ApplicationHigh capacity, multi-lane transfer of frozen ice cream stick products, sandwich products, wafer cups and ball top cones from the trays of a Tetra Pak® Extrusion Tunnel to either the pocket conveyor system or direct to the paper lanes of a Tetra Pak® Multilane Wrapper.

Operating principleThe transfer between the Tetra Pak Extrusion Tunnel and the wrapper infeed(s) is completely automatic and fully synchronized, which ensures trouble-free handling of the products.

The first step is the transfer of the frozen ice cream prod-ucts from the Tetra Pak Extrusion Tunnel trays to the lamellas in the conveyor of the Tetra Pak® Dip and Trans-fer unit A2. This transfer is carried out with the Tetra Pak® Pick-and-Place unit.

When the products have been transferred to the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit, operations such as chocolate coat-ings, juice coatings, caramel coatings and dry stuff deco-rations can be carried out.

Finally the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit lays the ice cream products directly into the pocket of the Tetra Pak® Singlelane Wrapper or directly onto the paper lanes of the Tetra Pak Multilane Wrapper.

The entire transfer system is designed to meet the highest hygienic standards. It can easily be hosed down and the open design facilitates cleaning, inspection and mainte-nance.

The risk of product contamination is specially minimized with the multi-lane wrapper set-up as the stick products after pick-up from the Tetra Pak Extrusion Tunnel are di-rectly layed down in the wrapping material of the Tetra Pak Multilane Wrapper.

Tetra Pak® Dip and Transfer unit A2Multi-lane transfer system

Standard designThe Tetra Pak® Dip and Transfer unit A2 is delivered with a dipping cycle program for the products to be transfered and dipped. For future and additional dipping processes it is simple to load new product programs and, if neces-sary, mount or re-arrange additional equipment like dip-ping tanks.

Control panel

Operation of the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 is car-ried out by means of a touch-screen operator panel. All relevant production data and information are available via the touch-screen.

The Tetra Pak Pick-and-Place unit

Frozen products are removed from the Tetra Pak® Extru-sion Tunnel trays with a Tetra Pak® Pick-and-Place unit. The ice cream products are picked up by grippers, which are-mounted onto an exchangeable gripper head.

Stick products are gripped by the wooden stick, where as sandwiches are gripped on the sides, wafer cups and ball top cones are gripped on the wafer/biscuit.

Very accurate control of product pick-up is ensured by the trailing motion following the product movement on the trays.

Several types of interchangeable product gripper heads are available for the pick-and-place.

The Tetra Pak Pick-and-Place unit is designed for easy change over of gripper heads for the different products.

Tetra Pak Pick-and-Place unit, Multi, including:

• Two-arm robot pick-and-place

• Servo controlled motion on each arm

• Servo controlled trailing at product pick-up

• Sticks, sandwiches, wafer cups, ball top cones, cups, stick-less slices, candy bars and logs from multiple lanes on trays

Tetra Pak® Dip and Transfer unit A2Multi-lane transfer system

Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer system

After ice cream products have been picked up from the trays of the Tetra Pak Extrusion Tunnel by the Tetra Pak Pick-and-Place unit, they are normally transferred one row a time to the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 conveyor system. For higher capacity than 9 000 units/hour ball top cones and wafers are transferred in multiple rows on top of the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 conveyor for ver-tically loading into the lamellas.

The products are held in the lamellas by the means of in-dividual grippers.

Each lamella is driven by the two Tetra Pak Dip and Trans-fer unit chains, indexing forward. The Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit chains are of stainless steel, lubrication free design.

In each dipping zone a pneumatic or servo driven down motion system executes the down and upmovement.

Multiple dips can be done in sequence into the same dip-ping tank to get increased layer thickness of e.g. juice or extended dipping time in Nitrogen.

Hereby high flexibility of the dipping cycle can be achieved and during production the whole dipping process can be controlled and adjusted from the Tetra Pak Dip and Trans-fer unit touch-screen operator panel. This flexibility makes it possible to obtain a uniform layer of coating independ-ent of the production speed and variations in temperature of the products and dipping materials.

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Product lay-off direct to wrapping lanes of Tetra Pak Multilane Wrapper or single lane pocket conveyor

This transfer is done by a servo controlled unit. The prod-ucts are transferred by 2 separate gripper arms to the in-feed of Tetra Pak® Multilane Wrapper paper lanes. Each of these gripper arms will transfer half number of products from the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 lamellas to match the number of wrapping lanes in the Tetra Pak Multi- lane Wrapper.

Parallel production with different product coatings

Can be carried out with the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2. Up to 3 different ice cream flavours, e.g. plain vanil-la, chocolate, strawberry can also be coated differently in the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 and then wrapped simultaneously in the Tetra Pak Multilane Wrapper with dedicated wrapping material for each flavour combina-tion.

