UK-based Proseal said its Hot Rod system is a tool heating system that fits inside a Proseal sealing machine or is retrofitted to an existing model.
The company claims the system can meet the demand for lower seal times without compromising on quality, while delivering a 25 per cent reduction in electricity and consumption.
Lee Hodson, general manager of Proseal, told FoodProductionDaily.com that the Hot Rod system heat seals all types of trays, but it is primarily designed for repeated sealing of heat conductive aluminium foil trays, renowned for localised draining of heat from the contact area of the tool.
“The popularity of smooth wall foils for many tray designs can result in inefficient sealing as the aluminium draws heat away from the sealing areas,” he said.
Hodson explained that the Hot Rod system, however, is able to focus the heat on the tray rim so that sealing can take place very quickly and efficiently as every hot rod is tray specific and individually contoured to concentrate the heat source to the tray flange area.
“Production speeds are maximised due to the ability of the new system to quickly replenish heat loss therefore reducing seal times in most cases,” he said.
Speed is dependent on the tray sealer selected and the product being packed, continued Hodson.
Another main advantage of the new system, he said, is the fact that the main body of the Hot Rod is resistant to water through the adoption of a stainless steel outer carcass to contain the insulated heater element.
“The rugged water resistant construction is simple to replace and designed to outlast conventional heating systems, thus reducing down time for heater replacement,” added Hodson.
Moreover, he said that, as a result of the accurate control of the heating area, the wattage size of the Hot Rod is half that of conventional heat systems.
Hodson claims that food manufacturers will continue to invest in new equipment despite the economic slump if the machinery in question meets the necessary criteria to increase production, reduce labour costs, is reliable and is easy to maintain.
“In the current climate, companies are looking closely at their machinery efficiencies and realising that investing in new equipment can help to improve their overall site efficiency, making their operations future proof.
“As a result, Proseal is seeing an increase in new customers and current customers upgrading to faster equipment,” added Hodson