Belco Packaging Systems now offers a Medical Pouch Sealer with a Beckhoff PC control. Made in California and customed to your project INTRODUCING the ALL-NEW Belco PM-PC PM - PC FEATURES: - 7” Beckhoff Panel PC with tilted user touch screen, embedded Windows 10. - Easy access VTT verification ports for time, temperature and pressure. - Data Acquisition support accumulating cycle data and connectivity through accessible Network ports using OPC-UA protocol. - Ethernet Service network port. - USB port for optional device interface such as Bar Code Readers. - Dual Thermocouple temperature control and monitor for Seal Bar heater 200 to 300 degree standard operating range. - Standard Seal Bar 3/8”, optional 1/2" upon request. - Dual Thermocouple temperature control and monitor for Optional bottom heater platen 100 to 200 standard operating range. - Adjustable pouch centering tool to facilitate fast setups and repeatable performance. - Parallel pouch stop with an adjustable depth of 0.5 to 2.5 “. - Choice between Foot Switch Cycle Start and Auto Cycle Start, activated when the pouch has been inserted for sealing and the pouch is at the set seal depth and parallel to the parallel pouch stop. - Dual enclosure design with locking cabinet latches to facilitate quality checks, and maintenance on the lower cabinet and easy access for the electronics section on top. - Dual back stop to facilitate opening each cabinet to its fullest open position without obstructing other parts of the machine. - Removable back panel to have access to the cylinder clevis for adjusting operational height of bar. - Removable front panel to facilitate Seal Bar Maintenance and quality measurements. - Functional hand hold features as bottom rim of the machine to reduce dirt traps. - Outside surfaces of the cabinet sections have eliminated visible screws. - Top Lid, Top and Bottom enclosures utilize piano hinges to reduce dirt traps for clean room operations. - The power cable ends are standard NEMA5-15P wall socket and C13 (Computer Monitor). - Power outlet provides a 3A protected service for use by VTT tools in the clean room having a NEMA5-15 power plug. - Flow control valves for air in and out of the cylinder. - Air system designed to be operationally sealed without having to purge shop air into the clean room. - Optional 3 LED warning light and integrated annunciator. - Modular side panel design that enables multiple configurations with connections to the core electronics to monitor and acquire data. - Beckhoff Industrial Panel PC and control modules. - Festo Pneumatic components. - Air input is filtered down to 5 micron and the Air output is filtered down to .01micron. Now Available Would you like more information? Message us now! Submit Thanks for submitting! Download the Belco Medical Sealer Brochure

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Bolted Frame vs Welded Frame Does it Matter? Since day 1 (over 60 years ago), Belco Packaging Systems has always believed that a completely welded frame would be the key to building the highest quality packaging machines. Most of the other brands that attempt to stack up against Belco build their machines on a bolted frame system. So what's better? Is there a difference? Well, yes. So what are the benefits of a welded frame? - Strength of Frame - Rigidity, even after 60 years! - Peace of mind know that your frame won't get messed up from transportation or simple use. - Life of the machine. - Confidence that your package seal will be as consistent after 10, 20, 30+ years, as the day you bought it. And the benefits of a bolted frame? - Cheaper Bolted frames can never be as rigid as a welded frame. Over time, those connections WILL loosen up, and your machine will no longer be able to provide quality seals. But here's the thing. . . it doesn't take years of use or millions of packages to get that way. It can happen in just the first week, if you're not careful. We once got a few of our competitors upset at a trade show. When speaking with someone about the construction of our frame, we challenged him to put his hands on the machine, try to shake it (to feel the rigidity), and to feel the quality of construction. We encouraged it. Our products are rock solid, and will always remain that way. Later that day this same person was visiting a competitors booth and started shaking their machine to tell how solid the machine was. A rep for this company nearly had a heart attack and asked him to stop immediately. Their machines had a bolted frame. The rep stated that you should NEVER mishandle the machine or it could become damaged. If a little shaking can damage your machine, is it really worth putting on your floor? This gentleman realized that every machine he was looking at was on a bolted frame, except the Belco. He's been a Belco customer ever since. Quality matters. Why trust your money in a product that can get messed up just by moving it incorrectly? Do you want a machine that you will need to work on constantly and replace every couple years? Or do you want peace of mind knowing that your machine will last as long (if not longer) than you. From our revolutionary Merlin F/F/S and our BM2030 PC Medical Tray Sealer to our compact ST1808 Shrink Tunnel and PM PC Medical Pouch Sealer, each and every frame constructed by Belco is completely welded. Quality begins at the core of any machine. And if the quality is this good on something you may not even see. . . just think about the quality of the things you do see! So, does it matter? All Belco machines have 100% welded frames. No Ifs, Ands, or Bolts.

