A packaging installation that includes a grouping machine configured to form batches of products and a horizontal form-fill-seal packaging machine arranged downstream the grouping machine and being configured to receive the formed batches of products and to package them in individual packages. The grouping machine includes a receiving area to receive the products and a grouping area where the products are grouped into batches, and, for transporting products to the grouping area. The grouping machine includes a first product path and a second product path, different from the first product path, extending from the product receiving area to the grouping area. According to one embodiment, the grouping machine is configured to cause the products arriving at the grouping area from the first product path and from the second product path to have different orientations.

The invention relates to a handling device or layer forming device (10) and a method for forming piece good layers. Piece goods (14) are conveyed on a horizontal conveying device (16) to a grouping station and/or layer forming station (12) comprising a manipulator (20). In a work cycle, the manipulator (20) seizes at least one piece good (14) and moves it into a target position or target alignment, in particular with regard to a piece good layer to be formed. The horizontal conveying device (16), which is arranged upstream of the grouping station and layer forming station (12), comprises at least one sensor device (24) for obtaining positional data or dimensional data or alignment data of the transported piece goods (14). Based on the obtained data, the control device (28) controls the movements of the manipulator (20) within the movement range for the purpose of the layer formation.

A method of using a conveyor device is provided for conveying food products in stacks or interleaved units made of a plurality of slices of cheese or meat products. The method formats the food products in a specific product format on a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, and fills a product gap on one of the plurality of parallel conveyor tracks incoming on the input side with a food product so that on the output side all parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products.

A conveyor device is provided for conveying food products in stacks or interleaved units made of a plurality of slices of cheese or meat products. The conveyor device formats the food products in a specific product format on a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, and fills a product gap on one of the plurality of parallel conveyor tracks incoming on the input side with a food product so that on the output side all parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products. At least one product sensor is configured to detect a supply of food product on each conveyor track incoming on the input side.

A pickface builder for a storage and retrieval system for storing goods units and having an in-feed conveyor and a picking device, each goods unit holding at least one product package therein, the pickface builder including a frame, a pusher member movably coupled to the frame, and a snugger member movably coupled to the frame, wherein the pickface builder is configured to receive goods units from the in-feed conveyor and the pusher member and snugger member are movable at least in a direction transverse to a direction of goods unit travel on the in-feed conveyor and configured to form the goods units into a pickface picked by the picking device as a unit and having a predetermined reference datum relating the pickface to a placement position of goods units forming the pickface along a storage surface of the storage and retrieval system.

A packaging installation that includes a grouping machine configured to form batches of products and a horizontal form-fill-seal packaging machine arranged downstream the grouping machine and being configured to receive the formed batches of products and to package them in individual packages. The grouping machine includes a receiving area to receive the products and a grouping area where the products are grouped into batches, and, for transporting products to the grouping area. The grouping machine includes a first product path and a second product path, different from the first product path, extending from the product receiving area to the grouping area. According to one embodiment, the grouping machine is configured to cause the products arriving at the grouping area from the first product path and from the second product path to have different orientations.

A palletizer for palletizing packages, including a conveying device, which has a conveying element for conveying packages, and a stacking table. The conveying device includes three rotating devices for rotating the packages. In the method using such a palletizer, a predetermined number of packages are fed to the palletizer, a predefined number of packages are rotated by the rotating devices, and the packages are conveyed further and subsequently fed to the deposit table.

A grouping station for grouping pallets includes an inbound conveyor, which is a gravity conveyor. The grouping station includes a fixed-height pairing conveyor and a grouping conveyor with three height positions for different grouping functions.

A pickface builder for a storage and retrieval system for storing goods units and having an in-feed conveyor and a picking device, each goods unit holding at least one product package therein, the pickface builder including a frame, a pusher member movably coupled to the frame, and a snugger member movably coupled to the frame, wherein the pickface builder is configured to receive goods units from the in-feed conveyor and the pusher member and snugger member are movable at least in a direction transverse to a direction of goods unit travel on the in-feed conveyor and configured to form the goods units into a pickface picked by the picking device as a unit and having a predetermined reference datum relating the pickface to a placement position of goods units forming the pickface along a storage surface of the storage and retrieval system.

A pickface builder for a storage and retrieval system for storing goods units and having an in-feed conveyor and a picking device, each goods unit holding at least one product package therein, the pickface builder including a frame, a pusher member movably coupled to the frame, and a snugger member movably coupled to the frame, wherein the pickface builder is configured to receive goods units from the in-feed conveyor and the pusher member and snugger member are movable at least in a direction transverse to a direction of goods unit travel on the in-feed conveyor and configured to form the goods units into a pickface picked by the picking device as a unit and having a predetermined reference datum relating the pickface to a placement position of goods units forming the pickface along a storage surface of the storage and retrieval system.