Posted by Mark Guida on Wed, Apr 25, 2012 @ 12:09 PM
Overview:
The customer described in this Application Story is a manufacturer of food handling equipment. They design and manufacture special conveying equipment that allows for cooling and heating to take place over a longer period of time while maintaining product throughput.
Application:
Knowing the types of machines the customer builds, Steve Harrold, one of Knotts Co's Strategic 
Account Managers, made contact with the customer to introduce them to Omron's newest MX2 AC Drive. The initial interest from the customer was solid. He mentioned that he may have an application in mind where something like the MX2 might make things work a little smoother. He wouldn't give up much information, but we decided to get the Omron factory specialist in for a face-to-face with the customer to iron out the details. What we didn't realize is that we were walking in to a perfect fit application for the Omron MX2 AC Drive.
From the beginning of the meeting the customer was being reserved and listening intently to the bullet points of why the MX2 is so good. He stopped Richard Sowah, Omron's Drives Marketing Manager, after one particular key feature (EZ-Coms) and said, "OK. That's what I needed to hear." From that point he proceeded to tell us of his prototype project and what he needed to accomplish with the drives to make this new product the leading edge machine in their industry.
Solution:
The current machine uses two drives, one large and one small, to make the system run. One of the drives controls a large motor, around 10hp, to spin the entire conveying system while the other smaller drive pulls the belt through machine. Tensioning the belt becomes touchy and requires hands-on tweaking to get it right. Also, when the conveyor is loaded with product, the tension changes due to the added friction which can cause jams and poor system performance. The new prototype will employ many smaller drives linked together through the MX2's EZ-Coms (built-in 2-wire RS-485 based communications). This will allow for a single drive to be set as the master with the others (up to 31) linked together as slaves. The master would set the pace of the system and the other slaves would be following along based on their setup. This style of setup does not require a large PLC to communicate to each drive individually so the customer will save a considerable amount of money on the controls end of things.
At this point, the MX2 solution would add complexity to the tensioning setup that is already a little tedious in the current machine. To remedy this issue, and make it even easier to setup than the current machine, encoder pulses will be fed directly into the individual drives to monitor the actual speed of the motor. Also, using the EZ Flow Chart programming included in the MX2 drive, a PID instruction will constantly monitor the tension on the individual motors and adjust on the fly. What this creates is a complete and automatic semi closed-loop tensioning system for multiple axes all based off of the single master drive's frequency setting. Furthermore, when a load is applied to the belt (product dropped onto it), the drive will immediately compensate by increasing the torque and maintain the proper motor speed effectively reducing the possibilities of jams and system throughput decreases. Overall, this application was a perfect fit for the features and capabilities of Omron's MX2 AC Drive.
If you'd like more information on the MX2 AC Drive, or would like to set up an on-site demonstration, please click the button below and fill out your contact information.
Posted by Mark Howe on Fri, Apr 13, 2012 @ 10:26 AM
Editor's Note: This is a post from Justin Sanford, a Strategic Account Manager at The Knotts Company.
Overview:
This application story is about a company that produces a wide variety of packaging materials including bubble wrap and packaging peanuts. In addition to making the packaging material, they also sell a small machine that creates air packs. Along with the machines for the air packs, they include add-ons including a stand for the machine and basket for filled air packs.
Problem/Application:
The process of creating the air packs, a length of empty packs are processed through the machine where they are filled with air and sealed. As the packs pass through the machine, they are still attached to each other and needed to be gathered as not to end up on the floor and possibly damaged. It is important to keep them contained and where they would not possibly be broken or accumulate dirt as they were being used for packaging.
Additionally, the stands for the air packs were made of steel and cost to make a sturdy stand that would not take up much floor space was substantial. With a fully constructed stand, it proved costly to ship and did have a tendency to be top heavy.
Solution:
Taking a look at the design of the steel stand, a similar structure was made from 80/20 aluminum extrusion. The stand was ~35” in height with a single centered pole. Using 3030 as the support and 1515 making up the base, along with key joining plats, a lower cost sturdy frame was provided. The customer would include an aluminum plate on the top to hold the machine.
To eliminate the issues with the air packs flowing everywhere, a small basket made of 1010, measuring ~38”x39”x36” was constructed. With netting clipped on to the sides, the customer was able to provide to their customers a light weight, easy to assemble basket to collect the air packs during each run. This allowed them to store the air packs safely until they were used.
