In food packaging, vacuum is not a secondary technical detail: it is the condition that determines product shelf life, the percentage of waste, the stability of the production cycle and, ultimately, the perceived reliability by the final customer.
Thermoforming machines, vacuum packaging machines, MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) lines, and heat sealers all work with the same invisible ally: a stable, repeatable, and available vacuum for the entire production shift.
In many plants, however, the vacuum is still generated by small on-board pumps, often noisy, hot, difficult to maintain, and not optimal from an energy standpoint. In this context, more and more companies are evaluating a paradigm shift: moving to a centralized vacuum system, powered by rotary vane oil-lubricated pumps like the RVP series from Vuototecnica.
From vacuum packaging to MAP: the role of vacuum in food packaging
In packaging lines, vacuum intervenes in several critical steps. In thermoforming machines, it allows trays to be formed from plastic films or coupled materials, while in heat sealers and vacuum packaging machines, it allows air to be removed before sealing. In MAP systems, it represents the first step before introducing protective gas mixtures; in some production realities, it is also used for leak tests and quality checks on packaging samples.
In each of these phases, the vacuum must quickly reach the level required by the machine cycle and maintain stable values. If the vacuum is insufficient or unstable, the signs in the department are evident: irregularly deformed trays, uneven seals, residual air bubbles, packages that fail checks, and increasing waste percentages. Often, to keep these problems under control, one is forced to slow down the cycle, with immediate impact on productivity and costs.
The limits of on-board pumps
The traditional scheme provides that each packaging machine has its own vacuum pump, integrated into the panel or installed alongside it. This is an apparently simple solution, but over time it shows several limitations.
Firstly, the issue of noise: more machines mean more pumps and therefore a high sound level near the lines, with repercussions on personnel comfort and safety. Added to this is the problem of heat generated in the production area, which is problematic in environments where temperature-sensitive products are handled.
Maintenance also becomes complex: filters, oil, and spare parts must be managed machine by machine, often with different models, different codes, and access positions that are not always convenient. Each intervention involves stopping the single packaging machine, with inevitable repercussions on production planning.
Finally, there is the aspect of managing steam and contaminants. Packaging wet or hot products means aspirating water vapor, which tends to condense in the oil if the pump is not correctly set up to handle it, reducing the useful life of the fluid and increasing the need for extraordinary maintenance.
When the number of lines increases or production grows in intensity, this "one pump for every machine" model progressively becomes less sustainable. It is in this scenario that the adoption of a centralized vacuum system can represent a significant qualitative leap.
Centralized vacuum: how the packaging line changes
In a centralized vacuum system, the generation of vacuum is moved from the individual machines to a dedicated vacuum station, generally located in a technical room separate from the packaging area.
In this station, one or more lubricated vacuum pumps are housed, connected to one or more vacuum tanks. From here, a network of piping distributes the vacuum to the thermoforming machines, heat sealers, and any other users (vacuum chambers, test benches, etc.). Each machine draws on the centralized vacuum only when its cycle requires it, while the pumps are managed in a coordinated way based on the overall demand of the system.
This approach allows switching from many small vacuum sources distributed in the department to a few centralized pumps, correctly sized and managed in an optimized way.
A typical example: thermoforming and heat sealing machines in battery
Consider, for example, a company that packages ready meals, fresh-cut produce, fresh cheeses, or sliced cold cuts, with three thermoforming machines and two heat sealers operating on two shifts.
In a traditional configuration, each machine is equipped with its own pump. The department therefore manages five pumps in operation, each with its own noise, its own contribution to ambient heating, and its own maintenance needs. When all machines are running simultaneously, the available vacuum level for each can approach the limit of the installed capacity, with the risk of slower cycles or imperfectly degassed packages.
With a vacuum station, on the other hand, generation is moved to a technical room where, for example, two RVP series lubricated pumps are installed: one in service and one on stand-by or supporting peaks. All machines are supplied by a common tank and a distribution network sized according to the required flow rates. The department is quieter, less hot, and free of oil fumes, while maintenance is concentrated in a few easily accessible points.
Why RVP lubricated pumps are suitable for food packaging
The RVP series rotary vane oil-lubricated vacuum pumps are designed precisely for industrial process vacuum applications, where long-term reliability, continuous operation capability, and ease of maintenance are required. In the context of food packaging, they present some particularly relevant advantages.
Service continuity for heavy-duty use
RVP pumps are designed to operate in continuous service, even over multiple shifts, with variable loads and frequent starts. Their architecture allows them to easily withstand the typical conditions of packaging lines, where multiple machines require vacuum with cycles that are not perfectly synchronized. This makes them suitable for operating as process pumps within a station, where long-term reliability is a fundamental requirement.
Flow rates suitable for both single lines and department stations
The range covers a wide spectrum of flow rates, from the most compact sizes up to pumps capable of feeding entire lines or departments. This allows for the configuration of highly flexible solutions: from a pump dedicated to a single packaging line to sets of multiple RVP pumps in parallel, sized for thermoforming machines, heat sealers, vacuum chambers, and test benches. The system can thus grow over time, following production evolution, without having to completely rethink the vacuum generation.
Steam management thanks to gas ballast
In food packaging, especially in the presence of wet or hot products, the aspirated water vapor can challenge traditional pumps. RVP pumps are equipped with gas ballast, a device that introduces a small amount of air into the pump body to facilitate the expulsion of steam, reducing the tendency for condensation in the oil. This results in cleaner and more stable lubricant over time, fewer emulsification problems, and more consistent performance even under critical operating conditions.
Oil filtration and reduction of fumes and noise
RVP pumps integrate oil vapor filtration systems and solutions for exhaust noise attenuation. In a vacuum station, this means a technical room with controlled emissions and contained acoustic impact, with an immediate benefit for adjacent production areas. The fact that vacuum generation occurs away from the packaging points also helps keep the area where food products are handled cleaner and safer.
Simplified maintenance and easily managed spare parts
From a maintenance perspective, the RVP series adopts easily accessible components (filters, cartridges, oil) and standardized spare parts. By moving the vacuum to a central station, instead of distributing numerous pumps on board the machine, ordinary and extraordinary maintenance is concentrated in a few points, with a clear advantage in terms of intervention planning, spare parts warehouse management, and reduction of downtime.
Towards more efficient and manageable vacuum systems
The adoption of a centralized vacuum system in food packaging represents an increasingly strategic choice for those who wish to improve packaging quality, reduce waste, and make the daily management of lines more efficient. Moving vacuum generation to a dedicated station allows the department to be relieved of noise, heat, and oil fumes, simplify maintenance, and better utilize the installed power, sizing it based on the actual needs of the system and its possible future evolution.
In this context, the RVP series oil-lubricated vane pumps from Vuototecnica offer an interesting balance between performance, robustness, ability to manage process steam and gases, and ease of assistance, making them particularly suitable for becoming the heart of a vacuum station serving thermoforming machines, heat sealers, and MAP lines. The correct design of the system – from the choice of pump sizes to the sizing of the tanks, up to the configuration of the distribution network – requires an accurate analysis of the machines, cycles, and volumes involved: a path in which the support of an expert technical partner allows the vacuum to be transformed from a simple system requirement to a true enabling factor for the competitiveness of the packaging department.
