Cartoning

Strong gains projected for machine vision in packaging

The pharmaceutical and food industries are expected to report 10%-plus gains annually in use of machine vision systems, says this report from a prominent trade group.

August 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components: Page 334

Cartoning

Packagers prepare for Y2K

Most manufacturers Packaging World contacted have found only minor potential Y2K problems on their packaging lines. Still, bugs can be elusive, especially for more automated plants.

August 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

Packagers appear prepared for Y2K

Confidential survey of readers identifies some problems, but assures that fixes have been offered. Performance guarantees are few and far between.

August 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

Controls suppliers push toward e-commerce

While few packaging machinery and materials suppliers have begun selling their products on their Web sites, controls and automation suppliers are finding it eminently easier to sell via cyberspace.

August 31, 1999

Containers

Machine vision affords economic inspection

Inexpensive machine vision frees up two workers, provides 100% on-line inspection for cosmetics producer.

August 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

Forging a control standard for packaging

Packaging faces a digital crossroads, with an opportunity ahead for packagers, if they seize it. At the February 1999 OMAC Users Group meeting, several packaging end-users indicated an interest in standardizing motion controls for packaging.

August 31, 1999

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Debating the future of packaging machine control

PC vs PLC -- Six packaging machinery builders debate the pros and cons of controlling packaging machinery with either computers or programmable logic controllers.

August 31, 1999

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Oil packer's ink-jets add bar codes

Private-label motor oil customers seek better bottle codes and bar codes on cases. Packer siezes opportunity to upgrade to a networked system using wax-based inks that help plant achieve pollution cutbacks.

August 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

ITW Angleboard: Corner posts

StackMaster(TM) is a corner post made of laminated paper by ITW Angleboard (Glenview, IL). It unitizes stacked loads, absorbs shock and prevents damage during package handling and transit.

July 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

Sealed Air Corporation: Foam packaging

Instapack® GFlex(TM)is a packaging foam from Sealed Air (Danbury, CT) that accommodates heavy products requiring protection from multiple impacts during shipping.

July 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

Total Control Products: PC control/HMI

FactoryClient 2000 is a Windows® CE-based PC control and human-machine interface from Total Control Products (Melrose Park, IL). It includes a 6" touchscreen display, an Ethernet port and industrial I/O interfaces.

July 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

Sonic Air Systems, Inc: Models on CD-ROM

A new CD-ROM displaying 3-D solid models of Sonic's air blowers, air knives and other components is available from Sonic Air Systems (Fullerton, CA).

July 31, 1999

Controls & Machine Components

STA Packaging Tapes: Carton-sealing tape

From STA Packaging Tapes (Garden Grove, CA) comes a 5-page color brochure describing the company's Supreme line of p-s water-based acrylic packaging tapes.

July 31, 1999