This design, in addition to resolving the issue with the cost, eliminated the issues with the stand being top heavy and significantly reduced the weight of the stand. This, with the ability to build the stand in the field, allowed their sales men to carry a unit they could sell on the spot to their customers. Sales of this add on increase ~20% compared to the previous stand.
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Posted by Mark Howe on Wed, Apr 04, 2012 @ 03:03 PM
Editor's Note: This is a post from Rich Eckhard, a Strategic Account Manager at The Knotts Company
A customer in the contract packaging business needed to make changes to a machine in a timely manner. The equipment is a used to handle a roll of material and convert it to a packable product (commonly referred to as Converting Equipment). The material may be coated, heated, die cut and final cut into its final size. Some or all of these operations may be done depending on the product.
If the die cutting is not required, then the dies must be removed. Likewise if the coating is not required, the coating machine must be removed.
The problem is that each time a unit is removed; it must be lined up perfectly with the other stations in the machine. This is where 80/20 solved the problem. First the entire machine frame was made out of 80/20. Then each section Coating, Heating, Die Cutting and The Final Cutter were made into stand alone frames made of the same 80/20 extrusion size. Each modular section was then fitted with 80/20’s UHMW linear bearing. The entire section could then be loaded from the end of the machine and slid to its correct position. Since the machine frame is one continuous length of 80/20, the linear bearings keep each section perfectly in line with the rest of the equipment.
The changeover is now done in half the time. The changeover can also be done by the line workers. There is no need to bring in the maintenance staff and spend hours of making mechanical adjustments.
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Posted by Mark Howe on Tue, Mar 27, 2012 @ 10:15 AM
The news media stories come up far too regularly - "Authorities have shut down a Texas food processing plant, saying it was contaminated by bacteria linked to the deaths of four people, state health officials said."
Food safety and sanitation is an essential part of the food industry. While it is important to be able to deliver food quickly and profitably, the importance of food safety and sanitation cannot be underestimated.
- Delivering food products that consumers feel confident in the product's freshness and edibility is important in order to continue selling the products.
- Plant employees need working environments that provide a safe and sanitary area to work and operate.
- OSHA requires food processing plants to meet or exceed their guidelines for employee safety. Such items as exposure to hazardous chemicals, bacteria, dust and allergens must be kept at a minimum. Also conveyors and food processing equipment must have appropriate safety guards and cleaning procedures.
- The FDA has extensive regulations for food processing and safety. These regulations include the type of conveyor or processing surfaces where food items can be placed and how those surfaces should be cleaned. Also the maintenance and cleaning intervals are closely monitored to insure that not only are the surfaces kept sanitary, but to make sure no debris accumulates in crevices where bacteria can grow and spread.
There are sanitary conveyor systems available that are designed specifically for food items.
Conveyors are available that specifically handle bakery or confection items, meat or poultry, seafood, dairy, and ready-to-eat products. Having a sanitary conveyor that is designed for your particular food processing task can greatly improve your efficiency as well as meeting or exceeding safety and sanitary standards.
By meeting and exceeding FDA and OSHA regulations, your plant can not only avoid fines or potential shutdown, but also you can keep your workers safe, keep productivity up, and keep consumer confidence high.
Posted by Mark Howe on Mon, Mar 12, 2012 @ 08:12 AM
In an article published on the FoodProcessing.com website, Clemson University’s professor emeritus John Surak’s job as a consultant to the food processing industry focuses on safety and quality. “…food safety is job 1, quality is job 2, and you’re always concerned with both…” states Surak in the article.
Even in today’s difficult times, food processing must maintain the highest standards to keep their products safe and sanitary while meeting production and profit requirements. This balance can sometimes be difficult, but with the right equipment in place the challenge can be made easier.
Stainless steel conveyors can contribute greatly to your food processing operation in many ways.
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Hygienic frames and surfaces make the conveyor areas safe for foods to be moved, processed, or packaged
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Stainless steel is much easier to clean and can be done in a short period of time
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Stainless steel is adaptable for hot or cold food processing and can withstand many extreme temperatures without any issues
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Some stainless steel conveyors have quality assembly systems so that there are minimal seams or fasteners so that particles and debris cannot accumulate and cause unsanitary microbial growth
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The surface design of many stainless steel conveyors makes the process very streamlined so that production operations move quickly
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Stainless steel is highly durable and cut resistant - equipment can last for years with only minor routine maintenance
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USDA, BISSC, and the FDA all approve the use of certain stainless steel conveyors for the food processing industry, as long as appropriate care and cleaning is utilized during operations
When considering options for food processing equipment, utilizing stainless steel conveyors is a smart move and can keep your plant safe and sanitary while meeting your productivity and profit objectives.