Take a closer look... you'll see how our precision controls and built-in safety features prevent bad seals and compromised production. For example, the temperature alarm circuit assures that sealing only occurs at the proper temperature. Medical Tray Sealer When You Need The Best! Increased production rates only mean greater productivity if superior quality control is achieved. Belco Medical Tray Sealers utilize proven components that assure you of the highest levels of process control at even the closest tolerances. Cleanroom production environments benefit from the minimal maintenance, fast tooling setup and repeatability provided by Belco Medical Tray Sealers. Take a closer look... you'll see how our precision controls and built-in safety features prevent bad seals and compromised production. For example, the temperature alarm circuit assures that sealing only occurs at the proper temperature. It warns the operator of any temperature differential by not allowing the machine to be cycled. Poor seals can't happen inadvertently. Quite simply, process control is the hallmark of our design philosophy. Our medical tray sealers offer you four levels of sophistication with one unwavering commitment to excellence. BM EL Digital Precision and Productivity BM EL Features - Digital Seal Time Controllers with Lockout - Eye Level Viewing and access to all controls allow the operator to visually confirm all process control parameters. - Dedicated Digital PID Controller provides accurate seal temperature to the package while constantly monitoring the platen temperature thru the complete cycle. - Digital Pressure Display (front and rear) provides easy operator verification of pressure settings. - High Accuracy Air Pressure Regulator assures accurate process control of the seal pressure. - Fast Seal Fixture Change Out design allows for no tools required changeover. - Rear Shuttle Control Panel with independent time control plus pressure and temperature displays provides production flexibility. - System Alarms for temperature will disable the machine cycling when out of specified tolerances. Belco's EL Series of Medical Tray Sealers offer great flexibility by providing independent seal time controls for front and rear shuttles. Temperature and Pressure seal parameter settings can be visually confirmed by viewing the convenient eye level mounted digital displays, providing a higher level of process control. Each operator may seal different packages, such as an inner and outer tray, for increased productivity. BM PLC Control That Instills Confidence Enhance your process control, packaging flexibility and productivity with this advanced model. Offering independent pressure and seal time settings for each shuttle side increases production flexibility. The PLC program features precise Time, Temperature, and seal Pressure control. Process Alarms provide increased confidence in your package seal quality. The BM PLC models also offer security password protection. BM PLC Features Adds the following: - HMI Touch Screen Operator Interface Terminal for simple input of time, temperature, and pressure parameters. - Separate Time and Pressure Settings for front and rear shuttles allow sealing of two different package set-ups. - Seal Cycle Timing begins when the seal pressure ‘set’ point is reached. - Closed Loop Pressure Control System provides precise seal pressure to the package while constantly monitoring the pressure thru the complete cycle. - Systems Alarms for temperature, pressure, tray position, and cylinder position disable machine cycling when out of specified tolerances. - Stores and Recalls up to 30 pre-programmed set-ups. - Security Password Protection prevents the chance of accidental parameter changes or tampering by unauthorized users. Learn More About The Belco BM PC Standard On All Machines - Class 10,000 Cleanroom Compatible - Welded and Powder Coated Tubular Steel Frame - Fully Enclosed Stainless Steel Seal Chamber - Stationary Aluminum Heat Seal Platen - Platen Heat Shroud - Temperature Overlimit Safety Circuit - Teflon Coated Top Tool - Dual shuttle operation - Oiless Air System - Coalescing Exhaust Filter - Out of Temperature Alarm - Verification Ports for Time, Temperature, and Pressure (optional item on BM Standard) - Locking/Non-Marring Casters and Leveling Screws - Comprehensive Documentation / Owners Manual Machine Options - All Stainless Steel Construction - Different Voltages - Custom Platen Sizes - Custom Engineering - Start-up Supervision and Training - Single shuttle operation - Spare Teflon coated platen protector - Independent station shuttle timer - Time, Temperature, and Pressure verification ports - Spare parts kit - F.A.T. visits for performing installation qualification studies - Rear shuttle passive touch