Wexxar Packaging (www.wexxar.com), a division of Pro Mach, has added an electro-mechanical servo system to its patented Pin & Dome technology featured on WF30 case formers. This new servo technology from Festo (www.festo.com) is designed to deliver improved control over high-speed case forming. The enhanced automatic WF30 provides reliable, consistent case forming even with varied quality and types of corrugated.
“One of the changes we’re seeing in packaging,” says Wexxar general manager William Chu, “is an increase in the amount of recycled material being used in corrugated, which is much more variable than non-recycled material. In less demanding environments, these variances in corrugated can be addressed manually. But at higher speeds, such variances can affect the time it takes to open cases and can impact case flow across an entire production line, especially over long periods of operation.” The new servo technology, says Chu, helps Wexxar address this new fact of manufacturing life.
A machine’s performance is affected by the age, size, shape, and design of the corrugated material. The addition of recycled content can exacerbate existing corrugated imperfections, causing additional warp, dimensional variations, and increased fragility. The WF30’s new servo system solves these challenges by reacting to the resistance cases present when being opened. It uses a linear actuator that sends the information about the resistance detected in the cases to the WF30 control platform, which compensates for any variances and maintains a consistent case forming speed.
The servo system also makes continual, automatic adjustments to the Pin & Dome case opening motion to help ensure speed is maintained, regardless of corrugated quality, thickness, or case size. The WF30 servo system even adapts to different types of corrugated cases alternately presented for opening. Because the servo system is electric, adjustments at higher speeds are automatic, responding more readily to minor fluctuations in the forming process. The new Festo™ electro-mechanical servo system makes the WF30 more energy-efficient and is now standard on all WF30 machines.
The WF30 servo system ties into a Rockwell (www.rockwellautomation.com) Allen-Bradley CompactLogix control platform with built-in Ethernet. It allows a machine to be diagnosed and its software to be uploaded remotely where network-capable systems are available. The CompactLogix control platform is also standard on the WF30.
The WF30, available with tape or glue bottom sealing, forms up to 30 cases per minute.
For related articles visit packworld.com/automation.
“One of the changes we’re seeing in packaging,” says Wexxar general manager William Chu, “is an increase in the amount of recycled material being used in corrugated, which is much more variable than non-recycled material. In less demanding environments, these variances in corrugated can be addressed manually. But at higher speeds, such variances can affect the time it takes to open cases and can impact case flow across an entire production line, especially over long periods of operation.” The new servo technology, says Chu, helps Wexxar address this new fact of manufacturing life.
A machine’s performance is affected by the age, size, shape, and design of the corrugated material. The addition of recycled content can exacerbate existing corrugated imperfections, causing additional warp, dimensional variations, and increased fragility. The WF30’s new servo system solves these challenges by reacting to the resistance cases present when being opened. It uses a linear actuator that sends the information about the resistance detected in the cases to the WF30 control platform, which compensates for any variances and maintains a consistent case forming speed.
The servo system also makes continual, automatic adjustments to the Pin & Dome case opening motion to help ensure speed is maintained, regardless of corrugated quality, thickness, or case size. The WF30 servo system even adapts to different types of corrugated cases alternately presented for opening. Because the servo system is electric, adjustments at higher speeds are automatic, responding more readily to minor fluctuations in the forming process. The new Festo™ electro-mechanical servo system makes the WF30 more energy-efficient and is now standard on all WF30 machines.
The WF30 servo system ties into a Rockwell (www.rockwellautomation.com) Allen-Bradley CompactLogix control platform with built-in Ethernet. It allows a machine to be diagnosed and its software to be uploaded remotely where network-capable systems are available. The CompactLogix control platform is also standard on the WF30.
The WF30, available with tape or glue bottom sealing, forms up to 30 cases per minute.
For related articles visit packworld.com/automation.
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