Motion control, ease of use, sustainability: Pack Expo Las Vegas 2023

Packaging machine design insights

• Advances in PC-based controls, motion controls and robotics for food and packaging are making automation for food and beverage applications easier to automate.
• Motor and motion controls, standards, contextualization technologies and easier programming are helping in packaging implementations.

Organizers are calling Pack Expo Las Vegas 2023 the “most comprehensive packaging and processing event in North America this year,” highlighted sustainability, noting the Sept. 11-13 event includes “partners, vendors, and exhibitors are working together to create actionable sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, and design as well as through improved processes on the show floor.”

PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents more than 950 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials and providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry. Increased sustainability emphasis includes expert speakers, actionable sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, recovery, logistics, analytics and design.

Pack Expo Las Vegas, as of mid-July, expected more than 2,000 suppliers in more than 40 vertical markets. Dow is the show’s official Sustainability Partner. Victor Zapata, commercial vice president, packaging and specialty plastics North America, Dow, said, “Sustainability is no longer a ‘nice-to-have,’ but a necessary part of any company’s business strategy and growth. Yet, no one company can do it alone. Enabling a circular economy requires all of us working together to advance collective solutions.”

Among show-related efforts beyond explaining their sustainability offerings, exhibitors can participate in a post-show donation program, benefiting local organizations in the Las Vegas area, by donating any unwanted food, electronics or booth materials. PMMI will donate or recycle any remaining carpet after the show.

Automation at Pack Expo Las Vegas

Automation, an integral part of packaging and production-line machine technologies, remains a significant part of Pack Expo Las Vegas, and Control Engineering plans coverage at the show.

Releases and developments related to automation and controls for packaging, motion control and machine design, as of mid-August, include the following.

PC-based controls, robotics for food and packaging

Beckhoff Automation emphasized PC-based controls and EtherCAT communications for high-speed and precision-focused packaging-related automation. Product-transport motion-control systems integrate with a wide portfolio of computers, human-machine interfaces (HMIs), motors, drive, input-output devices, networking and TwinCAT software platform for engineering and runtime. Other specific products include the MX-System for control cabinet-free packaging application (photo), XPlanar for floating product transport, XTS for flexible machine motion control concepts, XTS with NCT for mobile product processing and Atro, a modular industrial robot system.

Beckhoff Automation MX-System is a pluggable platform for cabinet-free packaging machines. The modular system has pluggable IPCs, I/Os, couplers, motion, relays, and more on scalable baseplates for direct installation on the machine. It is IP67-rated with robust metal housing for control cabinet-free machine and system concepts. Courtesy: Beckhoff Automation

Kuka Robotics KR 3 Delta HM Hygienic robot (photo: ceiling-mounted robot with reach of 1,200mm, a maximum payload capacity of 3 kg and cycle times as low as 0.5 seconds) and KR IonTec robot can help for food processing. In a pick-and-place/bin-picking application, Kuka will simulate a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) production environment in a cell with KR 3 Delta Hygienic robot along with KR 6 SCARA (6-kg payload positions at a repeatability of +/- 0.02 mm) and KR 6 Agilus robots (10-kg payload and comes in a wide range of variants for challenging applications such as clean rooms and potentially explosive environments).

Kuka Robotics KR 3 Delta HM Hygienic robot is a ceiling-mounted robot with reach of 1,200mm, a maximum payload capacity of 3 kg and cycle times as low as 0.5 seconds. Courtesy: Kuka Robotics

Motion control, motion and other standards, contextualization

Lenze Americas touts 75 years of experience in the packaging industry, offering motion-related products and services for machine retrofits or new designs. Benefits include experts, a comprehensive automation platform with modular software and scalable hardware, reliable drive systems, use of open standards along with global services and training.

PLCOpen said its combined technologies and standards with OMAC and the OPC Foundation, provide more than individually. They each focus on a different section of the production flow and combine well with their vision, standards, and activities, PLCOpen said. PLCopen Motion Control efforts include mapping of OMAC PackML State Diagram to IEC 61131-3. Application examples with PLCopen Motion Control will be discussed.

Rockwell Automation plans to bring smart manufacturing life by simplifying data access and contextualization from machine design through impactful enterprise use cases. Demonstrations include virtual reality and emulation demonstrations of advanced technologies. Discussions will cover workforce, production optimization and data solutions. Packaging automation innovators can help with the latest advanced technologies for a more flexible, scalable and data-driven future.

The Rockwell Automation ArmorKinetix Distributed Servo Drives (photo) to provide customers with a scalable drive solution that helps them deliver leaner, greener and more powerful machine designs. This new distributed servo drive technology is said to lower total system costs, improves productivity and increases uptime for manufacturers, making it a desirable option to enabling the next generation of production machines with power output up to 5.5kW in distributed or integrated designs.

The Rockwell Automation ArmorKinetix Distributed Servo Drives is available as a distributed servo drive or as an integrated servo drive and motor, has power output up to 5.5kW, advanced analytics using integrated vibration and thermal sensors, integrated safety technology capable of achieving SIL 3, CIP Security capability and IP66 certification. Courtesy: Rockwell Automation

Motors, motion, robotics and easier programming

Siemens Digital Industries provides an array of design, automation, connectivity and lifecycle solutions. Among many Siemens products appropriate for packaging applications is the Sinamics S200 servo, which contains a Sinamics S200 drive and Simotics S-1FL2 motor with standard or flexible cable options. It’s designed for easy setup with the electronic type plate on the 1FL2 motor and one-button tunning in the S200 drive. The motion-control combination serves stand-alone and networked machine market applications.

Profinet and Pulse Train versions of single-axis ac/ac drive are available. It has a security chip and UMAC protection. Related machine simulation is fit for digitalization. Global standards for worldwide use including UL, CE and SEMI 47. It has a built-in web server and one-button tuning and can be used for positioning, conveyorized moving and processing, whether standalone or operated by a motion controller.

The new Siemens Sinamics S200 servo-drive system, comprising the S200 drive and Simotics S-1FL2 servo motor with Motion Connect cabling, bring an enhanced level of performance to a stand-alone or networked machine for various market uses. Courtesy: Siemens

Yaskawa Motoman said customer demands and market pressures continue to prompt company leaders to find innovative ways to effectively manage processing and packaging operations, including flexible and capable robotic technologies. From saving energy and reducing waste to optimizing current workflow and creating a more resilient workforce, a growing number of economical and intelligent technologies are helping.

Chris Caldwell, Yaskawa product manager said, “At the show, Yaskawa will feature multiple robot demonstrations showcasing extremely fast, flexible and easy-to-program robots. Whether your focus is consumer goods, cosmetics, food and beverage, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals or specialty items, our versatile suite of proven products and peripherals can help boost production stability.” Technologies planned include robotic induction, collaborative palletizing, interactive mixed-processing, industrial pallet pattern generation and hands-on robotic programming opportunities.

– Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

KEYWORDS: Motion control, robotics

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