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ELAU, credited with first enabling mechatronics in packaging machine design and more recently with introducing the advantages of modularity to packaging machine automation, introduces the next advance in modularity, its new PacDrive™ iSH Series of Intelligent Servo Modules.
The new Fallas Automation R700 Adabot™ robot is designed to pick products on the fly at high speed. Its ability to track the product and pick on the fly contributes to the speed. So do the arm’s carbon fiber construction and the controller’s ability to execute 10 times faster than a PLC. And in this case, it’s not a ‘black box’ robot controller, but an open architecture PacDrive™ automation controller from ELAU.
Associated Packaging’s new Poly-Star rollfed labeler has servo driven star wheels, infeed worm and label web registration. Label and container changeover time is minimized by simply dialing a package change on the touch panel control, which causes a synchronized homing of all related components in combination with a unique knife module and segmented label vacuum cylinder—making for extreme flexibility size to size.
Pneumatic Scale Corporation’s SC Servo Capper is ideal for pharma, personal care, cosmetic and other quality-intensive applications. Consistency, tighter torque control and the feedback systems to monitor performance are inherent benefits of well-executed servo technology.
Packaging flexibility is a key enabler of consumer marketing strategies. These include smaller, low calorie portion packages and user friendly cartoning solutions that help retailers make their shelf space more productive.
ELAU, credited with first enabling mechatronics in packaging machine design and more recently with introducing the advantages of modularity to packaging machine automation, introduces the next advance in modularity, its new PacDrive™ iSH Series of Intelligent Servo Modules.
Associated Packaging Equipment Corporation (Booth S-535) will launch a quick changeover version of its Polystar® inline rollfed labelers at PACK EXPO. Incorporating PacDrive™ servo-driven star wheels, web transfer and worm infeed, the latest Polystar machine combines positive control of containers with touch panel format changes.
Servos were once reserved for top-of-the-line machines, but no more. Douglas Machine (PACK EXPO Booth S-2223) has announced its new Invex™ ‘low speed’ case/tray packer.
At PACK EXPO 2006 Booth S-400, Pneumatic Scale Corporation will show why the SC Servo Capper is ideal for pharma, personal care, cosmetic and other quality-intensive applications. Consistency, tighter torque control and the feedback systems to monitor performance are inherent benefits of well-executed servo technology.
Goodman Packaging Equipment (PACK EXPO Booth S-1241) is the world’s first machine builder to utilize the new PacDrive iSH Series Intelligent Servo Module from ELAU (Booth N-3429).
Italian packaging machine builders introduced a range of new, ELAU PacDrive-equipped machines at IPACK IMA in Milan in 2006, the result of a record year of growth for ELAU Systems Italia in 2005.
At the IPACK-IMA show in Milan, The PFM Group introduced their new Scirocco Flow Packer with Vision System Robot, including a Super Long Dwell high-speed cross sealing system and automated, vision-assisted infeed system.
At the PMMI Tech Talks workshop hosted by ICS Inex Inspection Systems in Clearwater, Florida, PMMI member companies learned valuable lessons in safety.
HAMBA Filtec has applied ELAU’s PacDrive automation technology in its new Flexline machine for plastic bottle, cup ad tub filling and sealing of food and beverage products.
The 6000 F-6 robotic tray-loading system from Paal uses servo positioning accuracy to collate tubes and place them into plastic trays at speeds to 200 tubes/min.
The Cavanna Cartesio Model G35EFC robotic cartoning system integrates the forming, filling, and sealing of cartons in a single 16’ x 6’ x 6’ frame. The system is driven by a total of 16 servo motors and a single PacDrive C600 automation controller. According to Alessandra Cavanna, managing director for marketing at Cavanna, a traditional mechanical machine would never have been able to deliver the fluidity and accuracy this robotic concept requires.
APSOL Automation Packaging Solutions specializes in the design and manufacture of end of line packaging machinery for beverage as well as food, home and personal care products. APSOL’s design philosophy stresses 3 critical elements: simple and reliable mechanics, compact and ergonomic design, and cutting edge control technology.