screen display - 5" tray depth pass through clearance - Custom tray depth pass through clearance - VTP calibrated verifcation tool for IQ/OQ assistance - VTT calibrated verification tool for IQ/OQ assistance - High pressure 10" air cylinder operation - High temperature sealing for foil lid stock - CE Certification - Custom seal fixtures - 12 point thermocouple platen temperature monitoring system - Machine status enunciator light bar - Back-up PLC program pre-installed on a loader - Data Acquisition for BM PLC includes laptop Download the Belco Medical Sealer Brochure You May Also Be Interested in These. . . Custom Seal Fixtures Learn More Custom Seal Fixtures Test Tools Learn More Test Tools Medical Pouch Sealer Learn More Medical Pouch Sealer Want More Information? MORE INFO GET A QUOTE

Our Belco brand has grown quite a bit in the last 60 years. It is something we take immense pride and joy in as we deliver the performance, value and quality machine systems our customers have come to expect. Message from the President Growing up in Southern California with my sister and two brothers, we learned from an early age that this small manufacturing family business extended way past ourselves to include employees, vendors and ultimately our customers. Our parents, Albert and Helen Misik instilled in us that the Belco name was more than a corporate logo, it became our personal signature on every machine system we built. Our Belco brand has grown quite a bit in the last 60 years. It is something we take immense pride and joy in as we deliver the performance, value and quality machine systems our customers have come to expect. That is why we treat every new customer as an important and valuable addition to our family. When an inquiry from a customer comes in, we strive to answer the challenge with the proper solution, a standard build or custom machine and not with what is in stock or on the showroom floor. Challenge us to solve your packaging problems. Our team has the experience, know how and talent to build exactly what you need and present it to you just as if you were part of our own family. Thank you for spending a little time with us! A. Michael Misik President

New to packaging? Confused by your options? Go here to learn all common terms, to make your purchase less confusing. Glossary Air Evacuation – A hole or series of holes placed in the film to allow the excess air in the bag to escape during shrinkage. Antifog Film – A film containing a wetting agent which reduces the surface tension on the film to allow water to wet the surface rather than form water droplets; which causes a cloudy appearance. Ballooning – The lifting action of the film away from the product caused by the pressurizing of the excess air in the bag during the shrink process. Bead Seal – The resultant weld caused by the simultaneous sealing and cutting of two or more pieces of film. Biaxial Orientation – A film that has been stretched under certain temperature conditions equally in both the machine and transverse directions. Blocking – A condition where layers of film cannot be separated. Blown Film – Film produced by extruding resin into a tube, which is expanded by air pressure. Bubble – The inflated tube of film in the blown film extrusion process. Burnthrough – A weakening of the film where the heat of the tunnel exceeded the heat resistance of film. Typically, it will appear as a hole or a very cloudy area. Centerfolded Film – Film folded in half in the machine direction and then wound into roll form. Centerfolder – A device used to produce center folded film from flat film. Clarity – The transparency of the film, which is a function of surface gloss and internal haze. Coefficient of Friction – A comparative value indicating the ability of the film surface to move against itself or another surface. The higher the coefficient of friction, the more difficult to slip or move. Coextrusion – Two or more different materials simultaneously extruded into a composite film. Copolymer – A resin polymerized from two or more monomers. Core – A paper tube used as a base for forming a roll of film. Crows Feet – The residual wrinkles that can be left in a poorly shrunk sample. They are normally associated with the excess film in the corners of the pouch. Dancer Roll – A mechanical device used to control the tension of the film between the film unwind and the film sealing area. Density – Weight per unit volume. Films with a low density offer more coverage per weight of film. Dog Ears – The excessive film the corners of the pouch formed by placing a three-dimensional item in a flat pouch. Excessive “dog ears” normally indicate poor shrinkage technique. Electronic Hole Burner – a device that uses an electrical spark to burn a round hole in the film for air