Cibus Tec Demo Factory - Linea Dairy

The live demo line for vacuum packaging cheese wedges

How is a whole wheel of cheese transformed into a vacuum-sealed pack ready for the next stages of the supply chain? At Cibus Tec 2026 - Hall 4, you will be able to see the answer live in action, thanks to a 23-meter demo line that reproduces all key phases of the process in a single continuous flow.

From processing the whole wheel to producing fixed-weight wedges, and from robotic handling to vacuum packaging in flexible film. Quality control, dynamic weighing, and the automatic management of non-compliant packages follow: every stage is connected to the next, contributing to the final finished product.

Visitors will be able to follow the entire product journey in real time, observing how different technologies interact with one another to ensure continuity, precision, and control along the entire line.

The demo is the result of a collaboration among Gelmini, Veripack, FT System, Coop Bilanciai, and Pentavac—five specialized technology companies working together to create an integrated solution dedicated to the vacuum packaging of cheese wedges.

The goal is to provide a concrete demonstration of how automation, robotics, packaging, and inspection systems can be integrated into a single process—reducing manual operations while ensuring quality, precision, production continuity, and high hygienic standards.

From whole wheel to fixed-weight wedges: Gelmini technology

The production process begins with the most delicate phase: portioning the wheel of cheese. An automatic Gelmini machine, model GEA-09, receives the whole wheel and automatically cuts it into disks. Next, a second system—the Atena BIG-2 model—transforms these disks into wedges, ensuring high precision and perfect cutting repeatability.

The entire operation is driven by dedicated software that accurately calculates the processing parameters required to obtain individual fixed-weight portions, ready for packaging. This control optimizes wheel yield and ensures maximum uniformity across all wedges, keeping manual intervention to a minimum while boosting overall line productivity. This technology delivers three fundamental advantages to the manufacturing process: cutting precision, strict weight control, and continuous production flow.

Once formed, the wedges are aligned and transported toward the loading area of the Veripack thermoformer. Here, an advanced robotic vision and handling system takes over: the robot analyzes the position of the products on the belt, corrects their orientation if necessary, and places the wedges into the thermoformer pockets with exact precision and control.

Vacuum packaging: Technology, flexibility, and production continuity

The heart of the line is the Veripack VKF70 thermoformer, which receives the cheese wedges after they have been portioned, oriented, and loaded by the robotic system, sealing them into vacuum packs ready for subsequent inspections.

It is during this stage that the process takes its final shape: the product is placed into the loading area pockets and packaged in flexible film, creating a packaging solution designed to protect the sensory properties of the cheese throughout the supply chain.

Within the configuration featured at the trade show, the VKF70 achieves a throughput of up to 100 packages per minute, delivering the precision and repeatability required to operate in a fully automated, synchronized environment. In this setup, the machine does not function as an isolated unit, but rather integrates into a continuous flow where feeding, positioning, packaging, and final inspections operate in perfect harmony.

A key highlight of this solution is its extraordinary material flexibility. Veripack technology supports a wide variety of films and structures: from multilayer to printed materials, reclosable solutions, mono-material and recyclable options, through to paper-laminated films. This versatility enables manufacturers to respond effectively to the diverse preservation, presentation, and sustainability demands of today's food market.

Seal quality under control

Immediately after packaging, the packs pass through the FT System inspection unit, specifically designed to inspect the seal area.

Using advanced optical inspection, the system analyzes the package seal, instantly detecting any potential residues, creases, or defects that could compromise the airtight seal. This technology seamlessly adapts to various packaging methods, performing with high efficiency on both vacuum-sealed and modified atmosphere (MAP) packages.

If a defect is detected, the system immediately identifies and automatically rejects the non-compliant product, preventing it from proceeding down the line.

Here, too, the true value lies in integration: quality inspection does not slow down the process; instead, it occurs in-line and in real time, combining high production volumes with total assurance of safety and compliance for every single package.

Dynamic weight inspection and automated reject management: Coop Bilanciai technology

Following the seal inspection, the process continues toward the Selecta 4B400 dynamic weighing system by Coop Bilanciai.

During transit, the system automatically spaces the products and weighs them individually, verifying compliance against the declared nominal quantity and the relevant regulatory tolerances for prepackaged goods.

Inspection occurs seamlessly without interrupting the production flow.

Based on the weighing results, packages are managed automatically:

• Compliant packages proceed along the line, ready for collection and subsequent packaging operations;
• Out-of-tolerance packages are automatically diverted into the reject bin.

Reject management is itself controlled by dedicated sensors that confirm actual product ejection and monitor the bin's fill level.

The result is continuous production control aimed at ensuring compliance, reliability, and traceability throughout the weighing process.

Product collection: Pentavac technology

Bringing the entire process full circle is the collection system developed by Pentavac, designed to make the final stage of the line simple, orderly, and ergonomic.

The rotary collection table receives the compliant packages, maintaining them in an orderly, continuous flow that allows operators to easily retrieve the finished product. This solution prevents messy pileups on the workspace and preserves a consistent production flow, completing a line where every single section is engineered to communicate in real time with the next.

From whole wheel to shelf-ready pack, the cycle unfolds through a seamlessly integrated sequence: precision cutting, robotic handling, vacuum packaging, seal inspection, dynamic weighing, automated reject management, and final collection.

One line, five technologies, a single process

The live demo dedicated to cheese packaging presented at Cibus Tec 2026 offers a concrete example of how integrating specialized technologies can transform a complex operation into a continuous, automated industrial process.

Gelmini brings cutting precision and control to the line, converting the whole wheel into fixed-weight wedges.

Veripack handles thermoforming and vacuum packaging, combining throughput, flexibility, and material optimization.

FT System adds a crucial layer of safety through advanced seal quality inspection.

Coop Bilanciai delivers dynamic weight control and automated reject management for non-compliant packs.

Pentavac completes the process with a tailored solution for orderly product collection.

Five technologies, one seamless line, and a shared goal: demonstrating live how automation and integration can transform traditional processing into a more precise, fast, controlled, and repeatable industrial operation.

Line specs at a glance:

• 23 meters of fully integrated demo line
• 5 specialized technologies involved: Gelmini, Veripack, FT System, Coop Bilanciai, and Pentavac
• Up to 100 packages/minute in the Veripack thermoforming configuration
• 50–60 packages/minute exiting the singularization stage
• 1 fully integrated process, from the whole wheel of cheese to final package collection
• Automated inspection for weight compliance, seal integrity, and reject management

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