ultrasonic head), where the electrical energy is converted into mechanical vibrations using the piezoelectric effect. The converter contains special PZT ceramics that change in length when a voltage is applied. Thus, the applied high-frequency AC voltage causes the ceramics to alternately elongate and shorten, which results in oscillations. The amplitude of the mechanical oscillation is then transmitted to an ultrasonic booster, which is screwed to the converter, and gets amplified or reduced. The amplification factor here depends on the mesh to be welded (such as the amount/volume of netting and the material or the specific energy absorption of the netting). The oscillation movement thus obtained is transmitted via the booster to the ultrasonic sonotrode , which then gets pressed against a counterpart anvil with the netting between both parts. Under pressure of up to 0.7 MPa, the mechanical oscillations are thus transmitted to the workpiece (the netting). For reliable welding to function properly, it is essential that the entire oscillating system is in resonance and that the frequency and amplitude are adapted to the packing material to be welded.
Highest output rates at a low price
The products to be packaged are fed to the ultrasonic net sealing machine from above via a vertically running plastic net tube on which the extruded netting is loaded. The GKV 6000’s net take-off is pneumatically operated with pressed-on brush profiles that are adapted to the respective outer tube diameter.
Before the welding begins, the mesh is gathered together by an 8‑finger gathering system. Subsequently, the ultrasonic process (see Functional and theoretical background) is triggered. The sealing energy used and the sealing temperatures occurring are monitored during the entire process and can get adjusted automatically.This is a decisive advantage, especially in the case of changes during the start-up phase of a production shift or in the case of changing, non-constant ambient temperatures. After a short holding time to cure the weld, the finished pack is seperated from the net tube end (the start of the next pack) via a independently controlled pneumatic net knife. After cutting in the middle of the welds, the shirring unit then opens and releases the finished pack, which usually passes via an exit chute onto a discharge conveyor. While the shirring system is still closed and the sealing process is active, the next fat ball is fed to the net packaging machine.
As soon as the net on the active filling tubes is used up, a automatic tube change is performed. A machine operator can then fill the empty net tube with new net without this resulting in machine downtime. The particularly economical net tubes also allow a large stock of filled net tubes to be prepared.