Improving productivity and efficiency the Gossamer way
Our focus is labour reduction and efficiency enhancement through a new generation of World Class Fruit Pattern Packers, Jumble Fillers, Pallet Shuttles, Bin Destackers, Electrical Lift Stations, Accumulative Storage Solutions, Tray Erectors and Plate Palletizing integration. If you require production improvements or have areas of concern within your packhouse, we will have an innovative solution to meet your requirements. Ambrosia Hoedspruit is just one of the innovated examples we have.
Automated shuttle car optimizes packhouse flow
Gossamer SC-400 Shuttle Car
Many packhouses are looking to reduce the number of forklifts operating on the floor and for that reason Somerset West-based Gossamer Packaging Machinery have designed an automated shuttle car for the circulation of empty and full pallets or bins without the use of pallet jacks or forklifts.
The shuttle car can be used in combination with other Gossamer equipment. For example bin stackers, bin de-stackers, pallet magazines and pallet and bin holding stations will ensure a streamline operation within the packhouse.
[Image: Gossamer 1]
A Gossamer shuttle car has been installed in the citrus packhouse of Ambrosia Estates in Hoedspruit, to automatically feed empty bins into the 42 DBF-C citrus bin fillers. When Ambrosia estates changed the outlay of their packhouse two years ago, they installed a new sizer, and now they are sizing directly to the bin, which is not done at many packhouses.
The next step will be to transport the full bins by means of a shuttle car to the bin tippers, onto accumulation tables to our World Class Auto Packers Range.
The operation is fully automated with no personnel required. This system is ideal for situations where the transport of bulk fruit happens in space restricted areas, as in this case under conveyors.
After the success of their first shuttle car, Ambrosia Estates are planning to install another shuttle car to transport full bins to the bin tippers.
The shuttle car, which runs at 1.5m per second, is a Gossamer project that has been a few years in the making, as they took cognisance of the need for the automation of bin movement. On some packhouse floors there are up to thirty forklifts moving about, and each necessitates a driver who has to receive training every season.
The shuttle car runs on a lithium battery with a ten-year lifetime with 3600 cycles.
Energy that would have been lost through braking is converted from kinetic to electrical power, thereby assisting in recharging the batteries. When low battery levels are detected, the shuttle car returns itself to a docking station even during non-production times. Recharge time from empty is about 5 hours, with options of faster and slower chargers available.
The shuttle car runs on a track, gauges its position and stops very accurately in position.
There are three versions: one designed to move empty pallets around, another that can pick up to 2400kg for full pallets and a third capable of moving double pallets; while retrieving the full pallet it can also load an empty pallet on the same run. Communication options include SCADA and integrated information systems, allowing for real-time intelligent tracking of bulk product through your facility.
Gossamer’s focus on innovation includes education. In 2020 Gossamer hosted a group site visit of 15 local Western Cape packhouse managers and owners to Ambrosia.
Gossamer Packaging Machinery were responsible for gantry systems at the Two-A-Day apple and pear packhouse in Grabouw that packs from overhead as well as a robot operating over ten packing stations.
In South Africa, the company is a preferred supplier to corrugators and packhouses. Many of their dual stage carton Erector TE-800D, SEL-400R and PP-300 Pattern Packers are in use in Kenya, Israel, Australia, and USA.
While their equipment is also employed in refrigerated meat, convenience foods and seafood facilities, in dairies, as well as in beverage and bottling, it is from fruit that they derive most of their income.
Looking back at 2020 we are proud to be associated with the ADC Africa Group, share our knowledge of our industry, and help educate and innovate packhouses in Africa.
