Designed specifically with e-commerce customers in mind, the Cartonwrap from Italy’s CMC Machinery uses roll-fed corrugated to make shipping cases for packing any kind of product. The machine adapts the corrugated shipper to the size of the item needing to be packed. Items are fed into the packaging machine on a conveyor and the shipper is formed around them.
Needless to say, precision accuracy is needed on such a machine. Much of that accuracy comes from Emerson Industrial Automation, whose Control Techniques drives and Unimotor FM servo motors play a key role in the Cartonwrap’s operation. The Digitax ST drives use multi-network management via central PC and Ethernet for coordination of all production menus and motion equations on the individual process components. CMC Machinery uses SM-Applications Plus option modules in each drive to serve as automation controllers with integrated fieldbus communications and I/O. Use of these modules eliminates the need for an external PLC. This means reduced wiring, which increases communication speed. The modules are running custom software designed specifically for Cartonwrap machines with the assistance of Control Techniques software engineers.
