JLS spotlights latest innovations for cheese industry at Pack Expo

By Alyssa Mitchell

Photo courtesy of JLS

VERSATILITY — The versatile Osprey robotic case packer features sanitary high-payload delta robots for loading cases with a variety of packages including thermoformed packages, stand-up pouches and bags, and large blocks of cheese.

Photo courtesy of JLS

SAFETY AND ACCURACY — The hygienic Talon primary loading system safely and accurately places rounds and other shapes into primary packages such as thermoformers.

YORK, Pa. — JLS, a leading provider of easy-to-use hygienic robotic packaging solutions for the food industry, is spotlighting its latest innovations at this year’s Pack Expo International, set for Nov. 3-6 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

JLS’ robotic packaging solutions cover a wide variety of both primary and secondary cheese packaging applications.

Whether customers need to place sticks of cheese into thermoformed pouches, place blocks of cheese into cases or even slices into pouches (and then into cases), JLS can handle all of the above and more. Designed for sanitary environments, JLS custom vision-guided primary and secondary robotic packaging systems are user-friendly, easy to operate, fast to start up, and ensure both worker and food safety. The company’s proprietary robotic tooling and high-speed leak detection systems have been awarded several patents.

“Our focus at JLS is to deliver agile, hygienic robotic solutions to our customers,” says Michael Newcome, vice president of sales for JLS. “These solutions are made to get wet and excel in harsh environments. We have more than two decades of experience in this space, and our system design and integration services have continued to evolve with the needs of the market.”

Newcome notes that over the next year, JLS will be highlighting primary product handling applications including thermoformer loading of cheese blocks and extruded goat cheese logs.

“At Pack Expo International this year we will exhibit our hygienic robotic Talon primary loading system integrated with a thermoformer to demonstrate the ability to load extremely delicate products like goat cheese,” Newcome says.

He notes that thermoformer loading is fast, safe and simple with JLS. A variety of food-safe end-of-arm tooling options, including vacuum technology, grippers and paddle lifts, tackle a variety of product shapes and sizes.

“In today’s business environment, there is increasing pressure to produce ‘more with less’ and simultaneously meet the ever-changing demands of your customers,” Newcome says, noting that since the Talon is designed to integrate with other packaging equipment, JLS easily can upgrade customers’ packaging lines, utilizing their existing equipment and maximizing investment with the help of hygienic pick-and-place robotic solutions.

Additionally, with JLS’ Vacuum On Board technology, sanitation is as simple as a tool changeover, with no cleaning needed. An all-stainless-steel construction and open-frame design allow for easy washdowns.

Further demonstrating JLS’ cheese packaging capabilities, a VEMAG Model HP-12 supplied by Reiser also will be on display at Pack Expo. The machine will extrude portions of cheese, feeding its hygienic Talon that will load the portions into a Variovac thermoformer.

Newcome notes that on the primary packaging side, JLS continues to see a move toward snacking, which means smaller single portions.

“We’re also seeing a number of shingle and stack applications, such as stacks of sliced cheese,” he says. “These formats are often loaded as a solo product into flexible packaging such as a thermoformed vacuum package or rigid trays. We’re also seeing them combined as snack kit applications with other elements such as cured meats and crackers, which require more complex integrated packaging lines.”

Bulk packaging on the primary and secondary sides also continues to grow, with products presented to JLS with random spacing or orientation from upstream brine tanks or portioners, Newcome says.

“This is where JLS’ vision-guided robotic experience is needed in order to properly inspect and target the products,” he says.

“Our robotic packaging solutions are made to get wet,” he adds. “High sanitary design comes standard on all JLS machines, with a USDA dairy-approved design.”

Newcome notes that system integration also continues to be a growing part of JLS’ business.

“Oftentimes, customers will look to JLS to provide complementing unit operations to the JLS system. We offer flexible solutions to suit the needs of the customer. On one hand, we might simply be asked to provide integration of equipment, often purchased by the customer. A more turnkey project request would include scope development, line controls and procurement of non-JLS equipment, project management, installation, commissioning and validation,” he says.

“JLS is a customer-centric company,” he adds. “We embrace a collaborative process to ensure that our customers receive the best-fit solution for their needs, even if that means it doesn’t come from us. Our customers value JLS for more than just our products and innovative system automation; our strengths are derived from our real-world experience and our heritage in automation.”

Newcome notes JLS also continues to see a proliferation of SKUs and shorter production runs.

“The ability to minimize downtime with fast, easy changeovers and vertical production startups has continued to increase in importance to our customers,” he says. “Also, easy recipe additions and short delivery times for new tooling increases the viability of automation solutions.”

He adds the company has seen customers continue to automate with solutions such as robotic loading and packaging systems provided by JLS to address the continued gap in the labor supply.

“We expect this to continue as most manual product loading roles are repetitive, unfulfilling and often in harsh environments,” he says. “Those undesirable manual operating conditions can result in labor retention issues, which ultimately lead to quality and low yield issues for cheese producers.”

Meanwhile, JLS also offers services such as digital production line simulations, a fully staffed test lab to validate applications and tooling designs, as well as real-time virtual support and training services.

“JLS prides itself on offering unrivaled partnership and aftermarket support to its customers,” Newcome says.

“The JLS Customer Support Team (CST) takes over after the installation and startup process to address customer inquiries quickly and resolve problems with a sense of urgency.”

JLS’ CST handles all elements of after-sale support including:

• Spare parts kits as part of the installation package;
• Spare parts inventory control;
• Service agreements with periodic visits;
• Customer training;
• Remote monitoring;
• Customized preventative maintenance; and
• System auditing.

“Our CST works as a cross-functional team to ensure that a high level of response is provided for all incoming service or parts requests,” Newcome says. “CST is effectively the advocate for the customer within JLS and is charged with making sure that customer expectations are exceeded, not just met.”

The company offers real-time virtual support as well via JLS View, its mixed-reality monitoring technology that connects customers directly with the JLS team in York, Pennsylvania.

“By utilizing RealWear technology or the XMReality app, our team is able to see exactly what your operator is seeing in real-time, allowing for instant diagnostics, support and training,” Newcome says.

“JLS View isn’t just for service calls,” he adds. “It’s also a helpful tool for virtual training, technical support and production line modifications. JLS can help customers overcome workforce labor shortages with high operator turnover by minimizing disruptions due to training all while optimizing production. JLS continually is searching for better ways to utilize technology to offer the best customer support and training.”

Newcome says the company is looking forward to exhibiting its full line of robotic packaging solutions as well as the breadth of its integrated system capabilities at Pack Expo.

“Our solutions are designed to meet the evolving needs of the packaging industry, providing unmatched efficiency and reliability while enhancing hygiene. We encourage all attendees to visit our booth and see firsthand how our technology can transform their operations,” he says.

To learn more, visit JLS’ booth S-3783 at Pack Expo.

CMN

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