Product News Service Kit
Product News Service Kit for pressure measurement technology from Stauff A service kit for the maintenance and repair is available now for the PT-RF series from Stauff for pressure measurement for fluid applications with RFID technology. It offers space for up to 10 pressure transducers including process connection adapter, reading and display device and other accessories such as connection and charging cable, power supply with country adapters, user manual and software on CD-ROM. In case the pressure transducers are installed permanently in the system, there is a kit variant which has space only for reading and display device with accessories. www.stauff.com Draw wire encoders from Siko with increased safety due to sensors Draw wire encoders from Siko are used in forklifts and FTS system, mainly for safe grasping of lift mast. The models SG32, SG42 and SG62 fulfil the safety STW introduces application-optimised central controller ESX-3CM Sensor-Technik Wiedemann (STW) presented a new member of its ESX family of mobile central controllers in Agritechnica 2015 in Hannover. Developed and manufactured for use under hard conditions, ESX-3CM combines the advantages of 32-bit ESX controller family with the typical configuration requirements of mobile machinery. With a total of 56 analogue and digital inputs and outputs in standard configuration, the freely programmable ESX-3CM is designed as central controller for Sensor-Actuator Management. The controller gets its flexibility through 20 multi-function inputs, wherein their functionality can be adjusted through software. www.sensor-technik.de/en requirements in the overall system according to SIL2 and Performance Level D. They offer a sensor for absolute grasping of position. With measurement lengths between 3 and 6 m, they are suited for precise grasping of lift masts in driverless transport systems. For forklifts there are versions up to 15 m. The sensors are available with interfaces, potentiometers, analogue current or voltage and CANopen. www.siko-global.com Safe sensors with Level SIL2 from TWK Electronik TWK Electronik has introduced new products with safety-integrity level SIL2. The TRK/S3 is a top multi-turn rotary encoder on hall basis with a “fail-safe over Ethercat” interface. The measurement range of 4096 U (12 bit) is resolved with 8192 steps (13 bit). The double layered shaft allows an axial and radial loss of 250 N. The vibration sensor NVA/ S3 with a MEMS sensor system has three measurement axes. The factory adjusted frequency range lies between 0.1 and 60 Hz. The encoder has two analogue 4 to 20 mA outputs and two safe relay switch outputs. www.twk.de/contend/en/main_.html MDA Technologies 5/2015 43
SUCCESS STORY High flexibility and higher outputs in packaging Kangaroo Brands Inc. packages 7 types of sandwiches in cartons of 4 different sizes. To achieve both quick changes from one product to another and a high throughput rate, the company uses a packaging machine featuring Rexroth automation. When Kangaroo Brands Inc., located in Wisconsin, USA, began offering pita bread and sandwiches, they were handpacked, with no mechanical support. But large retailers like Walmart soon became aware of the tasty snack - and order receipts showed a month-by-month rise. “In serving the larger retailers and club stores, we had to begin packaging our pita sandwiches in different count cartons,” said Justin Rice, Kangaroo plant manager. The company uses 4 different carton sizes, with capacities ranging from 4 to 14 sandwiches. With rising complexity and number of cartoning cycles, Kangaroo Brands decided to invest in an automated cartoning system. The main purpose of the system was to make the change between different carton sizes both quick and effective. In addition, it was to be installed in limited space, without any interruption in production. With these specifications in mind, Kangaroo Brands turned to the ‘ Veronica’ machine from their long standing supplier for packaging machines, Ultra Packaging Inc. Less cabling, lower costs Ultra Packaging Inc. had designed this seven-axis machine for applications requiring great flexibility and quick changes of formats. The ‘Veronica’ erects cartons from flat paperboard blanks, moves them to the stations where they are filled manually, and then closes and glues the cartons. The ‘ IndraDrive Mi’ platform made by Rexroth is responsible for smooth, troublefree processing. Each axis in the machine is moved with its own integrated drive. These units comprise a ‘Rexroth’ servo motor with drive electronics integrated into the motor housing. In this way, the drives can be installed directly in the machine itself and no longer require any space in the control cabinet. This also lowers both the cooling requirements for the cabinet and the costs for the machine as a whole. A single cable running from the power supply in the control cabinet to the first IndraDrive Mi handles both power and communications. From there it is daisychained to the other IndraDrive Mi units. Bob Stockus, vice president at Ultra Packaging, explains “By using Rexroth’s IndraDrive Mi concept, we reduced our linkages and other machine components by 60 % compared to prior models. Our cabling costs have gone down about 40 % and our time for field wiring alone has dropped 40 %.” At the heart of the machine is an L25 MLC ( motion-logic controller), which governs synchronous movement at all the axes. The IndraMotion MLC is a highly developed automation platform offering a wide range of non-proprietary interfaces. The ‘Veronica’ cartoner uses ‘sercos III’ to ensure precise and efficient synchronization of the servo drives as well as control of various machinery functions. Quick carton changes In the process chain at Kangaroo’s sandwich factory, an inclined conveyor belt moves the sandwiches, having been packed in two flow wrapping machines, to 44 MDA Technologies 5/2015
