Articles and News

H2M Technologies, a French company that builds packaging machines for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, uses Keyence's XG-7000 vision system for on-line inspection of statutory markings and data matrix codes.

Michelsen Packaging used a Process Sensors PSC-450 Surveyor Thermal Imaging Camera for monitoring and controlling moisture in molded tray production.

ASCO will award two $5,000 scholarships to U.S. engineering students, provide $1,000 grants to their college’s engineering departments, and host the students at “The Amazing Packaging Race” at PACK EXPO International in 2016.

Flexible robotic packaging systems combine Universal’s Neocortex artificial intelligence platform with DPPS’ process control expertise using Yaskawa Motoman robots.

Sealed Air increased the production speed of the Jiffy-Lite paper-sleeve, laminated bubble wrap mailers by using Siemens Sinamics V20, Sinamics S120 AC drives and Simotion motion controllers.

Eastern Controls is now the E+H rep for the Mid-Atlantic area – Metropolitan New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

Technowrapp’s Runner Arm can wrap 136 pallets/hour with 10 turns per pallet, stabilising a pallet with just 76 grams of stretch wrap film.

Before the implementation of Unidrive M, Render’s machines were able to deliver 25 or 26 cycles per minute. Since adopting Unidrive M, the business has seen returns of 30 cycles per minute.

By Oliver Haya and Erik Myers, Rockwell Automation Manufacturers and packaging contractors are constantly striving to locate a cost-effective and flexible way to increase productivity in their packaging operations, while also economizing their floor space. Traditional linear moving systems rarely meet all the criteria. The intelligent modular track systems offer greater flexibility and energy efficiency, and lower operating and maintenance costs.

Dougherty, who joined the staff in 2012, spearheads member engagement and recruitment efforts.

Bill Lydon: I am convinced that collaborative robots are the highest impact automation development to improve manufacturing since the assembly line. If this development follows the cost performance trends of past developments, like PCs, we at the beginning of a new revolution.

Cranston began his career with Barry-Wehmiller Design Group in 1998 and joined the BW Container Systems executive team in 2007.

By Bill Lydon, Editor According to IFR, more than 220,000 robots were sold globally in 2014. The automotive industry is still the strongest, followed by the electronics industry. But there are many more applications in other industries that are just starting to grow, particularly with new small, safe, and collaborative robots.

January U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $341.17, down 32.9% from December’s $508.57 million.

Proseal UK is now able to securely access, diagnose and quickly resolve issues on its tray sealing machines located anywhere in the world, via secure Broadband connections.

U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $506.89 million, up 32.7% from November and up 4.7% when compared with the total of $484.08 million reported for December 2013.

The two packaging companies will form an unnamed company that will have combined net sales of $15.7 billion.

Koke will be based out of Synerlink’s new U.S. office in Duncan, SC, sharing a facility with Synerlink’s sister company, Hayssen Packaging Systems

PLCopen and OPC Foundation created an open standards ecosystem that simplifies the communications of packaging machines with other plant systems and the business enterprise.

U.S. packaging machinery shipments increased by 6 percent, to $7.9 billion, in 2013.