www.machineryupdate.co.uk NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 MACHINERY UPDATE 23
Installation News
Inspection process reaches break-neck speeds for bars Since installation, not a single product defect has been shipped
High speed control for copper tubes A manufacturer of copper tubes turned to Bytronic when it needed an automated solution for detecting joints, without stopping or slowing the line. This brief presented a real challenge, due to the material, the environment and the speed of the line, which runs at up to 130 metres per minute. However, Bytronic developed an inspection system that could identify the tell-tale diameter changes in the ‘crimped’ area of a joint in less than 30 milliseconds. During rigorous on-site testing and trials, the Bytronic team calibrated the acceptable parameters for variation in the tubing, including allowances for the presence of specks of copper dust on the tube, before dealing with issues such as glare or reflection from the manufacturing environment that could affect image inspection. This software was then calibrated with a fixed, Cognex Insight 7000 camera, installed above the line, with inspection and processing power built-in using the InspectEdge tooling available from Cognex. Now operational, the inspection system checks each tube after cutting. If a crimp is detected, the system automatically triggers a ‘reject’ alarm in the form of a light and buzzer to alert the line operators. It then displays an image of the joint on the screen. T 01564 793174 W www.bytronic.com
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parc Systems says it has set new speed records with a custom metal detection and checkweighing installation designed for a leading diet food manufacturer. Robust machine construction, vibrationfiltering software and a highspeed electric pusher reject are the three main design elements utilised by Sparc to enable Fortress Technology’s Stealth metal detector and its own Sentinel checkweigher to inspect flow wrapped bars at speeds of up to 400 packs a minute – more than six bars per second in operation. Integrated within an entirely new cereal bar processing and packaging line, which includes ovens, cooling tunnels and a flow wrapper, the two new inspection systems ensure that every bar leaves the line metalfree and compliant with its stated pack weight. Usually, manufacturers who are wanting to carry out metal detection and checkweighing on the same
Every bar leaves the line metal-free and compliant with its stated pack weight
line opt for a space-saving combi system. However, in this instance, the specialist weight control company wanted to screen its bars for metal contamination prior to wrapping, when the highest detection sensitivity can be achieved. This was because the bars are wrapped in metallic film, which can confuse any metal detector. Checkweighing, on the other hand, needed to take place after product wrapping. Given that weighing accuracy is imperative for dietary products, which need to provide exactly the number
of calories stated on the pack, the customer stipulated a target weight of 51 g with a tolerance of +/- 1 g for this project. The checkweigher has exceeded the customer’s expectations, achieving reliable weigh accuracy of +/- 0.25 g, keeping the bars well within the e-mark rules. Speed and accuracy were two other important criteria during this project; the customer wanted a metal detector and checkweigher that could achieve 400 packs a minute on the line. T 01684 310000 W www.sparc-systems.com
PPMA member has been awarded three new projects that are all being shipped to the USA CWM Automation has recently been awarded three new projects to be designed, manufactured and then shipped over to the US. The first project is for a rotary bagging machine which is being designed to fill 20 bags a minute with varying sizes of rolls of wipes. This machine includes a pick & place station for the bags, an infeed conveyor for the rolls of wipes, another pick & place option, but this time for the wipes, servo-driven
filling stations, an air vacuum out & sealing station and also an eject mechanism. INLINE CANISTER SEALS The second project is to design and manufacture an inline canister sealing machine, with estimated operational speeds of up to 120 canisters a minute. This sealing machine consists of a through conveyor and a scroll infeed and heat sealing station with the film fed via a special roll stock system.
The third project involves an XP inline canister sealing machine for a Class 1, Division 1 area. These particular canisters will be pre-filled with wipes and liquid (with bleach and alcohol content). Each of CWM’s machines are custom-made to meet the customer’s exact requirements at the company’s newly refurbished factory in Gainsborough which houses its engineering team. T 01427 614222 W www.cwm-automation.com
