More flexibility in end of line packaging
Groundbreaking technical innovations were on display at the largest international packaging trade fair. The newly developed SOMIC 434 machine generation clearly shows what the developers at SOMIC are capable of. But that is not all. With SOMIC CORAS, the company offered yet another eye catcher. The pioneering collection and grouping system is a new concept for the orientation and condition of products.
New streamlined layout
WIth the 434 machine series, SOMIC presents a completely new layout that now features a slim and linear footprint. The new machine joins the individual stations in a linear design. The collection and grouping unit is docked onto the side of the machine in a separate frame concept. This allows for significant advantages in future changes to the product range for packaging tasks. In the new stainless-steel machine frame, the functional groups for the carton infeed, the carton forming unit, the products loading unit and the closing unit are integrated in a linear fashion and implemented in a standardised design.
This creates a completely streamlined supply infrastructure within the machine – which was also evident at first glance at the trade fair. Another conclusive feature is the frame’s support structure, which has been moved to the inside, holding all of the functional groups. Here, the new machine now offers perfect conditions for the operators, who have unimpeded access to the cartoning stations and can literally work inside of the machine. Access is also facilitated by the frame-high machine guard doors with an opening angle of 180 degrees, which significantly improves the utilisation of space around the machine.
The operating status of the machine has now become particularly easy to see, in a positively futuristic design. Regarding the new design, SOMIC was not satisfied with just a signal light on the machine frame instead, LED lights are now integrated into the corner columns, clearly indicating the status of the machine even from a distance.
Format change made easy
Examining the machine’s concept in further detail, it immediately becomes clear that the new design focused on more than just the exterior or the accessibility. There are obvious advantages for using the machine in daily production operations. These include functional improvements such as automated format adjustment using servomotors. In this way, folding tools, gluing positions and the blank magazine can be automatically changed to new formats – without manual conversions using a ruler of similar positioning aids.
Only a few format parts now have to be changed in the SOMIC QuickChange System. This automation allows much of the format change to be controlled from the operator panel according to the packaging program. SOMIC technicians estimate that this leads to time savings of up to 70% during format change. This is a gain in efficiency that cannot be overstated especially given the continued variety of articles and containers expected to be produced. The filling of the gluing unit has also undergone significant improvement. The filling system, especially designed by SOMIC, has been integrated into the service cabinet of the 434 machine series so that the glue granulate can be conveniently refilled from the outside.
Sorting and grouping as desired
The SOMIC CORAS innovation offers prospective users an alternative to the tried-and-true collection system with a lamella chain. For this project, SOMIC broke away from the previous approacheds to collecting and grouping and implemented this task with an entirely novel technology. This involves a drive and positioning system using planar technology, which offers a compact and lightining-fast carrier solution for the unrestricted assembly of product groupings. Tubular pouches with nuts were used as a demonstration object for the numerous visitors at Interpack.
In an area of no more than about 2.4 m2 at the trade fair, the system processed products from four lines, combined them into a defined sequence and even arranged them in different alignments in the carton. At interpack, 60 products per minute were loaded or unloaded onto the floating carriers on each of four different lines. This is made possible by the arbitrary programmability of the carriers and the possibility of 340 degree rotation around the vertical axis. Future viability is the ultimate keyword for this new technology at SOMIC. Flexibility and maximum performance at a minimal energy requirement will continue to be a high priority in all decisions in the future – that was the clear message at the trade fair booth.
