PACK EXPO Innovations Report Part Two

Last month in Part One we covered machinery, materials, pharmaceuticals, and analysis. This time around we take a look at Controls, Cloud & IoT, e-Commerce, and Workforce Development.

Photo 1—Controls Section
Photo 1—Controls Section

CONTROLS
Energy savings and simpler servo cabling
PACK EXPO International was an opportunity for Parker Hannifin’s Pneumatic Division to demonstrate its new Air Saver Unit (ASU) pneumatic valve (1) while Parker Hannefin Electromechanical Automation introduced a simplified cabling solution for servo motors.

The ASU was initially designed to limit energy expenditure and use less air. But the device is growing in popularity on the factory floor because, when compared to uncontrolled blow-off in blowing applications, it provides higher productivity. In North America, this productivity benefit is now recognized as more important than the energy savings the valve was originally designed to provide.

ASUs save energy by interrupting the flow of compressed air so that it can be applied to the target intermittently, instead of continuously, at adjustable frequencies. Rather than a steady stream of air, an ASU delivers a series of impulses, which offers a significant mechanical advantage. Because the ASU has an opportunity to recover during the “off” period of each on/off cycle, the impulses are delivered with somewhat greater force than a steady stream of air provides. Parker originally developed ASUs for the automotive industry as a way to save energy when blowing dust and other contaminants off of car bodies prior to painting. The unforeseen advantage of the on/off technique was its improved effectiveness for this application and its impact on the customer’s productivity metrics.

In addition to the automotive industry, ASUs can boost productivity in a wide range of other applications, including the removal of cuttings, shavings, etc. (i.e., swarf) produced by machining processes; PET bottle transfer and cleaning; parts feeding/handling; particulate separation, laser cutting; and electronic assembly systems.

The ASU is available in port sizes ranging from M5 (5 CFM flow) to 1¼-in. (530 CFM flow). Other features include adjustable pulse frequency and duty cycles, a silicone-free grease version for paint shop applications, and an on-time/off-time adjustment needle.

Elsewhere at the same booth, Parker Hannefin Electromechanical Automation used PACK EXPO to introduce a single-cable Hiperface DSL feedback option for its MPP/MPJ Series servo motors.

“Engineers desire to be self-sufficient,” said Jeremy Miller, Product Manager, linear mechanics. “The solution decided upon should be easy to set up and ‘just work’ as soon as it’s out of the box. A single-cable installation reduces wiring and installation time.”

Plus, with machine builders dealing with simultaneous trends toward simplifying componentry and making washdown easier, a single-cable option for servos kills a few birds with a single stone.

This new cabling technology was developed by SICK. Known as the “6H” for the MPP/MPJ Series, it offers 18-bit, multi-turn absolute feedback, while two-wire communication allows for a single power and feedback connector and cable. The servo motors’ all-digital design results in zero signal degradation over long cable lengths.

Programmed as a smart encoder for quick set up to Parker drives (IPA and PSD), the single connector and cable design will result in a cost reduction when compared to existing absolute encoders offered for this product line, says SICK. The single cable will also provide comparative weight reduction, less installation overhead to save time and money, smaller cable terminals, and reduced control-cabinet size.

Plus, the Hiperface DSL feedback option will work with the Intelligent Parker Amplifier (IPA), with firmware update 4.43, and with the Parker Servo Drive (PSD).

Delta flow wrapper is all Schneider
Delta Systems & Automation, Inc. introduced its newest Eagle horizontal flow wrapper outfitted completely with Schneider Electric controls. This high-speed machine features a smaller footprint, utilizing 8 servos and 13 variable frequency drives. The operator interface is Microsoft Windows-based. The control algorithms employ a state machine model, and the machine is PackML-compliant.

Engineering drawings, bills of material, user manuals, and training videos for the machine are all stored internally and are available through the operator interface screen. According to Software Engineering Manager Rick Calvin, the operator change log is one of the most valuable features available on the 22-in. high-definition display. The software developed for the machine was structured to enable its transportability from project to project.

Schneider Electric, a multinational corporation with headquarters in France, has been building its portfolio of products for some years through acquisition of iconic brands. Those brought together in the automation space under the Schneider corporate umbrella include Square D, Modicon, Wonderware, Citect, Foxboro, Invensys, Telemecanique, Berger - Positec, Elau, and a host of others. Many of these acquisitions have influenced the all-Schneider execution of this newly designed machine. The machine utilizes servos with integrated drives, PLCs for control and safety with IEC 61131-3 programming on top of a Codesys operating system, Sercos 3 for interconnecting I/O and servos, Ethernet IP to interconnect VFDs and safety systems, Modbus and Modbus TCP. The operator interface is Windows-based with Wonderware roots. One exception to the all-Schneider execution is SMC pneumatics, including a variety of network-connected devices.

Delta says the potential for remote diagnostics and maintenance can be realized by outfitting the operator or a maintenance technician with a webcam in conjunction with web-based meeting software, which allows a Delta technician to see exactly what the local technician sees. In Delta’s experience, large corporate customers are resisting remote connections due to security concerns while smaller family-owned businesses are permitting these connections. There is obviously a different balance of risk versus reward for these classes of customers.

