FEATURE PNEUMATICS & HYDRAULICS
Future-proofing tube packing
When it decided to simplify the design of its tube packing machines and make them Industry 4.0 ready, Cerulean worked with Festo to develop a new design concept
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anufactured by Cerulean, the FPS-1 tube packing machine is designed to bulk-pack tubes used for packaging cosmetics,
toothpaste, skin cream and sun care products. Typically positioned downstream from the tube maker which supplies the empty products ready-capped, this is capable of processing tube sizes ranging from 10-60mm in diameter and 50-300mm in length, in materials ranging from aluminium to plastic or laminate. However, the personal care market is rapidly evolving and companies
in the supply chain need to be responsive, reliable and efficient. It is a continuous production,
high speed environment – but the interface between batches of tubes being completed and then entering the packing stage is challenging. The transition usually requires either a large scale, bespoke, automation solution or hand packing into cartons by multiple production workers, which is both labour intensive and less hygienic. However, as the tube products are lightweight and cap heavy, they can be difficult to stack or hold temporarily while packing takes place. Pausing production inevitably leads to inefficiencies and disruption for the rest of the production line. So, when the company decided to overhaul the machine, it turned to Festo
in order to help simplify the design and deliver an improved, future-proof, packing solution. It quickly became clear that the companies could work in partnership to make significant improvements to the FPS-1 system, not only in terms of pneumatic efficiency, but also to make it Industry 4.0 ready, explained Josh Roberts, Festo business development consultant. To benefit the end user, the new solution needed to: improve capacity;
reduce energy consumption and running costs; reduce noise; make servicing easier; introduce better communications capabilities to support flexible manufacturing; offer continued compliance with the latest safety standards; and be Industry 4.0 ready/future-proofed. Shaun Toms, portfolio manager at Cerulean, commented: “Packaging
equipment is a critical investment and needs to last for many years to deliver a true return on investment. Reducing outages can have a major impact on the bottom line. So, in addition to developing a new, future- proof version of the FPS-1 tube packer, we wanted the ability to offer customers a simple but effective way of upgrading their existing system. It was a big ask, but Festo rose to the occasion.”
A NEW DESIGN CONCEPT Festo worked with Cerulean to develop a new design concept for the FPS-1 system, conducting an air analysis of the existing and concept machines to prove the theoretical design. This project was also Cerulean’s first utilisation of a new third-party PLC and Festo provided integration support. The existing design comprised multiple valve terminals positioned around the tube packer and connected with long pipe runs. By applying its
30 OCTOBER 2020 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS
A customer using the upgraded system can pack up to 28,800 more tubes over a 24 hour period than was previously possible
pneumatics expertise, Festo was able to replace these multiple terminals with a single valve terminal, simplifying the design. A key feature is the use of sealing technology within the valve panel to create multiple pressure zones, which reduces design complexity and the physical number of valves required. The company also conducted pneumatic sizing checks to ensure optimum valve specification. With all the valves in one place, access for servicing and maintenance is much easier and new diagnostics on the valve terminals enable fault reporting and energy usage monitoring. Another Festo contribution is the
addition of automatic cushioning so that the tube packer can run faster without damaging the product. This feature removes the need for manual set-up when cylinders are replaced, saving time and eliminating errors. In addition, the safety valves are supplied with bespoke Sistema information files for each component, allowing the customer to check that everything is compliant with the relevant safety standards. Festo’s CPX controller over
EtherCat ensures that the tube packer has a platform which can accommodate I4.0 enabled
products in the future, so the upgraded system is fully forwards compatible. This provides reassurance to end-users that the tube packer represents a good long-term investment. The automation and pneumatic upgrades to the tube packer are designed
as two kits: a valve control kit and an actuator kit. Each kit has the same footprint as the equipment it is intended to replace. In addition, each kit has its own unique order number – eliminating the need to order multiple components – and is supplied fully assembled and ready to install.
BENEFITS OF THE UPGRADE The new machine is called the FPS-300s. Upgrades have broadened the range of tube sizes that can be packed at the machine’s maximum capability of 300 units/min. So, for these tube sizes, a customer using an upgraded system can pack up to 28,800 more tubes over a 24 hour period than was previously possible. In addition, the improved system uses 5% less energy than its predecessor. Of further benefit, the packing process is now fully automated. The Festo
pneumatics allow the FPS-300s to introduce the correctly sized standard carton and to push a layer of tubes into place without any human intervention. The length of the ‘push’ is determined by the length of the tube product: parameters which are pre-programmed into the machine. Once the first layer of tubes is in place, pneumatic grippers release the carton and allow it to fall to the next level so filling and packing can continue uninterrupted. When the carton is full, it is lifted onto an overhead conveyor and taken on for palletising. This results in less time and less cost.
Festo
www.festo.com / DESIGNSOLUTIONS
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