2006-08-31 Pack Expo to feature robots (By Ahmed ElAmin)

Robot manufacturers are hoping momentum is building in the food packaging sector for take up of their products, as they move to display some of their latest equipment at an upcoming exhibition in Chicago.

The need for greater flexibility in handling multiple packaging formats through quicker changeovers is leading to an increase in demand for automated equipment, according to a statement by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI). The organisation runs Pack Expo International, an exhibition that takes place from October 29 to November 2 this year in Chicago.

To address the need for automation, packagers are deploying more robotic systems, performing more tasks via software and demanding more tightly integrated machines, while at the same time keeping a firm rein on costs, PMMI says.

"In response, equipment builders are delivering more turnkey systems, creating more modular designs, replacing pneumatics with electromechanical devices and automating inspection tasks in an effort to accelerate changeover, increase speed, boost efficiency, simplify integration, lower costs and meet expectations for consistent product quality," the PMMI stated in a press release.

One of the prominent trends is toward using more robotic palletizing equipment, said Tim Schiller, key technology manager for robotics at Kuka Robotics.

“Robotic palletizers tend to require a much smaller footprint than traditional palletizers,” he said in the PMMI press release.

A system developed by Dyco for an ice cream manufacturer uses a Kuka KR 180 PA robot that runs 12 to 16 hours per day six days per week. On one side of the line, it picks up corrugated cases containing eight half-gallon or four gallon jugs and stacks them on a pallet.

Gallon cases are picked up four at a time and placed in a row on the pallet. Each layer has three rows, and pallets are stacked four layers high for a total of 48 cases. The half-gallon cases also are stacked four layers high, but are handled five at time and arranged in four rows per layer for a total of 60 cases per pallet.

Installation of the robot cell made it possible for the dairy to reassign two workers to less physically demanding work, PMMI stated.

FKI Logistex's robotic palletizing cell will also be on display at the show. The manufacturer anchors its palletizing cell by an articulated robot from Motoman. A vacuum end effector from FKI Logistex makes it possible for the robot to handle 25- and 40-pound pails as well as quart or gallon containers in cases, plus a variety of stacking patterns and pallet sizes.

Paul Burdick, director of marketing and sales at Schneider Packaging Equipment, says the ability of robots to perform multiple tasks is a key advantage for buyers.

“Virtually all of the machines we ship are designed to handle multiple products," he told PMMI. "Typically six, eight or 10 variations are involved, but I've seen some machines go out preconfigured to handle more than 50 products."

Another robotic application generating interest is for order picking and the assembly of mixed pallets.

PalletPRO and PalletTool software from Fanuc Robotics America automates the building of mixed pallets. Generally, this requires a robot mounted on a linear slide so it can cover a large distance across multiple packaging lines. In addition to the advanced software, automating mixed pallet building also may require integration with vision and tactile sensors as well as sophisticated communication technology.

Other factors influencing the growing interest in robots are higher speeds and modular software, PMMI noted.

Faster speeds are possible through improvements in mechanical design and robot controllers with better motion architecture. For example Fanuc has increased the wrist rotation speed of its M420iA robot from 350 degrees per second to 720 degrees per second. For its M-6iB/2HS model, wrist rotation has increased from 1200 degrees per second to 2000 degrees per second.

Adding vision systems supports higher rates by making it possible for the robot to pick up more than one item at a time.

Robotic software providers displaying their products at the expo include Elau, a US based company that has developed a software object library for robots.

The blocks of code eliminate the need for black box proprietary robot controllers and simplify integration of robotic action into packaging machines, said John Kowal, global marketing manager at Elau.

Omron, another software manufacturer, will display its Secure-One DeviceNet Safety Controller at the expo. The software uses standard DeviceNet network wiring and preprogrammed safety features to eliminate the need for separate cabling and communication.

Monitoring safety through DeviceNet not only makes it possible to identify faults in an instant, but also simplifies installation and modification, PMMI claimed.

Some advanced software supports predictive maintenance practices, which anticipate component failures and prevent downtime. Omron's CX-One tool package makes it possible to set up, monitor and provide early warning information on devices such as programmable logic controllers, motion control systems, drives, temperature controllers and sensors, according to the company.

New tools to monitor machine efficiency will also be on display. Machine Performance Solutions from Rockwell Automation permits operators to generate basic reports from the operator interface.

“Previously, end users would have to capture the data and create their own reports,” says Mike Wagner, a business development manager at Rockwell.

Packagers with limited engineering resources are also increasing their demand for turnkey systems.

“Today more OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) are working together to assemble turnkey lines,” Wagner stated. “Three or four companies might team up, each contributing a particular technology to create a complete solution.”

Another growing trend is toward integrated controllers that can perform more than one function, motion and logic, for example, PMMI stated.

For example Rockwell offers integrated robot and automation control that combines servos and input/output handling on one hardware and software platform.

“It's no longer necessary to create communications between two controllers. This simplifies both programming and maintenance,” Wagner stated.

Along with flexibility and easier integration, packagers are looking for lower cost machinery. As a result equipment is becoming more modular so functionality can be tailored as needed.

To address the demand for less expensive equipment, FKI Logistex has developed a lower cost low-level palletizer capable of handling up to 20 cases per minute. It is priced at $70,000 with automatic pallet handling and $50,000 without. Palletizers of this type which typically start at about $100,000, PMMI stated.

Another way packagers are lowering costs is to drop requirements for specific controls and allow the original equipment manufacturers to match the control to performance requirements, the organisation stated.

For example, Bosch Rexroth has developed a three-tier control architecture capable of handling up to eight, 16 or 64 axes of motion.

“Our goal is to scale the automation platform to meet the needs of the machines rather than forcing the machines to fit the control platform,” stated Dan Throne, food and packaging industry manager at Bosch Rexroth.

Another cost savings measure is the use of integrated motors and drives. Miniaturizing a servo drive and placing it on top of a servo motor reduces the size of the electrical cabinet needed and shrinks the machine footprint as well as the amount of wiring required, said Throne. This integrated approach is especially significant in applications where cabinets must be located up in catwalks and require lengthy amounts of cabling.

“Reducing the wiring on the machine itself reduces everything, including cabinet size, terminal strips, cables, machine footprint and air conditioning,” Throne stated. “This can quickly add up to a 40 per cent reduction in machinery price.”

For applications that use separate motors and drives, Elau offers plug-and-play functionality. A chip in the company's motors allows its PacDrive family of intelligent servo drives to identify it.

“So, if you change the motor, the drive adjusts automatically,” stated Kowal.

Bosch Rexroth has taken the integration process a step further by embedding safety technology into its drives. Locating safety functions at the drive level means response to faults occurs in milliseconds rather than the seconds it requires for a message to travel to the controller.

The result is less downtime and higher productivity, the company claims. Bosch Rexroth is attempting to achieve further integration by developing its GenNext technology, which puts hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical and mechanical systems under one umbrella.