Posted by Mark Guida on Wed, Mar 07, 2012 @ 08:03 AM
Today's control systems can be comprised of several different component types (PLC, HMI, servos, vision, etc) that each typically have dedicated setup or programming software associated with them. Sometimes software revisions of one application will cause an interoperability problem with the others (or be incompatible with older hardware). An Integrated Development Environment or IDE based software comes to the rescue in these cases; one software that has the programming capabilities of all automation items built in!
The Sysmac Studio true Integrated Development Environment, part of the Sysmac Studio Automation Software Suite, was created to give machine builders full control over their automation system. The Sysmac Studio IDE integrates configuration, programming, simulation and monitoring of the logic, motion, and vision into one software environment. Thus, eliminating the inherent issues when developing over several separate software titles that make design, development and validation cumbersome. Sysmac Studio was created using the latest in Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), offering a remarkable new experience in terms of ease of use and speed of programming.
A graphically-oriented configuration allows quick layout of the controller, field device, and network hardware, directly along side the associated programming. Machine and motion programming are based on IEC61131-3 standards and PLCopen function blocks for motion control, reducing learning and programming time. A smart editor with online debugging facilitates quick and error free programming, while advanced offline simulation of sequence and 3D motion profiles, such as cams and complex kinematics, prevent delays in validation due to lack of hardware. Data logging and data trace reduce machine tuning and commissioning, with complete project security and organization features ensuring integrity and easier forward migration.
The Sysmac Studio Automation Software Suite includes not only the IDE, but all other HMI development and network configuration software to achieve a full NJ-Series Machine Automation Controller (MAC) solution. The countless productivity benefits in having One Software make the new Sysmac Studio an integral part of all phases in the machine life cycle.
Posted by Mark Howe on Mon, Mar 05, 2012 @ 08:11 AM
For any food processing facility, the conveyor is a key component to insure products are delivered in a consistent and reliable method to the appropriate stage in the process. The stage could be cleaning, cutting, adding or removing byproducts or additives, and various packing stations. For food processing conveyors, FDA approved conveyors are mandatory. FDA approved conveyors are designed to perform its primary duty while keeping food products and the employees who perform work safe and efficient.
Sanitary conveyors must meet FDA guidelines to insure the process is safe and the food products produced are kept safe from unintended microbials. Food processing plants should make sure their cleaning and sanitation procedures meet or exceed FDA requirements. With the right conveyor equipment along with the right cleaning and maintenance practices, meeting these requirements should be an easy part of the plant maintenance process. Some areas to review as part of a plant equipment cleaning and sanitation master schedule include:
- Drains or trenches near conveyors should be cleaned and rinsed daily with a chlorine/alkaline detergent, quat or iodine based sanitizer.
- Grids should be cleaned and rinsed daily using a chlorine/alkaline detergent.
- Contact surfaces of the conveyors should be smooth, non-absorbant,sealed and easily cleanable. Damaged surfaces should be repaired or replaced immediately.
- Conveyor materials should be sloped to allow drainage and made of nontoxic and noncorrosive materials.
- Covers should be used whenever two conveyors meet, and the covers should be cleaned at least daily with the appropriate cleaning agents.
- Conveyor rollers should be inspected and cleaned frequently, and rollers should be properly installed and built to avoid accumulation of pathogen-harboring debris.
- Fibrous or porous type conveyors should be avoided because they are prone to being a source of microbial contaminants.
Plant managers should carefully review their conveyors and their conveyor maintenance processes. For food processing conveyors, FDA conveyors must meet guidelines for structure, materials, and cleaning procedures. Look for conveyors that :
- Can be disassembled easily to allow fast efficient and thorough cleaning, then provide easy reassembly to reduce downtime.
- Meets FDA surface requirements to reduce microbrial contamination
- Is built with a solid framework and is constructed to be durable and sturdy.
- Have no exposed threads on legs, feet, and other areas where threads can cause pathogen hazards.
- Provide wear strips that can be removed as needed an then replaced without significant downtime.
- Provides easy access for routine cleaning without the need for extra tools.
When evaluating your conveyor needs, be sure to consider the maintenance and cleaning requirements and make sure your conveyors are best for keeping your plant running smoothly while keeping the food and environment safe and sanitary.
Posted by Mark Guida on Thu, Mar 01, 2012 @ 02:09 PM
With the technology today in motion control and machine automation, there can be a large number of terms used that are unfamiliar. This can lead to miscommunication or in the worst case, a machine that does not work. Here's a short list of common components and terms that are commonly used with respect to machine automation that will hopefully help to reduce some confusion.