evacuation during shrinkage. Electrostatic Seal – An electrostatic discharge is applied to the overlap of two edges of the film. This keeps the edges aligned until film blocks together in the shrink tunnel. Elmendorf Tear Resistance – A measure of the resistance to tear after the film has been cut. Elongation – The percentage a film will deform or stretch prior to breaking. Extrusion – A technique for producing film by melting a resin and forcing it through a die. Fish Eyes – The circular or oval patterns that remain on a package that has been poorly shrunk. They are normally associated with the absence of adequate heat or air velocity. Fogging – A buildup of water droplets on the surface of a film. Forming Head (Plow) – A mechanical device used to shape flat wound film into the desired bag shape needed for a particular package. Gas Transmission Rate (GTR) – A measure of the rate a gas will permeate through a film. Gauge – The average thickness of a film. Gloss – A measure of the reflected light from the film surface. Haze – A measure of the cloudiness of the film. Hole Burner – A device that uses a hot wire formed in a circular shape to burn a round hole in the film for air evacuation during shrinkage. Hole Punch – A device to punch a round hole in the film for air evacuation during shrinkage. Impact Resistance – The resistance to impact of a film. Impulse Seal – A seal produced by an intermittent electric pulse, which heats a round, wire or ribbon to cut and seal film. Initial Tear Resistance – A measure of the force needed to begin a tear in a film. Inverting Head – A mechanical device used to separate and invert centerfolded film as the film is transferred into the sealing area of the wrapper. Irradiation – A process that uses high-energy electrons to cross-link a film. Lap Seal – A seal produced by overlapping film and then sealing it together either thermally or electrostatically. L-Sealer – The most common means of sealing film for heat-shrinkable applications. An L-shape sealer produces two seals simultaneously on folded film. Low Temperature Flexibility – The lowest temperature at which a film can withstand a flexing test without cracking. Machine Direction (MD) – The direction the film was manufactured and also comes off the roll. Modulus – A measure of film stiffness. Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate (MVTR) – The rate moisture vapor will pass through the film. Monomer – A simple compound, which can react at high temperature and pressure to form a polymer. Orientation – The stretching technique used to obtain molecular alignment in a film during manufacturing, which increases tensile strength and stiffness and decreases tear strength. Oxygen Transmission Rate – A measure of the permeability of a packaging film to oxygen. Plasticizer – A substance blended into plastics such as PVC to improve flexibility and softness. Polyethylene – A resin made from ethylene gas, which produces tough transparent film. Polymer – A high molecular weight, long chain compound formed from one or more simple molecules. Polypropylene – A resin made from propylene gas, which produces lightweight, highly transparent, stiff film. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) – A resin produced from vinyl chloride. Generally compounded with plasticizers and other additives to improve flexibility. Sealing Wire – A nichrome wire, which is heated by its resistance to electrical current. It is used for sealing and cutting shrink film. Shrink Film – A plastic film, which has been produced under special orientation conditions that will allow the film to shrink when heat is applied. Shrink Force – The force exerted on the product by the film during the shrink process. Shrinkage / Percent Shrink – The decrease in dimension of a film when it is subjected to heat. Single Wound Film – Flat film wound on a core. Slip - How easily one surface moves across another. Slip Agents – Lubricants added to films to improve slip and reduce friction. Static – An electric charge generated by film moving across itself (unwinding from the roll) or any other surface. Tear Strength – The ability of the film to resist tearing. Highly oriented films generally have reduced tear resistance. Tensile Strength – The force exerted on the film from external sources. Tension – A force exerted on the film from external sources. Transverse Direction – The direction at right angles to the film movement during its manufacture, usually the same as the width of the film. Trim – The edges of film, which are cut from, a package formed on an L-sealer or side sealer when the seal is made. Uniaxially Oriented Film (Preferential Shrink Film) – A film that will shrink in only one direction. Yield – Coverage of a film per unit weight (usually sq in/lb) rolls.

