Interview: New Hastamat Machine Series - KBM Compact Bag Maker

Question 1: Mr. Dersch, you played a key role in the development of the new KBM at Hastamat. What was the central idea behind reintroducing the machine to the range, and what market requirements had to be met?

Volker Dersch: The new KBM was developed with the very clear objective of closing the existing sales gap in our machine program once again and meeting our customers‘ current requirements. The clear requirement in this case was to produce stand-up block bottom bags – featuring precisely formed bag bottoms and high-grade product presentation using a variety of top-seal styles. At the same time, the machine had to be highly practical in everyday operation: quickly accessible, easy to clean and reliable in processing. What I have often seen on the market: You either have the flexibility, or you have ease of operation and maintenance – it‘s rarely both. When it comes to the KBM, we have brought it all together: flexibility in bag design and filling, plus a concept which really saves time in production and reduces downtimes.

Question 2: You bring years of experience in the design of this type of machine and know the typical weak points among competitors. Which „mistakes“ did you know you wanted to avoid – and how is this reflected in the KBM?

Volker Dersch: A common issue is poor accessibility: If I first have to remove covers or „work my way through“ struts in the format area for cleaning, maintenance or format changes, every little task becomes an ordeal. That is why we have consistently opted for swivelling safety doors for the KBM – for me, that is one of the major practical benefits. Maximum accessibility, and importantly: no disruptive struts in the format area. The second point encompasses the hygienic concept, practicality in everyday use, and durability. We have implemented an optimised hygienic design with rounded frame components, opting for the benefits of paint-free, anodized aluminium and stainless steel components. This is not only the practical solution, but also robust, easy to clean and simply economical in the long term. And thirdly: complexity in the control system. We work with standard control components and an IPC controller with a large touch screen – this makes operation, servicing and process integration significantly more simple.

Question 3: The KBM is described as more flexible, more economical and more accessible. How do you strike this balance – and what specific benefits does the customer enjoy?

Volker Dersch: For us, „more flexible“ means: filling volumes of up to 5 l per bag with maximum bag dimensions. „More economical“ is not achieved by compromising on bag quality, but rather through intelligent engineering: standardisation of the control system, a clear modular construction and a machine which can be maintained efficiently during operation. And „better“ is ultimately measured by the results: the KBM delivers high-grade, stable bags which can often replace pre-made bags – this is a direct lever for cost reduction.

Question 4: What is the KBM technically capable of – where does the flexibility lie in terms of output, bag design and filling?

Volker Dersch: Simplex and duplex versions of the KBM are available. With the Simplex version we are talking about up to 100 bags/min, with the Duplex version up to 160 bags/min – depending on the product, film and design. Flexibility when it comes to filling and the product is very important: we facilitate multiple filling positions so that you can adapt in the ideal
manner to the product properties. For sensitive products, this is crucial because we achieve short drop distances – this ensures gentle product handling and stable processes, especially in
combination with our dosing and feeding systems. When it comes to bag designs, the KBM is extremely versatile: variable top seal configurations with options, such as opening slits, Euro slots, contour cuts or peel designs. Resealing with label or adhesive strip, clip or tin-tie. And different bag top shapes can be retrofitted – this is genuine future-proofing for new product lines.

"The overall package: On request, we supply the complete packaging line from a single source – the KBM machine plus our own dosing systems, e.g. our multihead weighers and other filling systems, and we can integrate different dosing systems."

Frage 5: Which „everyday details“ make the difference for you – and in what direction are you further developing the KBM?

Volker Dersch: For me, it comes down to three things: accessibility, hygiene and process stability. If a machine is built in such a way that you even like maintaining it and can clean it quickly, availability increases automatically. The hygienic design with its rounded components and aluminium/stainless steel which is completely paintfree, is a real benefit in this context. Secondly: process features which provide security during operation – for example, level/overfill detection, ionisation and, depending on the version, solutions for extracting or blowing away trimmings including a collection container. These are not „gimmicks“, but rather the building blocks for stable production. And thirdly: the overall package. On request, we supply the complete packaging line from a single source – the KBM machine plus our own dosing systems, e.g. our multihead weighers and other filling systems, and we can integrate different
dosing systems. This reduces interfaces, coordination requirements and commissioning time. Further development? But of course! Even faster retooling concepts, even more assistance for the operator – and further options for efficiently implementing new top seal styles and bag styles. The design is engineered for this purpose. We work together with our customers and take feedback seriously – this is the only way we can successfully look to the future.