April 21, 2011 - ORMEC announces Rotary Knife, Cut-to-Length software solution for its XD-Indexer servo drive system. The system is comprised of two XD-Indexer servo drives, a pacer encoder and an MMI touch panel. The application includes recipe management functions and an easy-to-use operator interface that supports up to 50 unique recipes. Automated rotary knife systems are used in the packaging, food processing, and printing industries. This preprogrammed solution provides a flexible operating environment along with the ability to incorporate customer specific modifications.
Benefits of this implementation include cost savings from reduced engineering time and eliminate the need for a PLC or programmable motion controller. Machine logic and calculations are executed in the operator panel using a built-in BASIC-like language. In a typical ‘Cut-to-Length’ application, a rotary knife cuts continuously fed material (web, extrusion, wire, etc.) to specified lengths. A series of product recipes are required and are based upon predetermined input variables such as feed length, speed synchronization angle and over-speed coefficient.
The feed and knife axes of motion are synchronously controlled. The knife blade tip is precisely controlled and travels at a very specific tangential velocity at the point of contact with the material to be cut.
