Read More on:
Send to KindleMint-condition packaging
The two robots withdraw the lenses from the four magazine trolleys. Each trolley holds one type of lens pack (single-, double-, triple-, or quadruple-coin count), and each robot has access to all four trolleys at the same time, enabling multiple lens loads. The robots load the lenses onto a bucket conveyor. This new infeed approach has greatly reduced scratching of the delicate lens faces, thus improving quality control of the packaging.
The packing configurations are verified by the robotics’ built-in machine vision system, supplied by CI Vision (www.civision.com), and rejected collations are automatically channeled to a packing reject area.
Flat, prefolded leaflets are fed from a separate magazine into two infeed buckets of the cartoner. The leaflets are deposited into the folding cartons. One end of each carton is tuck-closed, and the other end is glue-closed.
Then the cartons are discharged to the Model Axiom WACP side-load case packer supplied by Douglas Machine (www.douglas-machine.com). The case packer collates the cartons into two rows of 48 lenses, validates the product loads, and then loads them into RSC (regular slotted container) corrugated cases at a rate of one case/min. Cases are sealed with reinforced tape, and a corner bar-code label is applied and scanned for verification. An incorrect or unreadable code causes the case packer to stop and activate an audible alarm.
The finished cases are routed to the Langen palletizer, incorporating Fanuc R2000 robotics, which places the cases in the desired configuration on the desired pallet. Pallet configuration changeovers are accomplished automatically by keypad recipe selection. When the pallet is finished, the palletizer exchanges the full pallet for an empty one.
Total control
Each machine in the packaging process is controlled independently, either by a PLC or an industrial PC. The robots are controlled by the robot controller. Cartoning integration and product handling system controls were custom-engineered by Langen.
The simple-operation, easy-changeover, low-maintenance system has helped the United States Mint at San Francisco improve line efficiencies and ergonomics. The system is engineered to run 24 hr/day in three shifts, five days/week. Worker strains associated with heavy lifting, twisting, and bending to load the cartons have been reduced substantially by the robotic operation of the new line.
Comments(0)
Add new comment