Arguably one of the most taxing high-speed motion control applications is that of bottle filling.
The application
At first glance, a filling application involving the transfer of liquid product into solid containers may seem simple. However, the overall process involves several different and continuous motions that occur simultaneously and at very high speeds. This requires both accuracy and precision in terms of control. The need to co-ordinate rapid container movement (usually bottles) with the insertion of filling tubes, whilst simultaneously controlling the rate of liquid flow, makes this application particularly complex. Only with a highly capable function controller does it become possible to manage the entire process, with the development of the appropriate automation solution presenting a considerable challenge to most engineers. CBI-electric: low voltage provides a Mitsubishi solution that is simple and cost effective.
Advanced control using electronic camming
Of particular difficulty is the synchronisation of the filling tubes and liquid flow, with the movement of bottles by rotational conveyor. The controller has to ensure that the liquid is fed accurately into the bottle openings. The flow rate and the nozzle height also have to be precisely controlled so as to minimise frothing and liquid overflow.
The solution lies in a cam profile that is intelligently controlled by a software camming system such as that found in Mitsubishi Electric’s motion controller CPU. Based on the Q-Series automation platform, this software camming system replaces hardware-based methods that are prone to error and profile deviation. It is also a flexible system that allows the type of bottle to be switched by simply exchanging the cam profile software, instead of having to overhaul the physical system.
Linking high-speed networks
The sole supplier of Mitsubishi Electric products into the southern African region, CBI-electric: low voltage also provides solutions to the transfer and conveyor aspects of the application. Here, intelligent and energy saving FR-A700 inverters exercise control via the open device level network CC-Link centralised on the Q-Series controller.
The speed at which the bottles are fed into the machine can be controlled by the Q-Series together with a CC-Link network offering high speed transmission of 10 Mbps and a program speed of mere milliseconds. The Q-Series also enables connectivity to upper level systems via its Ethernet option module, allowing real-time production data to be fed into enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and/or the manufacturing execution system (MES).
This continuous monitoring allows factory managers to report on actual bottling performance in real-time, without them having to rely on statistical (historical) data. The high-speed servo drives are controlled directly by the motion controller on the Q-Series platform via a high-speed SSCNET III fibre-optic network. This achieves speeds of up to 50 Mbps, ensuring high-speed and high-accuracy. Cam profiles can be easily switched using the GOT1000 human machine interface touch screen, which provides a user friendly interface to the operability of the bottle filling machine.
CBI-electric: low voltage is the South African representative of Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation. The partnership between the two companies means that CBI-electric: low voltage is able to supply a wide range of motion control and automation solutions to a wide variety of South African industries.
For more information contact CBI-electric: low voltage, +27 (0)11 977 0770, [email protected] or www.cbi-electric.com or Langa Nxumalo (drive and motion product manager), [email protected] or Graham Voget (automation product manager), [email protected]
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