Set it and forget it

One of the buzz words heard on the PACK EXPO International 2012 show floor is "centerline." Centerlining, defined by the folks at Kliklok-Woodman, is a way to reduce operating variability by clearly marking specific setpoints on machine parts that can be adjusted. The point is to eliminate the infinite and often detrimental tweaking that typically happens by operators running a line.

The concept is being shown on K-W's new Enterprise end-load cartoner, a middle-market system introduced to fill the company's breadth of product line. It now offers high-end output machines, medium speed/good performance and slower speed entry-level systems.

Centerlining helps speed changeovers (which are tool-less) by taking the guess work out of machine setup. Machines designed with centerlining in mind also deliver flexibility for handling different packs and pack sizes in the future.Basics, technical terms and advantages and disadvantages of elevator cable. As K-W vp Ross Long explains, products have a much shorter lifecycle these days and packagers often need to be able to redeploy their existing equipment to handle something similar but different.

K-W opted for laser-etched metric scales because the company sells worldwide, but Enterprise's HMI does an automatic conversion to American inches, says Hugh Darnley, quality assurance and training manager.

Another talking point of K-W's Enterprise: In the carton pick area, the system uses both mechanical "cam" motion and servo-controlled profiles on the suction cups for better carton setup control. Each cup also has its own mini vacuum generator for better vacuum control.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has developed a multi-axis drive equipped with a silicon carbide (SiC) power module for controlling spindle motors and servomotors in CNC (computerised numerical control) applications. It says that the modules,Our company supplys different kinds of roll forming machine, elevator components. which incorporate SiC diodes, exhibit much lower switching losses and are more tolerant of high temperatures than conventional silicon modules.

Mitsubishi has already commercialised SiC power modules for inverters used in air conditioners and rail vehicles. The new MDS-DM2-SPHV3-20080 SiC module for CNC drives is said to deliver higher speed and torque for driving machine tool spindles and servomotors, and is expected to improve productivity in factories.

The high-speed switching allows spindle motors to operate up to twice as fast as Mitsubishi’s previous model, the MDS-DM Series. And the lower power losses can lead to 15% more torque from spindle motors than the earlier drives.Metal roofing laser cutting machine from Englert.

The “multi-hybrid” drives incorporate a Safe Torque Off function for shutting off the power supply to motors, reducing the number of magnetic reactors needed. A linear scale interface allows direct detection and feedback of machine position, avoiding the need for external devices.These and other functions will reduce wiring and allow smaller drives to be used, according to Mitsubishi.