A premium frozen entrée in a thin aluminum tray needed a packaging system that could automate handling without damaging the product and fit within a constrained mezzanine layout.
The Background: Packaging a Premium Frozen Meal with Delicate Aluminum Trays
The product was a premium, oven-ready frozen meal packed in a thin aluminum tray—significantly more delicate than standard plastic alternatives.
Unlike more rigid formats, these trays could not withstand traditional conveying methods like lane forcing or product bumping. At the same time, the packaging needed to support a retail-ready sleeve design and maintain integrity from infeed through sleeving and case packing.
Having worked with Aagard previously, the customer returned with a clear objective: automate the process while protecting product quality from start to finish.
The Challenge: Automating Fragile Tray Handling Without Damage or Line Disruption
The challenge wasn’t just automation—it was doing it without introducing risk. The system needed to:
- Prevent compression, collisions, and uncontrolled movement
- Maintain consistent tray orientation throughout the line
- Support precise sleeve application for a retail-ready package
- Integrate directly into downstream case packing
- Operate within a tight mezzanine footprint with limited access
- Manage product flow coming directly from the freezer
Traditional multi-machine setups or rigid conveying approaches would add complexity and increase the likelihood of product damage. They needed a gentler, more controlled method of moving product through each stage of the system.
The Solution: Robotic Pick-and-Place, Inline Indexing, & Integrated Sleeving + Case Packing
Aagard approached the system by rethinking how the product moved at every stage.
Instead of forcing trays into lanes, they were introduced on a wide belt to preserve spacing and orientation while minimizing contact. From there, robotic pick-and-place systems handled each tray individually, lifting, orienting, and placing them without compression or collision.
To support the retail package design, Aagard also helped refine the sleeving process. The system needed to securely apply a sleeve with a footed base that allowed the product to stand vertically. This required precise control during folding, crimping, and sealing.
An indexing system was implemented to guide trays into position. After early layout limitations, the system was re-engineered from a perpendicular index to an inline configuration, improving access, visibility, and overall serviceability.
The solution brought together several tightly integrated functions:
- Robotic tray handling for controlled, non-contact transfer
- Inline indexing for accurate positioning and improved access
- Automated sleeve application with precise folding and sealing control
- Integrated flow into case packing within a single system frame
The entire process—from infeed through sleeving and into case packing—was built into a unified system. Despite the complexity, the system was engineered to fit within a mezzanine footprint and included integrated walkways and multiple access points to support service and operation.
The Results: Gentle Product Handling, Integrated Performance, & Compact System Design
The final system delivered a fully integrated approach to handling and packaging fragile aluminum trays—something traditional methods couldn’t achieve.
Key outcomes included:
- Gentle product handling from infeed through case packing
- Consistent tray orientation and control across all stages of packaging
- Reliable sleeve application supporting retail-ready packaging requirements
- Integrated sleeving and case packing within a single, unified system
- Improved accessibility and maintainability through inline indexing and open machine design
- Efficient use of limited space with a compact mezzanine installation
Just as important, the project built on an existing relationship. The customer returned to Aagard based on prior success—and this system delivered yet another solution to a complex packaging challenge.