Newtec Labelling S.R.L. produces a complete line of linear and rotary automatic labelling machines for cylindrical and shaped containers in glass, plastic or foil, with label application by wet glue, self-adhesive and hot melt. The company’s beverage experience spans wine, soft drinks, mineral water, beer, liqueurs and dairy.
Packaging industry speakers at BevOps included Krones Inc. director of systems engineering Heiko Feuring and ELAU global marketing manager John Kowal, along with operations, warehouse design and material handling experts. Strides in machinery were documented in a presentation compiled by ELAU.
LM S.P.A. provides food and beverage producers with conveying and intermediate storage solutions for bottle, cans, soft packs, case, cartons and more. At drinktec, LM introduced a new multi-lane, 2 axis servo-driven divider using ELAU’s PacDrive automation system.
Kappa Herzberger, specializing in high speed packaging machinery for the beverage and food industries, is the largest company in the Kappa Packaging Group with over 100 subsidiaries and turnover of over 3 billion Euro. At drinktec, the company announced its merger with Smurfit-Stone, creating a global packaging powerhouse.
FEGE Machine Speciales introduced the patented TRAINTRONIC lane divider at drinktec, a PacDrive-automated system capable of batching unit containers between two conveyor lines at line speeds up to 150 meters per minute, the equivalent of 100,000 products per hour.
Packaging makes the difference between a consumer spotting your product on the shelf and passing by. Automation makes innovative packaging practical. That was the message at drinktec in Munich.
New at PACK EXPO, the Servo Jet 400/80 is a continuous motion side sealer for applications up to 80 cycles per minute from Kallfass Packaging Machinery. Because the Servo Jet is a true mechatronic design, Kallfass guarantees 15% material savings over the customers’ previous equipment.
IWKA used PACK EXPO Las Vegas to debut its new 100 tube per minute TFS 80-1 Tubefilling Machine to the U.S. The company is a market leader in tube fillers, cartoners and blister pack machines.
Stiles Machinery introduced the new family of Waechter case erecting and pick-and-place modules using ELAU’s PacDrive servo technology to handle a wide range of formats without costly change parts.
Bottlers value P.E. labelers for their 50,000 bottle/hour single-station performance, fast changeovers and reliability. P.E. has delivered over 4,000 automatic labeling machines worldwide for soft drinks, mineral water, food, wine, spirits, chemicals and more.
Typically, robots are capable of handling either heavy loads at low cycle rates, or very limited loads at high cycle rates. TwinLine, a twin-axis robot for high flexibility in final packaging, combines speed and payload capacity.
SACMI introduced two new labeling machines with ELAU’s PacDrive automation system. One is a roll-fed machine for glue-applying round plastic labels to bottles. The label material is unwound and cut at a register mark. The label is fed via vacuum drum while adhesive is applied, then the label is applied to the bottle through precise coordination with bottle plate rotation.
Arol, a business unit of Angelus Sanitary Can, introduced their new servo capping machine, the Equatorque. Equipped with ELAU’s PacDrive SCL integral servo motor/drives on each capping head, the Equatorque eliminates clutches to maximize flexibility and assure consistently accurate closing torque.
IMA North America, PELV Booth N-9117, will exhibit its new Model BFB CP18 automatic side-loading case packer. The design is a new concept ideal for inserting individual/bundled cartons or a tray into a case for cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.
At the Stiles Machinery booth (PELV C-5534), see the new family of Waechter case erecting and pick-and-place modules using ELAU’s PacDrive servo technology to handle a wide range of formats without costly change parts.
Uhlmann Packaging Systems (PELV Booth N-9412) introduces the world’s fastest thermoformer, the Uhlmann B1880, with an unequalled output capability of 1300 blisters per minute. Launched in the US at the company’s first annual pharmaceutical blister technology roundtable just prior to PACK EXPO, the B1880 was the recipient of a 2005 VDI Red Dot award for excellence in design.
