Koch Pac-Systeme in Pfalzgrafenweiler, Germany, is a specialist in customer-specific blister packaging machines and systems and has again proven its expertise with an innovative and complex new packaging line for toothbrushes. At its centre, the eXtended Transport System (XTS) from Beckhoff replaces expensive mechanical systems with software functionalities that make the line more compact and more flexible for faster product changeovers.
The seamless, fully integrated and efficiently executed packaging process has customised equipment ranging from blister machines to product infeed and blister grouping modules to end of line packers.
The 28 metre line is fully controlled via Beckhoff TwinCAT automation software and processes up to 320 toothbrushes or 240 blisters per minute. The line is operated with two different formats for which the customer uses two different foil thicknesses. An automatic foil width adjustment feature allows the customer to use different foil sizes to produce additional blister size. After the blisters have been formed, the toothbrushes are supplied via a high speed pick-and-place (HSPP) system that uses a camera to control their position. Next, another HSPP places the cardboard backing and uses ultrasonic spot sealing to keep it in place for the actual sealing process. A laser system applies a code to the back of the card that is verified downstream via a camera system. After the blisters have been separated in a punch station, they are transferred via a two-axis portal to the central labelling and grouping unit before another HSPP system groups and transfers them to a cartoning machine.
The labelling and grouping unit has an 11 metre XTS circuit equipped with 24 movers with special carriers for single and twin blisters. When the product changes, only the carriers have to be switched out. Since this is a very quick and easy process, setup changeover times are reduced considerably.
Jürgen Welker, director of automation and technology at Koch, says: “The high throughput rate and ability to adapt to varying labelling speeds at the labelling station are great benefits of XTS. In addition, the system can be very easily adapted to the various blister formats. It is also highly reliable, which is critical, because the end-customer requires 24/7 operation with 95% system availability. Without the compact XTS, the labelling and grouping unit would have been 2 metres longer and much more complex due to the additional mechanical components that would have been required.”
The high level of flexibility and the ability to convert the line very quickly are key benefits. The original plan called for a conventional solution based on a bucket chain. While it was designed to be width-adjustable, it quickly encountered limitations because of the constantly expanding product spectrum. One much more expensive solution would have been to add a second bucket chain or even a split line with two separate packaging machines. XTS turned out to be a better and much more cost-effective solution.
The flexible motion sequences within the labelling and grouping unit allow the two-axis system to transfer eight or twelve blister packs to four or six movers. These movers then travel to the labelling station. Another HSPP system places the blister packs in multiple layers into the cartoning machine’s product chain in accordance with the outer packaging type. The system stands still for loading and unloading while the labelling process runs continuously. With XTS, all these different movements can be programmed very easily.
The software functionality of XTS also supports quick product changeover because each blister format has its own recipe, including the precise processing positions that can be easily selected with a mouse click. In addition, the machine module has two labelling devices. The software tells the XTS to which of these it needs to travel.
A single control cabinet PC from Beckhoff is all that is needed to control the 24 XTS movers dynamically and with perfect precision.
The C6930 PC is powerful enough to also control two HSPP systems, handling the systems as additional TwinCAT NC tasks. Both HSPP systems are equipped with servo drive technology from Beckhoff. TwinCAT provides all necessary functionalities such as collision avoidance and cam plate. Each mover is mapped as a separate servo axis in TwinCAT ACH mover can be monitored and adjusted separately, which is convenient and safe. To top it all off, the controller makes full use of EtherCAT’s extreme speed, particularly where the communication with the many servo drives in the system is concerned.
For more information contact Kenneth McPherson, Beckhoff Automation, +27 (0)11 795 2898, [email protected], www.beckhoff.co.za
| Tel: | +27 11 795 2898 |
| Fax: | 086 603 6868 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.beckhoff.com |
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