Cartoning

Passing data horizontally from processing to packaging

Treating processing and packaging as disjointed tasks hurts efficiency and retards speed to market. New views of controls and integration could bring the two closer together.

August 31, 2004

Trends: Page 612

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Drive Integration with Standards

As companies find many reasons to integrate data from process manufacturing and packaging with each other and with the rest of the company’s business applications, engineers are turning to standards and models from the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society (ISA), OMAC Packaging Workgroup and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for help.

August 31, 2004

Controls & Machine Components

Partnership Breaks Manufacturing Barriers (sidebar)

Recently OMAC Users Group announced that it would like to work with the World Batch Forum committee on the S88 standard in order to achieve greater interoperability between batch processing systems and packaging systems.

August 31, 2004

Secondary Packaging

Servos bring gentle handling

On this four-axis tray loader, an integrated controller teams up with intelligent servo drives on all four servo motors.

August 31, 2004

Labeling

Pharma labels are triple-checked

Three smart cameras on a labeling system use sophisticated image-processing technology to ensure accuracy and readability of lot, date, and bar code.

August 31, 2004

Flexible packaging

Productive pouching

Rotary servo gear motor boosts productivity of hf/f/s pouch machines.

August 31, 2004

Sustainability

Pack Expo visits lead to purchases

Representatives from both a Heinz division and a well known California winery both found the servo-based equipment they needed at Pack Expo International 2002.

August 31, 2004

Controls & Machine Components

Non-metallic enclosures

Several non-metallic enclosure models have been added to AutomationDirect’s line of enclosures. The new Premier Series line enclosures are constructed of fiberglass and feature poured PU seamless gaskets for watertight and dustproof seals.

August 31, 2004

Controls & Machine Components

Tiny solenoids

New B16 and B17 open-frame solenoids weighing as little as 0.44 oz are the smallest ever offered by Saia-Burgess. They provide continuous or intermittent duty, on/off operation, and pull-in engagement at forces to 25 oz.

July 31, 2004

Controls & Machine Components

OPC Foundation names executive director

The OPC Foundation, an organization whose goal is to be the most important global developer of open connectivity technology, has named Thomas Burke the OPC Foundation’s first full-time executive director.

July 31, 2004

Controls & Machine Components

SERCOS improves interoperability with Pack Profile

The SERCOS organizations, one in North America and one in Europe, have announced the development of a Pack Profile in response to a request by the OMAC Packaging Workgroup.

July 31, 2004

Controls & Machine Components

OMAC/WBF update

Ongoing efforts to harmonize the standards being developed by the OMAC Packaging Workgroup and the World Batch Forum took a significant step forward at an August 17-18 meeting at Pfizer’s Peapack, NJ, facility.

July 31, 2004

Secondary Packaging

New case packing technology offers extreme flexibility

A+F Automation’s Case Packers, featuring their new TwinLine robotic pick & place technology, offer high speed case packing of multiple products and pack patterns through design innovations that include materials and PacDrive automation from ELAU.

July 31, 2004