Pester USA (PELV booth N-10328) is introducing ‘pac robot’ modules using ELAU’s new PacDrive robotic software library to expand the flexibility and throughput of pharma, cosmetics and food packaging lines.
PFM Packaging Machinery (PELV booth C-826) will introduce its new Scirocco Flow Packer with Vision System Robot, configured for pharmaceutical packaging. The solution includes a cross-sealing system that increases the Scirocco’s speed to 200 ppm by optimizing sealing temperature, pressure and dwell to maximize the sealing portion of a cycle.
MG America (PELV booth N-9707) will feature MG2’s new GSL20 horizontal case packer, complementing the recently introduced GTL30 vertical case packer. Both are mechatronic designs automated by ELAU’s PacDrive system and designed for maximum reliability, high speed, ease of use and maintainability.
At Angelus Sanitary Can (Booth C-5127), visitors will see the latest Arol capping machine, the servo-driven Equatorque. Equipped with ELAU’s PacDrive SCL integral servo motor/drives on each capping head, the Equatorque eliminates clutches to maximize flexibility and assure consistently accurate closing torque.
Amotek, part of the Optima Packaging Group (PELV Booth C-3936), will introduce the FBW flowbagger, designed specifically to meet the market demand for wet wipes.
Marden Edwards’ new servo-driven end-fold wrapper proved as popular at Interpack as at Pakex in the UK and Emballage in France. Their TS75 provides a trailing edge seal allowing uninterrupted graphic treatments of both major sides of a carton. Designed to take full advantage of servo technology, the new wrapper operates at speeds up to 75 cartons per minute.
Waechter (Hall 13, D14) has introduced a new family of case erecting and pick-and-place modules using ELAU’s PacDrive servo technology to handle a wide range of formats without expensive change parts.
SOMIC (Hall 13, Stand D04) demonstrated the highly modular WA 414-w/3 wrap-around packer for display cartons, folding boxes and trays. Highly adaptable, it is a universal design that’s being used to pack metal cans, pouches, candy bars and more.
Cavanna’s Cartesio robotic division demonstrated its new vertical cartoning concept for candy, energy and cereal bars, the G35. A robotic island consisting of three robotic arms streamlines display carton forming, transfer, product collation and closing, along with a patented product insertion device.
Highlights at pester pac automation (Hall 15, Booth B32) included two new robots. Pester, known for its pharmaceutical end-of-line packaging expertise, is creating a new range of applications in cosmetic and food packaging for which these robots are equally well suited.
With 17 halls, 2,668 exhibitors and 176,000 visitors, it is difficult to get a handle on interpack 2005 in Dusseldorf, Germany. There was a lot to think about, including the following insights.
Sacmi Labelling, a division of the Sacmi group, has developed a new generation of automated labelers that meets these marketing needs while reducing operating costs, increasing productivity and minimizing unit price.
Douglas Machine introduces its Contour Series S-30 shrink wrapper. The 30 carton/min wrapper’s patent-pending, scalable heat tunnel has unprecedented heat and airflow management for excellent bulls-eyes and minimum graphic distortion. A servo-driven wrapping wand maximizes size range, film control, and film placement accuracy.
Sentry’s new family of tray, pad, case packing and film overwrapping machines is the first designed in the U.S. around the OMAC Packaging Guidelines. Sentry's strategy is to leverage the latest servo technology to offer American-made Gen3 modularity, flexibility and performance that was previously available only from European OEMs.
MG America has released the new GSL20 horizontal case packer. Reaching speeds of 20 cases/min, GSL20 requires no change parts for different case sizes, and features main machine movement via servo-motors. All drives are controlled via integrated motion and logic control technology, which is IEC 61131-3 compliant.
Capmatic’s Flowstar® in-line piston filler provides packagers with flexibility, speed, and accuracy, primarily for filling liquids and cremes in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and personal care applications.
By hitching its wagon to that increasingly bright star called servo technology, P&G gains flexibility, increased capacity, and better utilization of equipment assets