This new Delta wrapper is clearly a state-of-the-art gen-3 mechatronic machine with the capability of playing in an Industry 4.0 world.

Helping build machines for FAST commissioning
Lenze introduced motor and inverter systems aimed at chipping away at machine time-to-commission, and driving down the time and engineering resources required to bring new machines online.

“Machine builders need operator-friendly solutions for the factory of the future. Lenze intelligent motor and inverter systems, modular and standardized software tools, machine self-optimization, and improved ease of machine commissioning translate into operator-friendly solutions,” said Doug Burns, Director of Sales and Marketing, Lenze Americas. “Also, more than ever before, there is a need for machines that require parameterization instead of programming. This is why Lenze’s goal in engineering is to make life easier for machine-builders.”

The suite of Lenze solutions demonstrated at PACK EXPO were aligned around reducing IT complexity without losing performance, energy efficiency, and scalability, according to the company. The i500 frequency inverters, for example, structurally separate the power and control unit, which contains different forms of fieldbus communications, including Ethernet, multiple I/O interfaces, and plug options for a keypad, USB, or a wireless LAN module. These interface options simplify commissioning on a network, parameter setting, and diagnosis. Users can control and perform preventive maintenance on the i500 inverters from a remote location with authenticated access.

Lenze modular drive technologies allow machine builders to launch flexible and intelligent machines at shorter intervals. FAST technology modules provide an easy-to-parameterize drive solution with a robotics core that makes programming multiple axes as simple to parameterize as a single positioning axis. The open-standard programming environment can be used for control at the process level and to precisely integrate upstream and downstream conveyor drive tasks using the same controller. The platform used in Lenze controllers is designed with internal controls and a PLC safety measure system. Plus, it comes equipped with detailed user rights management to support multi-layer cyber-security protocols.

The Lenze Smart Motor links the traditional field of speed-controlled drive technology with Industry 4.0 by blending the simplicity of an ordinary motor with advantages of an electronic drive control unit, and it gives mobile users the freedom to adjust motor speed with a smartphone app.

Added Burns, “Now more than ever machine builders need the right tools to quickly build and launch competitive new machines. Lenze has stepped up with a significant framework to reduce and manage machine development complexity and time.”

Mass customization pushes innovation efforts
With the changes that have come through the pipeline over the past few years in consumer products, manufacturers face more need for customized products—meaning shorter lot runs and demands for multiple changeovers. These requirements are passed on not only to high-end equipment manufacturers, but also to all machine builders, according to Frank Langro, Director of Marketing and Product Management for Festo. “Flexibility is no longer an option,” he said. “It’s a necessity for packaging.”

At a press tour of Festo’s PACK EXPO booth, executives from Festo and partner companies emphasized the concept of mass customization and the need for flexibility in manufacturing. Brad Schulz, Industry Segment Manager for end-of-line packaging, talked about Festo’s T-Gantry, which provides flexibility in both the X and Z axes through a single-belt design and two stationary motors that operate much like the knobs of an Etch A Sketch. Elsewhere at the Festo booth, the PFS-001 pneumatic quick-changeover system integrates a PLC on a valve manifold to create a modular device that’s especially suitable for retrofits. It controls up to eight individual pneumatic actuators with individually adjustable setpoints, eliminating the need for multiple manual adjustments and time-consuming changeovers to run new products. With this technology, manufacturers can change the width of a conveyor on the fly, Schulz said.

This is the kind of technology that Festo partner company Flexibility Engineering is making use of for advances in its Anysize automatic positioning system for guide rails (2). Anysize was first introduced in 2008, but Festo’s dynamic valve technology has enabled the latest iteration to accommodate a wider variety of package sizes. It can now handle hundreds of different bottle types, as well as cases of different sizes, noted Joe Pawelski, Vice President of Technology at Flexibility Engineering. “Some companies run 20 different bottles on the same line,” he said.

That need for product changeover is rampant in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry these days, and most conveyor lines are not ready for automatic changeovers, Pawelski said, noting that most are still manual. Servos are used sometimes to automate a conveyor, but they are typically cost-prohibitive, Pawelski noted, adding that pneumatic cylinders take up a lot of space, and hand-crank solutions are too complex. Flexibility Engineering has been able to keep its Anysize technology simple and cost-effective. “And there have been no failures on the cylinders to date, which is pretty incredible,” he said. “That’s what you get when you keep things simple.”

Annual Outlook Report: Workforce
Hiring remains a major challenge in packaging, with 78% struggling to fill unskilled roles and 84% lacking experienced workers. As automation grows, companies must rethink hiring and training. Download the full report for key insights.
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Annual Outlook Report: Workforce
Pharmaceutical Innovations Report
Discover the latest breakthrough packaging technologies shaping the pharmaceutical sector. This report dives into cutting-edge innovations, from smart containers that enhance patient safety to eco-friendly materials poised to transform the industry’s sustainability practices. All from PACK EXPO. Learn how forward-thinking strategies are driving efficiency and redefining what’s possible in pharma packaging.
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Pharmaceutical Innovations Report