Hauni’s PROTOS-M4 for the 10,000 CPM Segment

GERMANY

The PROTOS-M4 from Hauni is the latest product in the successful M-generation range – the first twin-rod machine for the segment up to 10,000 cigarettes per minute. Hauni’s M-generation machines are renowned for offering outstanding quality, reliability, investment security, and flexibility. Now the PROTOS-M4 offers the advantages of the M-generation concept in the 10k (mid-speed) segment as well.

“Customers in production environments that continuously manufacture relatively small batch sizes of a specific brand have, until now, been dependent on solutions that were not comparable with the premium concept provided by our M-machines,” explains Ralf Meyer, project manager, secondary development process. “Our new machine closes this gap in the market. The twin-rod design not only reduces track speed but, most importantly, offers dramatic improvements in process reliability while reducing wear and guaranteeing traditional Hauni quality standards.” The PROTOS-M4 comprises a VE-M5, an SE-M, and the MAX-M filter assembler. It operates with an efficiency of more than 90% and less than one percent waste.

Customers who already use M-generation machines benefit from the identical controls and visualization of this elegantly and clearly designed maker. Moreover, all its components are extremely easy to access, which reduces operating and maintenance costs.

“The machine’s flexibility really pays dividends in daily production,” says Meyer. “For example, length changes are much faster than in other makers available in this speed range. The PROTOS-M4 requires no external paper feed and we have integrated familiar M-generation features to optimize cigarette quality.” New aspects, such as the process using the segment turner, ensure much lower loads on the tobacco rod. The oil-free spider that transfers the individual tobacco rods from the rod to the drum process has also been included in the smallest M-machine.

Impressive figures:

Speed .......... 10,000 cig/min

Rod speed .......... 350 m/min

Efficiency .......... ≥ 90%

Waste   .......... ≤ 1%

Quick .......... Brand Change 30 min

Quick Size Change .......... 150 min

Noise .......... ≤ 80 dB(A)