These dual chamber, extended length shrink tunnels feature digital temperature controls, twin 1-H.P. blower motors, independent air flow controls and the ability to deliver the proper amount of hot air to the top, bottom and both sides of the package as it travels through the tunnel chamber. ST High Speed Recirculating Refined Quality & Speed. Customers and OEM partners use Belco High Speed shrink tunnels where the application calls for absolute shrink quality, seal control, speed or aesthetics. These machines will shrink all commercially available shrink films, including Polyethylene, at line speeds from 20-150 packages per minute depending on the tunnel and options chosen. Belco Shrink Tunnels are designed and built to accept a variety of wrapped products of all shapes and sizes. Loosely wrapped products enter into the tunnel and emerge as perfectly finished shrink packages suitable for any retail level outlet or store shelf. Built on an all welded tubular steel frame, these machines are available in several heat chamber sizes to meet your production output needs. These machines combine production proven components with modern control technology to monitor and regulate the temperature, air flow and time in the tunnel for use in multiple shift operations. Belco uses dual Watlow microprocessor based temperature controls with fin strip heaters to maintain precise temperatures within each heat chamber. A direct drive 1 HP blower motor in each chamber produces a forced air flow which can then be adjusted and directed to the top, bottom and sides of the package as it passes through the tunnel. This forced air flow can also be patterned to contact the film wherever you select to quickly balloon the film about the product and then tightly shrink it down around the contours of the package. This produces consistent, high quality, uniformly shrink wrapped packages, even for the most difficult shapes and sizes. By having the capability of tuning the airflow pattern around your product, Belco shrink tunnels can operate at lower, more energy efficient temperatures, run at faster production rates and make less demands on your work space. For packaging speeds of 2 million to over 15 million packages per year, these High Speed Recirculating Air Style shrink tunnels are perfect complements for automatic Side Sealer and High Speed F/F/S production lines. Available Models ST1608-72 ST1608-96 ST2210-72 ST2210-96 ST2214-96 Standard Features: - Dual Watlow microprocessor based digital temperature controls - Dual Heavy duty 1 HP blower motors with air flow controls - Variable speed conveyor control - Independent Heater On/Off switch - Direct drive conveyor motor - Fused electrical protection - Automatic cool down and shut-off - Heavy duty locking casters and leveling pads Optional Features: - Multiple Conveyor choices - Dual Lighted Viewing Windows - Smart Tunnel Control System - Infeed and Exit Conveyor extensions - Stainless Steel Construction - 480 Volt 3 Phase Power Download the Belco Industrial Brochure Go to ST Fan Tunnels Go To ST Recirculating Tunnels You May Also Be Interested in These. . . 180 Conveyor Learn More 180 Conveyor Rotary Tables Learn More Rotary Tables ALS Learn More ALS Want More Information? MORE INFO GET A QUOTE

Impulse wire sealing technology has been, and still is, the most popular method for sealing the majority of commercially available shrink films. It is cost effective and works well for manual and semi-automatic operations. ILS Impulse Wire L-Bar Sealers Belco L-Sealers feature a welded tubular steel frame and sealing head design to maintain perfect alignment during the sealing process. This unique construction is superior to conventional assemblies that are simply bolted together. This manufacturing process provides consistently strong seals, long machine life and years of trouble-free performance. Belco Impulse Wire sealing technology employs a single Nichrome wire to create the front seal and side seals around your package. During the Sealing Cycle, the wire temperature is controlled by the Seal Wire Heat Adjust for a fixed amount of time which is regulated by the Impulse Timer. A Sealing Wire Sensor monitors the heat buildup in the wire so overheating and wire breakage during the sealing cycle is prevented. For the larger sealers and custom sizes, individual Seal Wire Heat Adjust controls for the front seal and side seal are used. An Impulse/Constant Heat switch allows the operator to choose which sealing method is best for the particular film being sealed. Belco L-Sealers come in a variety of sizes and styles to help you package your product