Costa Verde (Portugal) has invested in a second Sacmi-Sama cup production line with isostatic pressing. Offering significant advantages compared to the classic jiggering technology with plaster moulds, where raw material waste can reach even 50%, the new solution with isostatic press reduces process scrap and, for each line, helps reach productivity of more than 300 pieces per hour.
Costa Verde began its project for the complete automation of the cup line in 2014 and has been perfecting it ever since, in close collaboration with the Sacmi-Sama technical team. The solution has been so successful that the Portuguese manufacturer decided to purchase a second line which has been up and running at full capacity since the end of 2023.
With the second line, cup forming is performed by Sama’s PHO700 isostatic press, after which the pieces are placed, in pairs, in the automatic rim finishing machine (CFM245) by a robot. Subsequently, a second robot transfers the cup bodies to the handle production and application station.
The handles are made by pressure casting (two PCH 2×5 modules each with 5 handles). Following rim finishing, the bodies of the cups are placed on a buffer conveyor belt from where they are picked up, in groups of 5, by a second robot which moves them near the handle at the opening of the top part of the mould. The handle remains held in place by the two side parts of the mould while the robot puts the cup into the position where the handle is applied by means of micro-vibration technology (without glue). The finished piece is then deposited on a conveyor belt.
Among the various options, a cup centering system is also available, upon request, to guarantee correct positioning before handle application which can be necessary when, for example, the cup has facets.
The production expansion carried out at Costa Verde, motivated by the high-volume market demand, is a unique project in the world from the point of view of tableware line automation. The success of the project was achieved thanks to the winning features offered by Sacmi-Sama solutions in terms of production output, reduction of scraps and waste and the possibility to run the entire line without an operator.
