SOMIC packaging machines rely on SIKO AP05 electronic position indicators

Lid-tray packer SOMIC 424 DT for collecting, group and packing products in open up cartons or in chapeau-tray packs (lid is inside). Photo - SOMIC

When companies need packaging machines for their products – whether it's for coffee capsules, cough sweets, batteries or plasters – an essential attribute of the investment is to find the well-nigh flexible solution that tin can handle a wide range of bundle sizes and formats. However, this requires intelligent size changeover in society to exist able to provide such flexibility. Electronic position indicators from SIKO simplify the changeover procedure on SOMIC packaging machines and ensure simple operator guidance and greater process reliability.

Germany based SOMIC is well known for innovative solutions in end-of-line packaging machines, that is for secondary and third packaging. These include wraparound packers, tray packers or tray lid packers also as machines for brandish packaging presented to customers in the supermarket. Here, either the wraparound carton has a typical tear perforation or, in the tray lid version, the lid is removed and the product is presented in the tray.

SOMIC machines are characterized primarily by the fact that the respective carton is folded around the production in its primary packaging and non inserted into a pre-folded carton via picker, as is the example with other manufacturers.

As a rule, a packaging machine consists of a product infeed, through which the private products are fed into a so-called collection group. Typically, this is a compartment file, which groups the products in the way they are to be placed in the box after. Depending on whether it is a i-piece or 2-piece packet, a flat carton blank is transported from 1 or two carton magazines until the grouped production can be pushed onto the flat blank. This is finally folded around the product protected by the folding head, which means that the product is handled very gently. In the side by side station, the product is then lidded or individually sealed, depending on whether information technology is a wraparound or chapeau tray machine.

SIKO position indicators — clear and easy to read

SIKO mechanical position indicators, a specialist in industrial measuring and drive technology, are installed in all SOMIC machines for possible size changeovers to a different product or packaging size. "We have already enjoyed many years of expert cooperation with SIKO in the field of mechanical position indicators", emphasizes Johann Härtl, head of Construction at SOMIC. "For about nine years now, nosotros have also been using the electronic, bus-uniform SIKO displays, outset the AP04 and now the successor model AP05. They are very meaty, piece of cake to integrate into the machine control system and very user-friendly in terms of readability and clarity."

The SIKO position indicator AP05 with dark-green status LEDs shows a correct car setting. Photo – SOMIC

Adjustments on SOMIC customer machines are very different. "There are machines with merely one format setting, and so-called high runner lines. Other customers, on the other hand, have upwardly to 20 or thirty formats on the lines and make full use of the flexibility. Some even produce wraparound and tray packaging on a single machine, where a wide variety of products need to exist packaged. SOMIC covers a large production range in the food sector, but likewise in not-nutrient, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Härtl commented, "Anything in a supermarket in a tray pack could have been packed in a SOMIC machine!"

Process reliability with cherry-red or green system

The advantages of monitored size changeover, as fabricated possible by the integration of the electronic SIKO position indicators, are faster changeover times, ergonomic functioning and high procedure reliability. The operator selects the corresponding format, which is stored as a recipe in the machine control system, and the machine command system sends the new set values to the displays to be adjusted. The backlit LCD displays are easy to read and also feature greenish and red status LEDs. When the correct value is reached by turning a crank, the LED changes to green — Position reached. Otherwise the LED will continue to calorie-free upwards red and readjustment is necessary.

Monitored format setting on a SOMIC 424 TD (tray lid automobile with external lid) using the SIKO AP05 position indicator. As shortly as the bodily value in the upper display field corresponds to the lower target value by turning the crank handle, the status LED switches from red to green: Position correct. Photograph – SOMIC

In addition, arrows too conveniently point the direction in which aligning is required. As the communication interface of the SIKO position indicators in the machine control always provides the current position information, it is effectively ruled out that incorrect settings could lead to quality problems or even damage to motorcar parts when the machine is restarted. Adjustment with electronic displays is much more efficient, especially on machines with many aligning points and frequent changes. The car has stored all default values; target positions no longer take to be manually selected from format lists.

Monitored size changeover and "quick change principle"

With SOMIC, the factors of time savings and efficiency are not only guaranteed by electronic SIKO position indicators when changing formats, but also past the "Quick Change Principle". Here, format parts are inverse in their entirety in the machine. All that is needed to attain this is a quick-release fastener, which means that no further tools are required. Taken together (adjustment via electronic position indicator and Quick-Change principle), SOMIC packaging machines tin be converted to new dimensions much more efficiently.

Johann Härtl, head of Structure at SOMIC

Härtl knows that the customers' response to the electronically monitored size changeover is very positive," The AP05 is optional; mechanical SIKO meters are installed as standard. Still, the trend is moving towards electronically monitored indicators, especially since around 90 to 95 pct of our machines require size changeovers." Approximately fifty% of customers already use the electronic version, with SOMIC expecting a further increase here. Härtl said, "The digitalization of machines continues to increase. And the AP05 is one more than sensor that helps me to record machine information. So I know, for example, when I have driven which batch with which setting and tin can salvage the data."

Side by side step — Full automation

The next expansion step would be the full automation of size changeover via actuators. The first concepts are already being tested here at SOMIC, as the client's want for increasing machine flexibility while simultaneously maintaining high process reliability is strong, in order to be able to map as many unlike formats as price-finer as possible. The more than adjustment points there are and the more often the formats accept to be inverse, the more interesting fully automatic aligning becomes.

SOMIC is already in discussion with SIKO regarding fully automated actuators. "Nosotros are happy to provide support for further developments and new projects", emphasizes Moritz Müller, Position Line product manager at SIKO. "This includes, for case, the integration of IO-Link interfaces to simplify integration into the auto control system or total automation via our add-on-uniform compact actuators."

Writer — Michaela Wassenberg, freelance announcer

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