in a quick and efficient manner. All film manufacturers require sealing machines to control the same three variables in order to make their film seal: Time. Temperature and Pressure. For 60 years. Belco L-Sealers have easily met and surpassed these demands while producing fast. clean. and repeatable seals. Available Models ILS2016 ILS2520 ILS3022 ILS4030 ILS5030 ILS5016 ILS8442 Optional Features: - Magna-Lock sealing system - Air operated sealing system - Product take-away conveyor - Powered film unwind - Inverting heads - Multi-perforator hole punches - Stainless steel construction Standard Features: - Welded tubular steel frame and sealing head (with a 5 year warranty) - Adjustable aluminum in-feed table with film opening horn - Independent seal wire heat adjust and impulse timer - Impulse or constant heat seal mode - Sealing wire sensor prevents overheating - Fused electrical protection - Reversible seal base rubber and Teflon: no tools or tape required - Adjustable Tilt Table/Conveyor - Heavy duty locking casters with leveling pads The sealing operation is safe, fast and reliable. Simply place your product into the centerfold of film, advance both film and product into the seal area and lower the sealing arm. Upon completion of the heat seal cycle, the arm will return to the up position, leaving your product fully wrapped. Download the Belco Industrial Brochure Want More Information on a HOT KNIFE machine? Click Here! You May Also Be Interested in These. . . 180 Conveyor Learn More 180 Conveyor Rotary Tables Learn More Rotary Tables ALS Learn More ALS Want More Information? MORE INFO GET A QUOTE

Solutions for any packaging needs! Check out Belco machines in operation! Over 60 years of Packaging Solutions! More Product Videos Merlin Maruchan

Belco’s Model STC Sealer-Tunnel Combinations are ruggedly built on a tubular steel all welded frame which means you get reliable performance and great productivity without a lot of issues and maintenance problems. STC Impulse Wire Sealer / Tunnel Combination The Belco STC is an excellent value for a complete shrink packaging system with an L-Sealer and Fan Style Shrink Tunnel built onto one compact frame. This system delivers all the packaging performance you would expect from separate components. The welded box construction of the seal head prevents any flexing or misalignment to the sealing base during the constant, daily use of the machine. This unique construction contributes to consistently strong seals, long element wire life and years of trouble free performance. The Fan Style Shrink Tunnel features a micro-processor based digital temperature control, adjustable speed fan controls for top and bottom air flow and a variable speed conveyor to give you the ability to perfectly shrink your products. Multiple shift operation and years of trouble free production can be expected from these machines. Available in two popular sizes with all the standard options, these machines can easily handle production speeds up to 20 packages per minute or more depending on your package size and shape. Available Models STC2016 STC2520 Standard Features: - Welded Tubular Steel Frame - Impulse and Constant Heat Sealing - Sealing Wire Sensor to Prevent Overheating - Adjustable Tilt Table/Conveyor - Digital Tunnel Temperature Control - Adjustable Fan Speed Controls - Variable Speed Tunnel Conveyor - Lighted Viewing Window (STC 2520) - Heavy Duty Locking Casters and Leveling Pads Optional Features: - Multiple Tunnel Conveyor Choices - Magna-Lock Sealing System - Air Operated Sealing System - Product Take-Away Conveyor - Powered Film Unwind - Inverting Heads - Multi-perforator Hole Punches - Lighted Viewing Window (STC2016) - 240/480 Volt 3 Phase Power Download the Belco Industrial Brochure Want More Information on a HOT KNIFE machine? Click Here! You May Also Be Interested in These. . . 180 Conveyor Learn More 180 Conveyor Rotary Tables Learn More Rotary Tables ALS Learn More ALS Want More Information? MORE INFO GET A QUOTE

