The performance and flexibility of tna’s roflo® 3 transfer and distribution system is taking the packaging and processing world by storm, but the environmental benefits are equally astounding.
tna’s roflo® 3 delivers better results with significantly fewer modules. By reducing the number of modules, energy costs are reduced and detrimental impact on the environment is minimised. Initial outlay and footprint costs are also substantially lower.
tna’s roflo® 3 has a series of sustainability features that make it environmentally conscious and cost-effective. On standard roflo® 3 modules no compressed air is used – compressed air is an inefficient energy source and tna is eliminating its use wherever possible. tna’s roflo® 3 also utilises an auto-stand-by feature when no product is present, which also reduces utility costs.
“The world of manufacturing is becoming increasingly conscious of the environment, saving energy and reducing operating costs,” says Shayne De la Force, chief marketing officer. “tna’s roflo® 3 takes a greener approach to product transfer and distribution through its comparatively low energy consumption, lower ownership/maintenance needs and costs, dramatically smaller physical space requirement, and reduction of product loss and breakage.”
How can tna’s roflo® 3 deliver these remarkable results with fewer modules? It is the total flexibility offered through the functionality of the new switcheroo and erector technologies. The switcheroo allows product direction to be changed at the touch of a finger, by tilting pans to invert the way they overlap. The erector lifts and separates pans to change the distribution delivery point of a product. This also completely eliminates the risk of cross contamination, as multiple products on one line are completely isolated from each other.
Efficient and sustainable design
tna’s roflo® 3 has an efficient and sustainable design that is underpinned by an absolute minimal use of moving parts. tna even removed the traditional discharge gates, which drives maintenance costs even lower and makes it remarkably easy to clean.
tna’s roflo® 3 utilises only linear motion, which means that unlike other horizontal motion conveyors, it does not need to convert rotary motion into linear motion. The design eliminates gear boxes, timing belts and couplings, which results in less maintenance and lower utility costs.
tna’s multi-functional modular pan system delivers a servo-driven linear motion system with total reversibility of multiple products on a single line. A unique ‘carriage pans’ system allows up to seven pans to be linked to one servo drive. This not only decreases energy use and costs, but results in less floor space being taken up by multiple conveying systems.
tna’s roflo® 3 dramatically reduces the ‘cost of ownership’ for its users as the exact same transfer and distribution volume can be achieved with much fewer modules, reduced product breakage and fewer down-stream systems; this all leads to a dramatic footprint, product and capital saving compared with anything currently on the market. With common parts and software, the roflo® 3 also integrates seamlessly with tna’s robag® 3 vertical form, fill, and seal (VFFS) baggers, as well as most other packaging systems.