Automated adjustment to different packaging formats

Fast and flexible format changeovers are vital for maximizing the efficiency of automated packaging lines. Gerhard Schubert GmbH is a market leader in top-loading packaging machines (TLM) and therefore decided to invest in positioning systems (PSE) from halstrup-walcher GmbH to switch between package formats. This automation ensures high quality standards.

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The sweet spot of Industry 4.0

In the confectionery industry and beyond, everybody is talking about “line monitoring systems”. Previous practice has been complicated, however. Since no standardized M2M communication exists to this day, the integration of individual machines via higher-level systems takes a lot of work. The joint ChoConnect project demonstrates how this long-held dream can become reality thanks to the open OPC UA Industry 4.0 standard.

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Ultimate drive technology

With linear motors, filling, closing, and packaging processes designs can be much more dynamic, precise, and especially flexible than with pneumatic cylinders. Ever since Chocolat Frey AG recently expanded their production of the highly popular Napolitains, this large Swiss chocolate maker has benefited from the advantages of advanced technology, producing a wide assortment of very small chocolate wafers with even greater quality, process reliability, and productivity.

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Sercos machine vision for packaging machines

The number of manufacturing processes which use machine vision to help control production flows or drive subsystems continues to increase. To keep pace with this trend, machine vision systems require a high speed interface capable of supporting equipment control applications.

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Somic - tapping the potential of servo drives

Somic, an innovative specialist in end of line packaging machines, has long advocated the use of integrated servo drives. The benefits produced by these drives go far beyond the ability to create machines with modular mechanical, electronics, and software functions. The company has also come up with some interesting ways to tap into even greater potential benefits using integrated drives from Schneider Electric.

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Mobile transfer units on a long leash

For 60 years, GEA Lyophil GmbH in Hürth near Cologne has been developing and building freeze-drying systems for the pharmaceutical industry. The company holds a leadership position in this field, particularly in the area of automated loading and unloading systems for freeze dryers. It has been able to improve moibility for its newest units by using integrated servo drives from Schneider Electric. 

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Controls platform makes robotic pouch transfer sing

The newest pouching and cartoning lines at Medifast get a boost from a delta-style robot. But the real story is the sophisticated controls platform that ties everything together.

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Controls platform brings cartoning flexibility

Pedigree Ovens of Harvard, IL, USA, a contract manufacturer in the niche market of high-end dog treats, decided to invest in cartoning technology to improve productivity and increase capacity. It chose the compact Veronica Vertical Cartoner from Ultra Packaging, Inc., which operates with a complete Bosch Rexroth control and drives solution that delivers the flexibility, high throughput, and fast changeover times that Pedigree required.

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Rexroth helps streamline new generation of servo-driven case packers

Brenton Engineering designed a new line of side-loading case packers to exceed current “green manufacturing” end user trends, featuring servo control to increase speed and reduce energy costs within a compact footprint.

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Robotically fed flow wrapper controlled over Sercos III

Tasked with the development of a robotically fed flow wrapper for a demanding food-related application, packaging machinery expert Tekpak found that motion control and automation products, Sercos III linked, were the key to producing a simple to use machine that provides the required high performance with reliability and value for money.

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Sercos replaces Signalbus

For many years, a bus developed internally by Schubert going by the name of Signalbus has been used to link controllers in TLM packaging machines. The first TLM machines with the 5th generation now communicate via Sercos instead of Signalbus.

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Consistent modularity for greater flexibility

Wilhelm Rasch GmbH & Co. KG introduced a fully servo-driven confectionery packing machine.The machine’s impressive flexibility is the successful result of a modular design that incorporates mechanical aspects, electronics, and software.The company formed a project partnership with Schneider Electric to automate the machine with PacDrive 3. Find out what role Sercos played…

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Servo Technology Is Key to More Cost-Effective Machine Building

This year’s interpack show saw the introduction of the Fawema FA 217, a brand-new bag filling and closing machine for pre-made bags. The new machine, which is equipped with automation technology from Schneider Electric, demonstrates that modern servo drive solutions can do more than just increase flexibility. With the FA 217, the company was also able to reduce manufacturing and operational costs at the same time.

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A Sugar Stick Every 0.5 Seconds - Italian filling machine with real-time automation from Rexroth

They can be found everywhere from gastronomy to offices: various forms of sugar packets and sugar sticks are a must for hot drinks. In Europe alone, consumers use several hundred million of these packets every year. At a unit price of under 0.5 cents, low costs and the highest throughput are essential for production. The Italian company M.F. snc Macchine automatiche now offers a new, high-performance machine for filling these small packets. M.F. relies on lean automation from Rexroth with real-time communication via a Sercos automation bus.

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Tea Bag Manufacturing 

Real-time communication for timeless pleasure. From commercial gimmick to a consumer item filled a million times a day: the tea bag is celebrating its one hundredth birthday this year. Teepack Spezialmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG from the Lower Rhine region of Germany, a subsidiary of Teekanne GmbH & Co. KG, has been producing machines for the manufacturing of tea bags for 60 years. As a world market leader, Teepack continues to develop new modules to fit tea bag manufacturing to current trends. The drives of the machine stations communicate with each other in real-time via Sercos III. With this, PERFECTA reaches a clock cycle of 400 tea bags a minute.

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