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Motion Controller or Machine Automation Controller -A motion control productfor numeric control using pulse strings, multi-axis control using Motion Network, and synchronized cam control.
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Servo Drive - A device that is a structural unit of a servo system and is used with a Servomotor. The Servo Drive controls the Servomotor according to instructions from a PLC or other controller and performs feedback control with signals from an encoder or other component.
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Servo Motor - A device that is a structural unit of a servo system and is used with a Servo Drive. The Servomotor includes the motor that drives the load and a position detection component, such as an encoder.
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Regenerative Braking - A function that allows an external braking resistor to consume the motor's regeneration energy as heat. This function is useful for a system in which the motor works as a generator when it is rapidly decelerated.
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Cam Positioner - A control device that detects angles of rotation by means of an absolute encoder or resolver and gives output signals according to the preset ON and OFF angles set in a cam program.
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PID Control - A control method that matches a feedback (detected) value to a set target value by combining proportional (P), integral (I), and derivative (D) control. The manipulated variable from internal PID is used to control speeds, pressures, flowrates, temperatures, and other items as a frequency reference to an Inverter function.
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Open-Loop - Also called a non-feedback controller, is a type of controller that computes its input into a system using only the current state and its model of the system.
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Closed-Loop – I type of controller that computes its input into a system using feedback from an external data source which becomes more accurate and ‘self correcting.’ A PID controller is closed-loop.
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Sinking - Refers to an output device (typically an NPN transistor) that allows current flow from the load through the output to ground.
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Sourcing - Output device (typically a PNP transistor) that allows current flow from the output through the load and then to ground.
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Line Driver - An output method that uses a special IC for high-speed, long-distance data transmission that complies with the RS-422A standard. Two differential signals are output to provide strong immunity to noise. A special IC called a line receiver is used to receive the signals output from a line driver.
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Open Collector - A no-contact output used for DC operation where the terminal on the collector side of a transistor is used as the output terminal.
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Torque Compensation - A function that increases the output torque when an increase in the motor load is detected.
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If you don't see a specific term here, as there are WAY too many to list them all, click the button below to contact me directly.
Posted by Mark Howe on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 @ 09:42 AM
Here is a brief list with some assembly tips and tricks for 80/20 T-slotted Aluminum extrusion. Please share any tips we missed!
Panel Gasket
- Automotive vinyl protectant applied to rubber panel gasket makes installation easier.
- Cut rubber panel gasket 2-3" longer than the opening to make the corners stay tight
- When installing rubber gasket, start by tucking each end in, then work from the middle out
End Fasteners
- When working with end fasteners, pre-assemble the bolt to snug, then back off a 1/4 turn to easily slide the fastener into the T-slot.
Linear Bearings
- If your linear bearings are not sliding properly, try tapping them with a soft face mallet to align the pads with the T-slot.
Panels
- Leave the protective film on the panels to protect them during installation; just roll up the edges until your project is fully assembled.
Joining Plates
- When using joining plates or gussets, leave the bolts loose and clamp the bars to ensure a square fit before you tighten the bolts completely.
End caps
- Tired of end caps popping off? Tap the end of the extrusion. The threads will prevent the plastic plug from popping out.
Posted by Rick Howe on Mon, Feb 06, 2012 @ 12:22 PM
There are a few things to consider when specifying the correct air cylinder for the right job so you maximize performance and longevity, while giving you lower operating costs for the duration of your application.
Here are a few points to consider in the selection of air cylinders:
- Weight- What is the weight of the load that you need to move? Select a force factor that is 25% greater than the load to help compensate for friction.
- Speed- How fast will you be moving the load? When you have higher speeds you will need to increase your force factor to move the load quicker. Depending on speed and weight the force factor could be as much as twice or greater than the load itself.
- Air Pressure- This is critical for the proper performance and getting the most life out of an air cylinder. Too low of a pressure and your load won’t be moved efficiently or speed requirements not met. Too high of a pressure creates stress on the cylinder and could possibly damage the cylinder as well as the load.
- Bore Size- Select the correct bore size to determine your force factor at your selected pressure. There are charts available to assist in this selection from the manufacturers or you can consult with your Automation Specialist.
- Mounts- How a cylinder gets mounted affects the performance and life expectancy. By selecting the correct cylinder mount you will optimize cylinder strength, efficiency and alignment. Selecting the correct Pivot or Rigid mounting style will help you avoid side load problems which are the major cause of cylinder failure.
