FEATURE u IoT
Future-proofing the pharma, life sciences and manufacturing industries in Ireland
Tekpak Automation delivers a faster, flexible and future-proof solution for customers with Schneider Electric’s PacDrive 3 range
T
ekpak Automation is a packaging machine manufacturer which has designed customised packaging lines for the
world’s largest pharmaceutical, life sciences and multinational food groups for more than 20 years. As an Ireland-based company, it is uniquely positioned to serve the UK and European markets. Ireland has proven to have a strong track record in technological advancements in the manufacturing industry with many global companies in the life sciences, engineering and data centre having capitalised on Ireland’s experience and expanded its manufacturing operations. Through strategic partnerships with companies
like Schneider Electric, Tekpak has been able to expand its offering while also meeting the needs of its growing customer base. As a trusted partner of over 10 years, Schneider has supported the on-product selection and specification process of Tekpak’s industrial robots. Schneider’s global presence has proved to be of significant value as Tekpak exports 50 per cent of its production to locations across USA, Europe and the Middle East and having a well-known partner in each country reassures customers – which is crucial, now more than ever.
THE CHALLENGE The manufacturing and life sciences industry is fast-paced and if businesses fail to keep up with the latest innovations, they can risk losing customers and impact their bottom line. This is why Tekpak Automation was keen to get ahead of the curve and chose to work with Schneider Electric.
16 May 2022 Irish Manufacturing Tekpak has developed a range of customisable
robotic pick and place modules which can be easily applied to a wide range of applications. The company’s long-standing partnership with Schneider enabled it to have a power save mode on all machines. For these robots, Tekpak utilised Schneider’s PacDrive P2 and P4 delta robots, which can monitor the product entering different parts of the machine and if there are no products entering, they are able to close off specific areas of the machine. A key challenge that Tekpak wanted to address
was around future-proofing, particularly as the journey to Industry 4.0 is a key enquiry of customers. It’s no surprise that everyone wants equipment that will last and can constantly be upgraded; however, a key hurdle is identifying real applications that can benefit projects. Similarly, customers want faster, versatile and flexible solutions, and also with energy consumption on everyone’s minds, Tekpak is keen to ensure it is capturing all the relevant information in its facilities and for customers.
THE SOLUTION Tekpak worked with Schneider Electric by implementing the PacDrive 3 solution. This is based upon proven logic motion technology, which unifies PLC, motion, and robotics control functionality on a single hardware platform. With its centralised system architecture, PacDrive 3 is the ideal solution for controlling a broad range of servo-driven production and packaging machines, as well as material handling
equipment and robotics, using fully integrated, IEC 61131-3-compliant program structures. This smart automation solution helps to achieve higher speeds for pick and place applications and the control technology means up to three robot arms can be used at a time which reduces the bill of materials and machine footprint. Further to this, the PacDrive 3 increases efficiency as it minimises programming efforts and increases the software quality, which in turn makes it a more sustainable solution. This is reinforced through the Power Save Mode Monitor function as these delta robots consume less power and only use the required moving parts, for example there is a 60 per cent reduction when utilising the gripper in this range.
THE RESULT Tekpak Automation has integrated Schneider Electric’s solutions and expertise to enhance its offerings and customers are continuously impressed by the reliability, availability, and precision of the products. By working with Schneider, a single source supplier, it is able to guarantee optimal quality and ensure system compatibility as there is no changeover of parts. As a long-standing partner, Tekpak will be looking
towards making an active effort to reducing its carbon footprint and looking for alternative solutions in terms of renewable energy to reduce pneumatic devices, making things lighter, more energy efficient in the next three to five years.
Schneider Electric
www.se.com/uk/en
www.irish-manufacturing.com
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