Vacuum packing machine
Vacuum or inert-atmosphere packing to protect the kernel from rancidity.
What this machine does
The cashew kernel is rich in unsaturated lipids and therefore sensitive to oxidation. In contact with oxygen the fatty acids oxidise progressively and develop rancidity, an irreversible defect that makes the product unsaleable. Vacuum packing, or packing under carbon dioxide, removes oxygen from the pack and considerably extends shelf life during transport and storage.
Three conditions must be met for the protection to be effective. The kernel moisture must have been brought into the required range: a product that is too moist degrades even without oxygen. The packaging material must be a genuine gas barrier, failing which oxygen diffuses back in within weeks. Finally, the seal must be checked: a single leak cancels the benefit of the operation for the whole sales unit.
See the sector CashewAt a glance
- ReferenceCAJ-EMV
- SectorCashew
- PurposeVacuum or inert-atmosphere packing to protect the kernel from rancidity.
A detailed PDF data sheet will be available in the document centre once produced.
The parts that do the work
Vacuum chamber
Enclosure from which air is evacuated before sealing, with a vacuum level adjustable to the product.
Inert gas injection
Optional carbon dioxide flushing, which protects the kernel while limiting crushing of the product.
Sealing bar
Heat sealing of the barrier bag with adjustable temperature and sealing time.
Seal integrity check
Systematic verification of seals, by sampling or with a dedicated test.
Technical data and configurations
| Characteristic | Indicative value |
|---|---|
| Pack format | units of 10 to 25 kg according to market |
| Atmosphere | vacuum or carbon dioxide |
| Product moisture | 3 to 5 % before packing |
| Settings | vacuum level, sealing temperature and time |
| Materials | gas-barrier bags or tins |
| Supply | electric, according to model |
| Cadence | according to format and configuration |
| Checking | seal integrity test |
These are usual design ranges for this type of machine, intended to guide early thinking. The contractual characteristics of the equipment actually manufactured — throughputs measured at acceptance, absorbed power, real footprint and weight — are established by the SOTIC design office and stated in the technical offer.
Available configurations
- Single or double chamber according to the cadence required.
- Gas flushing option in addition to vacuum.
- Formats matched to the requirements of the different export markets.
Installation requirements
- Clean, temperate room at the final stage of the production flow.
- Strict separation between the dustier upstream areas and the packing area.
- Protected electrical supply and, for gas flushing, compliant gas storage.
- Work surface and adjoining palletising area.
Maintenance and safety at the workstation
A machine lasts as long as its maintenance does. The points below appear in the preventive maintenance plan handed over at acceptance and are covered during operator training.
Preventive maintenance
- Check and clean the sealing bars: a deposit causes incomplete seals.
- Service the vacuum pump to the manufacturer's schedule, oil included.
- Check chamber gaskets, whose wear lengthens cycles without any visible warning.
- Regular seal integrity checks on samples taken during production.
Safety
- Burn risk on the sealing bars: never work on them while hot.
- Handle gas cylinders according to the applicable rules, securing included.
- Ventilate the room when carbon dioxide is used.
Before ordering this machine
Vacuum is simpler and cheaper, but it compresses the product, which can break whole kernels and lower the grade. Carbon dioxide flushing preserves the shape of the pack and protects just as well against oxidation. For whole kernels of high grade destined for export, flushing is generally preferred.
It depends on the initial moisture of the kernel, the barrier quality of the packaging, seal integrity and storage conditions — particularly temperature, which strongly accelerates oxidation. Perfect packing in an overheated warehouse does not protect indefinitely. The shelf life announced to the customer must rest on keeping trials, not on a figure taken from a catalogue.
Request a quote: Vacuum packing machine
Tell us the throughput you are aiming for, the material to be processed and the energy available on your site: we come back with a reasoned configuration and a price, rather than a catalogue rate.
- Technical answer: we first check that this machine genuinely matches your need.
- Tailored configuration: size, drive, options and wear parts defined with you.
- Complete pricing: equipment, transport, erection, commissioning and training.
- Next steps: civil works, connections and maintenance where required.
First reply target: 48 working hours.
Other machines in the Cashew
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Automatic shelling line
Mechanised shelling line with paired blades, fed by size class.
Semi-automatic sheller
Assisted shelling station: measured investment, flexibility and a high whole-kernel rate.
Optical colour sorter
Sorting by colorimetric analysis with pneumatic ejection of non-conforming kernels.