Controls & machine components

Machine vision system

The Inspector, IC Vision’s (Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada) new “self-learning” machine vision system, is designed for cap- or container-making companies.

March 31, 2001

Controls & machine components: Page 284

Conveying & accumulation

Skepticism surrounds rebuilt packaging equipment

Some 55% of 286 respondents to a Web survey said their companies had purchased used or rebuilt packaging equipment, or had their own packaging machines rebuilt. Here’s a look at what was replaced and the benefits they sought to gain.

March 31, 2001

Conveying & accumulation

Rayovac charges up battery lines

Two new production lines package AA and AAA batteries, respectively, into peggable, reclosable RPET clamshells. Integrated setups include self-designed battery handling systems.

March 31, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Krones, Inc: Line simulation software

Krones (Franklin, WI) has introduced its state-of-the-art line simulation software that provides an exact-scale, automated computer representation of a packaging line.

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Optimation, Inc: Ethernet I/O for PC

OL4058 Ethernet RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) from Optimation (Huntsville, AL) lists for $199 and provides eight slots for plug-in I/O modules, an Ethernet link and an RS232 serial port.

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

lpha gear drives, Inc: Right-angle gearhead

The right angle design of the V-Drive series gearheads from Alpha Gear Drives (Elk Grove Village, IL) allows them to be used in a variety of applications where space is at a premium.

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Canfield Connector: Mini sensor

The 9B sensor, with a 3.8-mm diameter, fits into a 4-mm round keyway slot on a cylinder or actuator. The ultra-miniature sensor, from Canfield Connector (Youngstown, OH), uses a small, remote sensing device to relay a signal back to a PLC or PC.

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

CTC Parker Automation: Distributed I/O

CTC Parker Automation (Milford, OH) now offers distributed I/O for its line of PC-based controls. CTC is now licensed to sell I/O products from Wieland Electric (Bamberg, Germany).

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Viewtronix Inc: Industrial workstations

Viewtronix (Ann Arbor, MI) offers 4 models of NEMA 4/12 industrial panel-mount workstations for use in harsh environment applications. The IC Workstation series is available in 10.4”, 12”, 15” and 18” flat-panel display sizes.

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Siemens Industry Inc: Expanded micro PLC line

Siemens Energy and Automation (Alpharetta, GA) has expanded its Simatic S7-200 micro PLC product offering to include 8 CPU options, 25 digital and analog expansion modules, and more user-friendly software.

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Balluff: Linear position sensors

Balluff’s (Florence, KY) new Micropulse magnetostrictive linear position sensors are available with a Profibus-DP interface. The profile-style sensors offer a stroke length up to 157” and provide sub-millisecond position updates, position resolution of 0.0002” and velocity resolution of 0.004”/sec.

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Mitsubishi Electronics Americ: Mitsubishi Electronics Americ: Micro-drive

Mitsubishi Electric Automation (Vernon Hills, IL) has released the S500 Series variable frequency drive, which is designed to be simple to use, configure and operate.

February 28, 2001

Controls & Machine Components

Computational Systems Inc: Monitoring systems

CSI (Knoxville, TN) offers the 4500 Series Online RBM Consultant, a monitoring tool that can be used with packaging equipment. Handles 32 channels of sensor inputs, 16 pulse tach inputs and 16 opto-type digital I/O relay channels for online monitoring of machinery.

February 28, 2001