Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

packaging

Efficient supply chains: From quirky packaging to highly functional boxes

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Designers can be awkward sometimes. Actually, they can be awkward a lot of the time. Something to do with the artistic temperament probably. 

To be fair to them, their job is to make their work stand out from what is often an overcrowded marketplace.

So, as a result, in packaging design, for example, you see all sorts of shapes and sizes that could make life really difficult for the people who actually make the physical packaging.  [Read more…] about Efficient supply chains: From quirky packaging to highly functional boxes

Proco unveils new collaborative robotic system for packaging industry

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Proco, a supplier and integrator of automation technologies, has unveiled a new collaborative robotic system for the packaging industry. 

The company, which specialises in blow-molding, says it is responding to the latest automation technology which is “sweeping the packaging industry”.

Siva Krish, Proco’s vice president of sales, says: “Collaborative robotic systems are seeing strong growth in the blow molding industry due to the need for greater efficiency and automation.  [Read more…] about Proco unveils new collaborative robotic system for packaging industry

Automatica 2018: Innovative automation solutions in plastics, foodstuffs and packaging

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Leading automation companies will be at automatica in Munich, Germany, from June 19 to 22, 2018. Visitors from industries such as food and beverages, plastics and packaging will find numerous innovative automation solutions and have the opportunity to exchange ideas with experts.

Companies from the fields of plastics, foodstuffs and packaging are increasingly employing innovative automation to improve their competitive position. Compared to the pioneering automobile industry, however, these three industry sectors have some catching up to do.

The great economic importance of automation technology can be felt on a global level: According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), more than 1.7 million new industrial robots will be installed in factories all over the world by the year 2020, which will increase global inventory to more than three million units.

[Read more…] about Automatica 2018: Innovative automation solutions in plastics, foodstuffs and packaging

Automatica 2018 to showcase solutions for food and beverage, plastics and packaging manufacturers

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In September 2017, the German engineering research industry association VDMA increased its growth forecast for the current year for German robotics and automation from seven to eleven percent.

The industry is also booming internationally. With this positive outlook and numerous innovations ready to be shown, the world’s leading companies are going to meet at Automatica in Munich from June 19 to 22, 2018.

Visitors from industries such as food and beverage, plastics as well as packaging will find numerous innovative automation solutions and have the opportunity to exchange ideas with experts.  [Read more…] about Automatica 2018 to showcase solutions for food and beverage, plastics and packaging manufacturers

Kollmorgen and VH Vertical Packaging realise new potential with a separate labeler

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The art of reduction: the packaging machines from VH Vertical Packaging have a simple structure

By Jens Depping

A Dutch packaging machinery manufacturer has now developed a labeller as part of a retrofit with servo-drive technology based on 48 volts.

This is designed as an optional module for the company’s own vertical packaging machines on the one hand and as a functional enhancement for retrofitting older machines of well-known producers on the other.

The combination of the new 48 volt DC Servo Motor low voltage from Kollmorgen and a motion control solution from SigmaTek makes it possible for the labeling module to be integrated easily into new machines or for existing machinery to be retrofitted.  [Read more…] about Kollmorgen and VH Vertical Packaging realise new potential with a separate labeler

Got milk? How a Swiss company builds filling and packaging systems for milk, coffee and other products

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Scaled technology and functioning interfaces are essential for Swiss Can Machinery, which is why the company’s filling and packaging systems have a modular design throughout, and why it uses a product program with a scaled structure for the drive technology. 

The filling and packaging systems at Swiss Can Machinery – which was established by brothers Marc and Michael Grabher – shows how this objective can be achieved.

The company turns to stainless steel motors for the actuators; for example, when these systems are used for filling and packaging pharmaceutical products.  [Read more…] about Got milk? How a Swiss company builds filling and packaging systems for milk, coffee and other products

Robotic Vision Technologies and Universal Robots introduce 3D cobot packaging application

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robotic vision technologies

Robotic Vision Technologies will be a co-exhibitor at EastPack 2017, on June 13-15, 2017 with the world’s largest collaborative robot maker Universal Robots.

RVT will be demonstrating its new collaborative 3D vision guidance software on a Universal Robot UR5. The 3D cobot packaging solution can be seen at EastPack ATX 2017 in East Booth 2529 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

RVT, a leader in vision software for industrial applications, has been integrated into Universal Robots’ cobot arms to demonstrate precise pick-and-place items off a conveyor in 2.5D and onto a movable tray in 3D.  [Read more…] about Robotic Vision Technologies and Universal Robots introduce 3D cobot packaging application

KernPack signs exclusive distribution deal with robotics experts Skilled Group

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kernpack industrial robot small

Signs exclusive distribution deal with robotics and laser guided vehicle specialist Skilled Group

KernPack, a distributor of specialist packaging machinery and solutions, has signed an exclusive UK and Ireland distribution deal with Skilled Group, enabling it to sell the company’s complete range of robotic palletising systems and automatic guided vehicles.

Part of KernPack’s strategy to widen its capabilities, by adding end-of-line warehouse automation to its packaging and mailing solutions, the deal also takes the company into the warehouse and logistics market.

Designed for automated warehousing and truck loading, Skilled Group’s products are already used around the world by Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Nestlè, Kraft, Unilever and Johnson & Johnson in installations costing up to €10m.

The company’s wide range of robotic equipment includes articulated robotic arms, gantry and SCARA robots for the automatic palletising of products or pallet handling and automatic guided vehicles, or AGVs, for any situation where a traditional forklift truck is used.  [Read more…] about KernPack signs exclusive distribution deal with robotics experts Skilled Group

Auto interiors company hires Rethink’s collaborative industrial robots

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Yanfeng Automotive Interiors is utilising collaborative industrial robots from Rethink Robotics to “improve accuracy, and output” 

Yanfeng has put two of Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer robots to work in its Monroe, Michigan-based facility.

By introducing Sawyer, Yanfeng Frenchtown says it is improving two production processes, while freeing up employees to be used at positions where they can add more value.

Both Sawyer robots are being utilized to perform packaging tasks. One robot is removing trapped labor by packing parts from a conveyor onto a rack, handling 180 parts every 54 minutes. The second robot is counting parts from a conveyor as it places them into a tote, precisely packaging each tote with 80 parts.  [Read more…] about Auto interiors company hires Rethink’s collaborative industrial robots

Reassuringly expensive gear: Overcoming the challenges of the packaging industry

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Graham Mackrell, managing director of precision gearing specialist Harmonic Drive UK, explains actuators, boots and socioeconomic unfairness 

As a famous fictional policeman once said, “The reason that the rich were so rich… was because they managed to spend less money”. 

What he meant was that although the rich may buy more expensive things, they buy products that will last longer and are therefore a better investment.

Although the policeman in question was referring to boots at the time, the same is true of cars, phones, and even servo actuators used in packaging machines.  [Read more…] about Reassuringly expensive gear: Overcoming the challenges of the packaging industry