Each motion on the Trak-n-Pak corrugated wrapping machine is customized to each order that's being packaged. That's only possible by extensive use of software and servo technology. "This machine could not be built with a line shaft. It had to have servos," explains Will Salley, Delta's chief technology officer and designer of the Trak-n-Pak.
Although it is possible to use, for example, a spring-loaded wheel to compensate for different package sizes, the results aren't necessarily good or predictable. "That might work with some products, but when you try to use mechanical pressure on a DVD case, it cracks and breaks," Salley says. Thanks to software and servos, "the Trak-n-Pak measures and uses the exact amount of force" to wrap corrugated around the product.
The machine has 14 Bosch Rexroth Eco Drives and servomotors. "We consider them to be the best drive and motor combination from a technical and price-performance point of view," says Salley. "Their motors deliver the perfomance, reliability, and precision. Their support is global. You don't have to worry about where you're sending the machine."
The machine controller is Delta's own SoftFlow[tm] software running on an industrial PC with color touchscreen display. SoftFlow combines logic, motion, human-machine interface (HMI), and networking functions all in one control. The built-in networking functionality permits the machine to scan bar codes on the packing slip, query the factory computer for shipping label data, print the label, scan the printed label, and verify the label against the data in the factory computer to ensure accuracy.
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