Spanish Sausage Maker Doubles Output With EPS AK3200T AK9000 Automatic Production Line

Overview

A mid-sized sausage manufacturer based in Valencia, Spain produces dried sausage, salami, hot dog and cooked ham for retail and foodservice customers across southern Europe. As orders grew year on year, its semi-manual filling and linking process became the single biggest bottleneck on the production floor, capping output and inflating the cost of every kilogram shipped.

The Challenge

Before the upgrade the plant relied on two semi-manual piston stuffers feeding a separate, manually operated tying station. The team faced three persistent problems:

• Output rarely exceeded 1.2 tonnes per hour, even during peak shifts.
• Portion weights drifted by up to 12 grams, creating give-away and rework.
• Frequent casing breakage and manual tying forced repeated line stoppages, raising labor cost per tonne.

With tightening EU weight-tolerance rules and fast-rising labor costs, the manufacturer decided to move to a fully automatic, hygienic production line.

The Solution: EPS AK3200T + AK9000 Automatic Sausage Production Line

After comparing several suppliers, the plant selected the EPS AK3200T vacuum sausage stuffer filler paired with the AK9000 automatic twisting and knot tying machine, linked as one automatic sausage production line and connected to a double clipping machine and an automatic hanging machine.

The filling process runs under vacuum, which prevents fat oxidation and proteolysis, reduces bacterial survival and extends shelf life while keeping product color bright and taste pure. The AK9000 then ties up to 600 knots per minute and handles animal, protein and collagen casing, so a single line now covers the full product range.

Core equipment and capabilities

• Vacuum filling up to 3000 kg/h (depending on the product).
• Quantitative accuracy of ±1.5g/100g for minced meat.
• 240L hopper with a 250kg hoist for continuous feeding.
• Automatic knot tying up to 600 knots per minute.
• Twisting length 30-380mm, twisting diameter φ16-φ38.
• SUS304 stainless steel body, imported PLC and servomotor control.

Results After Installation

Client Feedback

"The EPS line changed how we plan production. We now run the same recipes faster, with tighter weights and far less waste, and our staff moved from manual tying to line supervision. The vacuum filling keeps the color and taste exactly as our customers expect." - Production Manager, Valencia

Why It Worked

1. Vacuum filling protected product quality and extended shelf life.
2. High-speed automatic tying removed the manual bottleneck.
3. A linked line with clipper and hanging machine cut labor to three operators.
4. ISO 9001 and CE certified equipment simplified compliance and export.

Conclusion

For processors outgrowing semi-manual equipment, a linked vacuum filler and automatic tying machine delivers immediate gains in throughput, weight accuracy and cost efficiency. The AK3200T and AK9000 are built to the same platform across the EPS sausage range, so the line can be scaled further as demand grows. Contact EPS today to request a configuration and quotation for your plant.