New Case Packer Features Mobile Cell with Safety Door and Interlocking

Press Release Summary:

  • Integrated with Yaskawa HC10 or HC20 cobots and collating table for staging the bottles
  • Includes box alignment mechanism as well as bottle infeed and exit conveyor
  • Feature rotary inverting technology which helps to rotate a layer of bottles to neck-down orientation

Original Press Release:

Proco Machinery Launches Next-generation Case Packer with Collaborative Robot Automation System

Mississauga, Ontario, March 18, 2021 - Proco Machinery Inc., a leading manufacturer of automation systems for the blow molding industry, has unveiled the next generation of its Pakman case packer which is integrated with Yaskawa Motomon HC10 and HC20 collaborative robots for greater efficiency and automation for blow molded bottle manufacturing lines. These systems efficiently handle blow molded containers and deliver a major cost reduction versus conventional automation.  

Proco’s case packer has seen several generational changes which have delivered greater efficiencies with the focus of bringing innovative technology to bottle packaging. The latest iteration is a breakthrough collaborative robotic automation system that works interactively with co-workers and needs minimal training for teaching new tasks. 

“These systems are being designed in such a way that they complement the production line and provide simplified operation, a smaller footprint, and enhanced efficiencies,” said Siva Krish, vice president of sales for Proco Machinery. “These collaborative robotic systems reduce the handling of the container and provide an excellent return on investment (ROI).”

Tooling considerations are important in the development of cobot systems for the blow molding of plastic containers. Proco’s Pakman case packer features a collating indexing accumulation system to accumulate complete layers of bottles inside the packaging cell. The accumulation table stages the layer of bottles so they can be picked up by Proco’s end-of-arm (EOA) tooling and placed inside the box.

Traditional robotic movement by row would slow the cycle time of the packaging system. The accumulation indexing conveyor helps to increase the line speed of the Pakman packaging cell since there will be one movement of the robot per layer. PET containers - due to high static of the heated bottles - tend to repel each other when they are close together. The layer pack EOAT technology ensures that containers are placed inside the box as a complete layer, preventing any change of bottle position.

Another innovative feature is Proco’s Integrated Rotary Inverting Technology which helps to rotate a layer of bottles to neck-down orientation. Proco’s Pakman packaging cell has the new advanced innovative feature that will help the processor pack bottles in all neck-down orientation in a layer formation. This feature does not change the packaging cell size. It is an add-on feature that can be purchased at a later date and fitted to the line.

For one customer, Proco was able to provide a multiple packing solution with one cell. The system handled both re-shipper containers and regular full boxes. Proco’s unique quick-release tooling helped the customer do changeovers within 30 min. to run a new pack pattern. The system is extremely flexible to handle different pack configurations. The customer can recall the program from the human machine interface (HMI) to change the tooling and the system is good to run different bottles. Proco’s engineering team can develop a custom designed system to provide an efficient, cost-effective solution.

The Proco Pakman case packer is a totally integrated packaging module and is supplied with a six-axis collaborative robotic arm, infeed conveyor, and a box conveyor all mounted onto a common sub-frame which in turn is fitted with leveling pads and castor wheels. It can be moved into position, set up, and quickly be in production. These systems are highly compact and can fit between the blow molding lines. Proco’s compact case packer has a cell size of only 100-in x 70-in and consists of the following features:

  • Mobile cell with safety door and interlocking  
  • Integrated with Yaskawa HC10 or HC20 cobots  
  • Integrated collating table for staging the bottles  
  • Integrated container inverting mechanism  
  • In-build secondary PLC with HMI for easy operator interface  
  • In-build vacuum feature for polybag  
  • Box alignment mechanism  
  • Bottle infeed and exit conveyor  
  • Box infeed and exit box conveyor

About Proco Machinery Inc.

Proco Machinery Inc., based in Mississauga, Ontario, has been serving the plastic container industry for over 35 years, providing labor-saving automated machinery and equipment throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company manufactures a complete line of Robopik Take-out systems, Automatic Deflashers, Ultra Test Leak Testers, Flame Treaters, Dome Spin Trimmers, Robotic Packaging systems (case packers), as well as the Multipak Palletizer Packaging System (for palletizing). For more information, call (905) 602-6066 or visit www.procomachinery.com.

Press Contact:
Joseph Grande
J. Grande communications Inc.
413.684.2463
joe@jgrandecommunications.com

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