This continuous motion automatic side seal wrapper features a No Product / No Cycle photo-eye and is designed to reach production speeds of 60 feet of film or 50 packages per minute. FEN FEN136 Side Seal Wrapper This automatic side seal wrapper is designed to run as a hand feed sealer or in a fully automatic production line where product enters onto the infeed conveyor randomly spaced or even back-to-back with no spacing. The combination of photo-eyes for No-Product/No Cycle operation and the PLC control system determines product length and proper gap spacing for sealing and also allows for packaging random length packages of all sizes at film speeds of 60 feet per minute or up to 50 packages per minute. The machine features a 17” wide mushroom style hot knife seal bar. The reciprocating seal head travels with the product to make the seal, raises up and returns to make the next seal while the side seal mechanism guides the trimmed film away from the package to a scrap wind-up wheel. With the ability to store up to 99 recipes in the PLC, a color operator interface for easy product setup and 120 volt plug in operation, this compact machine will accept a wide variety of product lengths and sizes and was built to deliver repeatable packaging performance. Available Models FEN136 Standard Features: - Mushroom Style Hot Knife Sealing System - Continuous Motion Reciprocating Seal Head - Constant Heat Wide Band Side Seal for Infinite Length Sealing - PLC Control System for Easy Recall of Up to 99 Package Recipes - Variable Speed Conveyors - No Product/ No Cycle Product Infeed - Auto-Indexing Infeed Conveyor with Photo-Eye - Standard 120 Volt Power - Locking Casters and Leveling Pads Optional Features: - Light Curtain Sensor System for Irregular Profiles - FDA Approved Belts - Reverse Flow Operation - Custom Color - Stainless Steel Panels Download the Belco Industrial Brochure You May Also Be Interested in These. . . 180 Conveyor Learn More 180 Conveyor Rotary Tables Learn More Rotary Tables ST Recirculating Learn More ST Recirculating Want More Information? MORE INFO GET A QUOTE

Push-to-start medical tray sealer from Belco Packaging minimizes material waste, maximizes package quality and improves safety. Belco Press Medical Tray Sealing: PC-Based Control Systems and New Belt Actuator Offer Precision Push-to-start medical tray sealer from Belco Packaging Systems, Inc. minimizes material waste, maximizes package quality and improves operator safety. by Keren Sooke Nov 6th, 2019 In medical tray sealing, balancing high precision, speed, operator safety, and per-unit cost are all critical. To meet these needs, Belco Packaging Systems introduced its BM2030-PC Medical Tray Sealer at PACK EXPO Las Vegas in Sep. 2019. Awarded with a PMMI Technology Excellence Award at the show for new innovation, the system is designed for consistency and repeatability, producing high quality seals for FDA-monitored operations such as implantable device packaging. Based in Monrovia, CA, Belco has served the manufacturing industry for over 60 years. The company explains that the BM2030-PC represents customer feedback and wishes collected over 45 years of manufacturing medical tray sealers. “The system is designed for customers in FDA-regulated environments who need the machine-generated evidence that they’re complying with their quality management system,” explains Belco Vice President Tom Misik. “The machine will let you know if something is not working right. When it is functioning properly, it will provide the data for the MDM [medical device manufacturer] to upload into their permanent device record.” The system offers speed and control, thanks to two Festo belt driven linear actuators, a Beckhoff industrial panel PC and several other features for safety and ease of use. One of the hallmarks of Belco designs is “No ifs, ands or bolts.” The machine is built with a welded structural steel foundation, robust for avoiding metal distortion or warping in heat sealing operations that combine high temperature and pressure. Sealer operation To seal the trays, the operator places pre-made thermoformed trays in each of the machine’s precision-machined seal fixture cavities with a die-cut Tyvek, laminate or foil lid on top of each. With the touch of its Single Start Button, the cycle is initiated. The shuttle drawer slides in and the custom-engineered seal fixture contacts the stationary heat platen for the predetermined cycle time to heat seal the trays. To see the machine in action, visit: http://hcpgo.to/357 After the shuttle drawer slides back out, the patented automatic tray ejector elevates the trays up and out of the cavity, so that the operator doesn’t disturb the still-warm seal when removing the trays. Belt actuator smooths motion When Belco set out to improve shuttle performance for the new sealer, they selected Festo’s ELGA series belt driven linear actuator which is designed for use in food and cleanroom environments, offering controlled linear motion at quiet speed and improved performance. “It was engineered to allow the shuttle drawer to move smoother at higher speeds than we could with our old linear actuator,” says Tom Volby, R&D Project Engineer at Belco, in a company video. Misik adds