interpack video report: conclusions

In our third and final video report, you'll see a range of packaging machinery introduced at the interpack show with innovative attributes.

Highlights of the show included:

• Package developments from OEMs--new cartons, display-ready cases, beverage shrink sleeving, wrapping of complex shapes, high end product wrapping and the flexible can
  
  

• Simplified and consistent operation (no operator tweaking) through greater use of motorized, pushbutton, tool-less 5-15 minute changeovers
  
  
• Simplified maintenance through automation, allowing plants to take full ownership despite sophisticated technologies
  
  
• Rapidly increasing use of purpose-built packaging robotic machines rather than third party robots--for high speed picking, packing and orienting of products and primary packs
  
  
• Integrating the product assembly process into packaging

Because interpack takes place only once every three years, it is the showplace for major European product announcements.

See interpack video reports one and two.

Video: Paal's newest case packer makes size changes, service easy

From changing a motor to changing a case size, Paal makes it easy to own and operate its newest ELEMATIC tray, tray/hood, RSC and wraparound case packing systems.

To operate at speeds approaching 600 to 700 flow packs per minute and offer motorized tool-less changeovers, Paal uses ELAU servo technology.

At interpack, Claus Paal cited the highly modular, dynamic design of the servo motors to deliver the performance and optional, fully automated size changes. The servos also contribute to a low maintenance design that customers can readily handle without special knowhow.

Video: Robotic product orientation and feeding from Theegarten

Theegarten-Pactec is well known for their incredibly high speed candy wrapping systems. But how to feed a shaped chocolate that must be oriented into the wrapper at speeds of 300 to 400 pieces per minute?

For Managing Director Egbert Röhm, the answer was robotics. At interpack, the company demonstrated a robotic orientation system utilizing an ELAU P3 robot arm. ELAU allowed Theegarten-Pactec to embed their own robotic solution as part of their machine instead of an add-on third party robot with a separate, proprietary 'black box' controller.

Because there is only one ELAU automation controller to handle the machine and the robot, it's a much faster solution. Infeeding is synchronized within the controller with wrapping by a matter of microseconds. Two separate controllers ­ with the addition of a conventional Œblack box' robot control -- would have resulted in 100 to 150 millisecond communication rates.

Video: AROL's self-calibrating servo capper

AROL, part of Pneumatic Scale/Angelus, brought its Equatorque self-calibrating servo capper to interpack. The demonstration of a press-on cap application used a mechanical system to sense bottle orientation, while the servo capping heads turn the caps to match.

Using ELAU's exclusive solution for installing servo modules on rotary capping and labeling carousels, the Equatorque replaces clutches with a servo powering each capping head. This maximizes flexibility and assures consistently accurate closing torque.

Each capping head performs a torque self-calibration with every cycle. A sophisticated monitoring system detects closing faults automatically, including no cap, cap at incorrect angle, no container and rotation of container. A simple operation sets optimum cap/container/closing torque configurations. Adjustments can be made remotely while the machine is in operation.

Video: Kallfass servo shrink wrapper uses 15-25% less film

Kallfass ran its Servo Jet 400 side sealing shrink wrap machine at interpack. Used in many different applications for shrink packaging and mailing, the Servo Jet leverages the precision of ELAU automation technology to use less film and form perfect seams.

According to North American vp Bodo Goepfert, the Servo Jet uses between 15% to 25% less film than machines they are replacing and competitive machinery on the market today.

Goepfert describes the ELAU solution as 'generation 3' or mechatronic, a methodology for designing machinery to replace mechanical content with software and servos, a trend which ELAU has been largely credited for leading in the packaging industry.

The fully automatic, continuous motion side sealer features quick, recipe-driven changeovers accessed from a color touch panel.