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Servos bring speed, energy savings, and reduced maintenance

Now that side gripper chain advance and the opening and closing of both thermoforming and heat-sealing tools are servo driven, the Formpack F1 offers a number of improvements.

Controls platform. Since switching to servo motors for key axes of motion and moving to a new controller, cycle times on Ilpra’s thermoforming machines are up to 30% faster.
Controls platform. Since switching to servo motors for key axes of motion and moving to a new controller, cycle times on Ilpra’s thermoforming machines are up to 30% faster.

Pneumatically operated in the past, the Formpack line of roll-fed thermoforming machines from Ilpra now feature servo-driven actuation in key areas. In moving to servo drives and motors supplied by Lenze, Italy’s Ilpra, represented in the U.S. by Roberts Technology Group, has also switched to a Lenze PLC as its machine controller.

According to Ilpra Product Manager Andrea Zini, the move to servo first occurred in 2009. But the servo motors selected by Ilpra at the time were made by a company other than the local Italian supplier that was behind Ilpra’s dedicated controller. “With this earlier implementation, which involved two suppliers, we experienced some limitations,” says Zini. “By going to one source for motors and PLC, we were able to overcome these limitations. In the process, because now we are dealing with an internationally known controls and automation supplier, we have access to far more features, more experience, and better reliability.”

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