that this design represents a significant improvement in the availability (lead time) of this linear actuator over previous components they’ve used. With the shuttle speed increased, Belco set its sights on the tray ejection rate. Volby adds, “It made sense for us to improve the speed of the product ejector. Festo came in with a guided linear actuator that had a right-angle motor that was much quicker and had fewer components that would mount directly into the machine, and it was capable of lifting or ejecting any load that the machine would possibly see.” The seal fixtures are custom-engineered and machined as precision tools for each MDM’s components. Because of the fixture’s size and weight, Belco opted to automatically raise the seal fixture out of the machine to make it easier for operators to install or remove the fixture. The height is also helpful for removing trays after sealing. Advanced controls for speed and ease of use Operators control and monitor the BM2030-PC using a Beckhoff CP3716, 15.6 inch high resolution touch screen Panel PC with an Intel Atom processor. The system features a color HMI multi-touch screen and enhanced operator interface screens—the screen resolution allowed Belco to use previously developed screen graphics from other Beckhoff projects. The System Configuration screen displays the current machine configuration, while the System Limits screen displays the upper and lower limits of all system parameters. Says Volby, “It was an easy decision to go with Beckhoff control systems… we’ve been using Beckhoff for better than 15 years.” The open PC architecture provides for real-time Package Data Acquisition, monitoring of cycles for process alarms, and LAN capability. With documentation so critical to medical device packaging operations, Beckhoff’s comprehensive modular I/O system for all signal types and Fieldbus systems capture data for generating reports for machine level errors versus cycle level errors. Operations are fast thanks to the EtherCAT high speed Ethernet communication and Beckhoff’s Windows 10 embedded Process Controller. Belco notes that process alarms for time, temperature, and pressure monitoring functions are handled by separate terminals within the system’s EtherCAT network. The machine was designed so that operators can easily access control, power, and utility components when needed. RFID, bar code scanners and vision systems The machine features a built-in RFID antenna, and every tool is also produced with an RFID tag—every seal fixture is identified using RFID prior to allowing a cycle to run. “We've been using RFID technology for a while,” says Misik. “We need to verify every time we cycle the machine that the validated process parameters of time, temperature and pressure are only being used for that tool. That’s what gives the customer confidence that their machine is performing to their quality requirements.” “The advantage we’re introducing now is that we’ve moved the RFID reader to the top edge of the tool,” says Greg Fox, Project Engineer, Medical. The centralized placement of the RFID tag on the upper tool edge allows seal fixtures of varying length to take advantage of this identification feature without requiring increased top plate size. The result is a faster response time with a minimum amount of potential for interference or misreads. EtherCAT and Ethernet protocols integrated into the control system allow for easy integration of bar code scanners and vision systems. Light Curtain Protects Staff and Packages The BM2030-PC features a unique light curtain that is placed at the front edge of the tool area, that projects the safety curtain through the seal area to a receiver mounted on the back side of the seal chamber. “Belco added this to be able to detect whether someone’s placed their hand in an unsafe area in the moving zone of the machine, but it’s also able to detect if a package has been unintentionally introduced into the machine and gotten stuck onto the heater platen,” says Fox. “Safety is a primary concern,” explains Misik. “The light curtain has given us the flexibility to pursue the new design. It’s also given us safety support tools, not just for the operator, but also for the customer’s product. “If something happened with the materials, and a package became hung up in the machine, rather than the machine continuing to cycle, it would recognize there was a jam, shut down, and the operator could carefully remove the device. The devices could be several thousands of dollars, and in the case of a tissue bank, the product may be priceless as it’s a human tissue.” Read the article here