Mosca at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona

Ultrasonic and stainless-steel - the perfect duo for harsh environments

Mosca will be showcasing its two ultrasonic strapping machines, SoniXs MS-6-VA and SoniXs MP-6 R-VA, in Hall 1D, Stand 501, of the Seafood Expo in Barcelona from April 23 to 25, 2024. These machines are durable, efficient, and precisely tailored to the needs of the fishing industry. Mosca will also provide insight into the prospect of combining them with stretch wrappers for comprehensive transport load security as well as the opportunities offered by digitized process monitoring.

The fishing industry places numerous demands on production machinery, even toward the end of the packaging line. At this year's Seafood Expo in Barcelona, Mosca GmbH will present strapping solutions specifically tailored to these requirements. They will enable both salmon farming and wild catch operations to efficiently and reliably secure their products for further transport.

"These machines must function reliably while operating in environments with very low temperatures – between two and five degrees Celsius. And with resources – be it time or personnel – often scarce, processes at the end of the line in this industry must be as efficient and smooth as possible," explained Christian Grosskopf, Sales Manager for the Food & Beverage segment at Mosca.

Ultrasonic units deliver consistent strapping even in wet and cold environment

That is why the SoniXs MS-6-VA and SoniXs MP-6 R-VA strapping machines are designed with temperature tolerance in mind, surfaced in corrosion-resistant stainless steel, and equipped with the SoniXs ultrasonic strap sealing unit. "Not only is the ultrasonic unit highly energy-efficient – it also produces no thermal reactions or vapors that might come into contact with the fish during strap welding," Grosskopf attested. Another advantage is that the machines need not be covered during regular cleaning of the production site. Grosskopf explained: "Strapping works with no reduction in quality even when the machine body and the material of the strap are wet, allowing producers to save the resources that would otherwise be necessary to dry off the machines."

SoniXs MS-6-VA: Automated strapping for salmon farming operations

The SoniXs MS-6-VA is designed for use in salmon farming, where large quantities of fish-filled styrofoam boxes of the same size need to be strapped quickly and efficiently. To make the process as efficient as possible even with limited resources, Mosca has automated the changing of coils by equipping the machine with two separate coils for the strap material. When the first one is empty, the machine automatically switches over to the second, full coil, allowing uninterrupted strapping. "This way, consumables can be replenished at an opportune time, and employees can use their valuable time as efficiently as possible," explained Grosskopf.

SoniXs MP-6 R-VA: Optimized for use belowdecks

Mosca will also be presenting a solution designed for the confined spaces aboard fishing vessels at sea. The SoniXs MP-6 R-VA can be adjusted easily to accommodate crates of varying size and width, ensuring that fish can be transported to consumers as quickly and securely as possible.

"These ships often work in hard-to-reach areas where the weather conditions can be extreme, such as Alaska. So during development, we focused on making the machines as robust as possible and their maintenance as straightforward as it can be," said Grosskopf. In such environments, temperature tolerance and corrosion resistance pay double dividends.

At the Mosca booth: MOVITEC wrappers and digitization options

At the trade fair, Mosca will also showcase the possibilities for combining its strapping technology with stretch wrappers from its subsidiary MOVITEC. Wrapping with plastic foil is an excellent way to prevent strapped, stacked and palletized fish crates from shifting and to protect them from wind, weather, and dust. "By offering both solutions from a single source, we can closely link the processes at the end of the packaging line and make them even more efficient, even in challenging production environments," Grosskopf pointed out.

Mosca will also be providing a glimpse of the next steps in digitization: "Our goal is to allow mobile, location-independent monitoring of machine performance and condition," Grosskopf revealed. "Close digital monitoring of our solutions will allow us to proactively develop new service options precisely tailored to the needs and tasks of our customers, helping them further optimize their processes."