Tea bag machine overhaul and upgrade for Tetley tea
Project snapshot
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Challenge
Upgrading obsolete equipment to support new product lines
TATA wanted to launch a range of specialty teas to complement their traditional Tetley Tea line. Their existing tea bag making machine could mix loose tea but could not form or package the bags to meet brand expectations. Additionally, a new end-of-line packaging system was required.
Innovation
Machine overhaul and integrated packaging solution
AIR reengineered the existing tea bag machine to manufacture new specialty teas and integrated a complete end-of-line packaging system:
- Full mechanical and electrical controls upgrade with new software to address obsolescence
- Designed and built a flow wrap feeding system that collates tea bags into two stacks of 10 and transfers them into the flow wrapper
- Purchased and integrated a flow wrapper with integral checkweigher
- Developed a side-load carton loading system with overhead transfer for wrapped tea bags
- Implemented custom carton closing mechanisms for the lower face and upper tea caddy hooded lid
- Integrated a tray loading system where trays are formed around incoming cartons
- Delivered a turnkey solution, including equipment refurbishment, new system integration, and third-party equipment incorporation
Result
Increased throughput and recognized success
The upgraded machine achieved an initial throughput of 50 cartons per minute, with future capacity up to 100 cartons per minute. TATA won an inter-company award for the success of the project, demonstrating the quality and efficiency of AIR’s system.
Customer comment:
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