UK packaging machinery OEM Spiraltech has doubled the speed of its pick-and-place machines from 70 to 140 pieces-per-minute using servo drives, motors, and PLCs from global industrial automation company Inovance. With over 40 years of experience Spiraltech offers paper converting and cardboard tube cutting machinery for the production of paper tubes, paper profiles and composite cans. The solution was delivered by CAPSS, a UK-based distributor of industrial automation products. CAPSS’s high level of technical support and product availability meant the solution was up and running very quickly. Additionally, the solution has solved the labour shortage problem faced by many of Spiraltech’s customers because the need for manual packing has been eliminated.
Faster change-over for smaller batches
The machines pick up tubes and put them in formation with a strap around them so they can be easily loaded onto pallets. Standard pneumatics couldn’t deliver the required speeds, which is why Spiraltech opted for a servo motion solution. The Inovance products used in the machines are: SV660N servo drives, MS1 servo motors, AM600 motion controllers, and GL10 and GL20 I/O modules. Spiraltech differentiates itself through innovative machine design, and its focus is machines that can be changed over two to three times per day to enable small batch work. To achieve this, the machines have double the number of servos compared to leading competitors.
Component size and performance, as well as value and the ability to work on IEC software standards, were key considerations when selecting the Inovance solution. The new machine speed of 140 tubesper-minute (depending on tube size) means that the machines are operating at double the speed of most leading competitor machines. Meanwhile, previously two to three people would be required to pack at a rate of 140 pieces per minute, but the new machines from Spiraltech eliminate the need for manual packing entirely.
Steven Belwood, Managing Director of Spiraltech, says: “The Inovance kit is very high-spec and is suitable for food grade applications. Coupled with good value, rapid availability, and a compact size, going with Inovance was an obvious choice for us. The labour-saving element of our machines is a critical consideration for our customers as well, and it’s not about eliminating jobs: the problem is that our European and US customers find it very difficult to find people willing to do packing work. Finally, I loved that CAPSS had the product available immediately and were always on hand with quality technical support.”
Paul Seale, Director of CAPSS, adds: “It’s been really exciting to be involved with a project that has delivered such obvious efficiency benefits. Taking pick-and-place machines from 70 to 140 pieces-per-minute is not something you see often. We’re really keen to keep working with Spiraltech in the future.”