Tetra Pak® Dip and Transfer unit A2Multi-lane transfer system

Product specific equipmentThe basic Tetra Pak® Dip and Transfer unit A2 will need to be supplied with custom defined dipping process equip-ment and product specific recipe programs depending on the type of product to be produced.

Chocolate and dry-stuff dipping

The products can be dipped into a heated coating tank supplied with chocolate.

When a mixture of chocolate and nuts is desired, a dry-stuff ingredient dosing unit is available to ensure steady supply of drystuff granulates. Both speed and time based dosing systems as well as loss-in-weight based dosing sys-tems are available.

For decoration of the outside of the products with dry-stuff special dry-coaters are available.

Juice and multi-layer coatings

The Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 is designed to carry out the coating of ice cream products with fruit juice as-well as with chocolate, caramel or other fat based coating matters.

The Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 can be provided with several mobile, removable and exchangeable juice-, chocolate-, caramel and nitrogen tanks.

The intermediate and final nitrogen dipping ensures that the temperature of the product surface is low enough to freeze the juice or harden the chocolate or caramel. If re-quired the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 can be deliv-ered with customer defined dipping process and dipping tanks.

Ball top cone set-up with chocolate / coating matter dipping and dry-nut applicator

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Standard set-up with one chocolate dipping station.

Multi layer set-up for “two-layer juice coating” with three nitrogen dip tanks for hardening – times are for 12 wide Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2

• Tetra Pak® Pick-and-Place unit, Multi unit for the transfer of the products from the Tetra Pak® Extrusion Tunnel to the Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2, with two arm, each servo controlled and with servo trailing

• One gripper head for 16 or 18 sticks

• Complete 16 or 18 lane Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 conveyor system with stainless steel, lubrication free main chains for servo indexing of gripper arms

• Built-in exit conveyor at front end

• One set of gripper arms with grippers for 16 or 18 sticks

• One pneumatic activated station for lowering and raising gripper arm with products for chocolate / coating matter / decoration dipping

One flavour chocolate dipping tank with:

• Water jacket for heating

• Set of wheels for moving in- and out

• With temperature control for water in jacket

• Recipe controlled chocolate temperature from PLC

• Chocolate and water temperature readout on touch screen

• Level control for coating matter

• 1 or 2 x screw pump/s for circulating the coating matter

• 2 x rotating agitator in chocolate tank

• Recipe controlled pump and agitator speeds

• Heated drip tray to be placed under the drying / hardening zone

• Servo lay-off system for transfer of products direct to wrap lanes of Tetra Pak® Multilane Wrapper

• Built-in exit conveyor at rear end (option)

• Electrical power and PLC cabinet, stainless steel for placed for on top of frame

• Siemens S7 or Allen Bradley ControlLogix PLC control system

• Touch screen operator panel place flexible on one selectable side of frame

• Product recipe program set-up for one product

Multi equipment set-up for up to 27 000 sticks/hour

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Tetra Pak® Dip and Transfer unit A2Multi-lane transfer system

Optional equipment

Pick-and-place heads for different products and configurations:

• One flavour sticks

• Two flavour of sticks from 2 lanes

• Three flavour of sticks from 3 lanes

• Four flavour of sticks from 4 lanes

• One flavour sandwich

• Two flavour of sandwich from 2 lanes

• Three flavour of sandwich from 3 lanes

• Four flavour of sandwich from 4 lanes

• One row ball top cones / wafer cups

• Two rows of ball top cones / wafer cups

• Stick-less slices from multiple rows

• Candy bars from multiple rows

• Pitch change system in pick-and-place head

Pick-and-place units:

• Tetra Pak® Pick-and-Place unit, Multi – double servo controlled two armset-up with servo trailing

• Exit conveyor to be placed at infeed and/or discharge end. Intralox type hygienic belt.

• Stick-less product conveyor to be placed at infeed end for product transfer to chocolate enrober. Intralox type hygienic belt or FDA approved flat belt.

Gripper arms with grippers for:

• Sticks

• Sandwiches

• Ball top cones

• Wafer cups

• Additional pneumatically down / up movement of gripper lamellas at dipping / decoration station

• Additional servo down / up movement of gripper lamellas at dipping / decoration station

• One, two, three and four flavour dipping tanks on wheels with heated water jacket, level control and screw pump for circulation of coating matter

• Rotating agitator for dipping tank

• One side coating set-up on dipping tank

• Dipping tank for caramel

• Air nozzle system for controlling coating thickness on product tip

Dry-stuff dosing equipment:

• With manually adjusted dosing speed

• With “loss-in-weight” controlled dosing rate

• Dry-stuff coater for sticks and dipped sandwich

• Dry-nut applicator / coating unit for ball top cones

• Nitrogen dipping tanks with level sensors, feed nozzles and dump valve

• Vacuum insulated nitrogen distribution system with gas/liquid separator

• Dumping and exhaust systemfor nitrogen

• Suction system for nitrogen vapour suction

• Blister packages lay-off system with transfer conveyor

Transfer systems to wrapper infeed:

• Servo controlled transfer system to Tetra Pak® Multilane Wrapper or single lanepocket conveyor with reduction to half numberof lanes

Exchangeable product gripper arms for product transfer systems for:

• Sticks

• Sandwiches

• Ball top cones

• Wafer cups

• Pitch change systemin lay-off arms to Tetra Pak Multilane Wrapper

Typical system set-ups

Lane pitch Number of lanes Product pitch at pick-up Number of product on SL-tray

75 16 62,5 - 75 4, 8, 10, 12

18 62,5 - 75 8, 10, 12, 15

24 75 10, 15, 20

83,3 12 75 - 83,3 6, 10

16 62,5 - 75 - 83,3 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15

18 62,5 - 75 - 83,3 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 24

20 62,5 - 75 - 83,3 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 24

93,75 12 75 - 83,3 - 93,75 6, 8, 10

16 75 - 83,3 - 93,75 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16

18 75 - 83,3 - 93,75 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16

100 9 100 3, 6

12 75 - 83,3 - 93,75 - 100 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

16 75 - 83,3 - 93,75 - 100 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15

18 75 - 83,3 - 93,75 - 100 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15

Typical capacity limits

Unit / function Capacity / speed limit Remarks

Tetra Pak Pick-and-Place unit, Multi 25 strokes

Pitch change in Pick-and-Place head 25 strokes

Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2, 25 strokes Typical limited by drying time of the coating matter servo index or complexity of dipping sequence

Dry coater for sticks / sandwich 25 strokes Depending on the product design and type of dry-stuff

Dry applicator for ball top cones 25 strokes Depending on the product design and size

Basic frame lenght size modules

Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 with 3,0 m frame have:

• 52 gripper lamellas in 100 mm index pitch

• 20 gripper arms from first dipping station to transfer to single lane wrapper pocket conveyor infeed giving: 48 seconds retation time at 25 strokes, 60 seconds retention time at 20 strokes

Note: Product pitch at pick-up in mm.

Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 with 4,0 m frame have:

• 72 gripper arms in 100 mm index pitch

• 31 gripper arms from first dipping station to transfer to multi lane wrapper infeed giving: 62 seconds retention time at 30 strokes, 74 seconds retention time at 25 strokes

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We reserve the rights to introduce design modifications without prior notice. Tetra Pak, and PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD are trademarks belonging to the Tetra Pak Group.

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Technical data

Compressed air supply (bar) 6 (87 psi)

Air consumption:

Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit A2 3 m³/h (636 ft³/h)

Air nozzles for coating layer 10 m³/h (353 ft³/h)

Gripper head 3 m³/h (106 ft³/h)

Lay-off system to pocket conveyor 3 m³/h (106 ft³/h)

Lay-off system to multi lane wrapper 1,5 m³/h (53 ft³/h)

Eletrical power:

Main breaker, Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit, Standard 22 Amps

Main breaker, Tetra Pak Dip and Transfer unit, Multi 25 Amps

Pick-and-Place, Standard two servos

Pick-and-Place, Multi three servos

Juice tank with pump 1,1 kW (1,5 HP)

Chocolate / caramel tank 1,1 kW (1,5 HP) motor with heating and pump 4 kW heating elements

Rotating agitator 1,1 kW (1,5 HP)

Servo lay-off system to multi-lane wrapper

Lane pitch Numbers of lanes Lenght A Height B Width C Net weight Net weight with box

75 16 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 2 860 (113) 2 600 (5 732) 3 600 (7 937)

83.3 12 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 2 860 (113) 2 600 (5 732) 3 600 (7 937)

93.75 12 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 2 860 (113) 2 600 (5 732) 3 600 (7 937)

100 9, 12 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 2 860 (113) 2 600 (5 732) 3 600 (7 937)

75 18 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 3 260 (128) 2 700 (5 952) 3 750 (8 267)

83.3 16, 18, 20 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 3 260 (128) 2 700 (5 952) 3 750 (8 267)

93.75 16 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 3 260 (128) 2 700 (5 952) 3 750 (8 267)

100 16 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 3 260 (128) 2 700 (5 952) 3 750 (8 267)

93.75 18 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 3 460 (136) 2 800 (6 173) 3 900 (8 598)

75 24 4 000 (157.5) 2 660 (105) 3 460 (136) 2 800 (6 173) 3 900 (8 598)

Note: Length, width and height in mm (inch). Weight in kg (lbs).

Tetra Pak® Dip and Transfer unit A2

Dimensions