Puck conveyor system for a well-known customer in the pharmaceutical industry
Uhlmann and modular automation: jointly developed pharmaceutical end-of-line packaging line for medical products sets new standards.
Together with Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co KG, modular automation developed a state-of-the-art and innovative production system for a well-known pharmaceutical group that is characterised by high performance and flexibility. In addition to a puck (product carrier) conveyor system, the system consists of a depalletising, labelling and cartoning process.
The puck transport system developed by modular automation, also known as the puck handling system, combines the three system processes provided by Uhlmann and ensures optimum system utilisation thanks to efficient puck handling and an optimised material flow (one-piece flow solution).
Challenges for the plastic chain conveyor system: flexibility, space saving, energy saving
The challenge facing the conveyor system, or rather the plastic chain conveyor system with puck handling, was to develop a space-saving conveyor system that also enables a high degree of flexibility by being able to react quickly and easily to real-time conditions in the production process. In addition to high performance (200 products per minute), the system also had to be able to compensate for short-term machine downtimes and balance out production fluctuations between the individual process steps.
The system developed by modular automation consists of a total of three buffers (buffer sections), two Alpine buffers and the conveyor line as the third buffer, which were each placed between the various system processes (depalletising, labelling and cartoning process). Thanks to the buffers, it is possible to temporarily compensate for machine downtimes or fluctuations in the output of the individual processes. Each of the buffers has a capacity of 750 pucks.
For space reasons, almost the entire conveyor system (link chain conveyor with puck handling) was built on a three-metre-high steel frame so that the entire floor area could be used for the processes (depalletising, labelling, cartoning process).
Further important details about the project:
Efficient control: monitoring of all material flows and processes
A powerful control system registers all process requirements in real time, monitors and controls all material flows to ensure optimum supply to the processes. Frequency-controlled drives optimally adjust the feed capacity (speed) of the system in real time to the production requirements. Parts of the system that are not required, e.g. buffers, are automatically identified and switched off by the control system, and only switched on again when required. This saves energy and also significantly reduces the noise level.
Pucks & puck handling: Plastic product carrier developed using the 3D printing process
The pucks (product carrier / workpiece carrier) developed by modular automation in the 3D printing prototyping process offer further significant energy-saving potential. As part of the development process and through extensive testing on test systems, it has been possible to reduce the empty weight of the pucks by around two thirds compared to standard market pucks. As a result, the energy requirement of the puck handling conveyor system has been reduced by approx. 25%. Damping buffers are injected into the pucks using the 2K process (multi-component injection moulding), which has significantly reduced the noise level of the system during operation.
Special side guide developed for puck transport
modular automation developed and manufactured a special side guide especially for this project and the task at hand, which guides the pucks safely through the system. A steel plate has been incorporated into the pucks so that the pucks can be easily transported vertically using a magnetic chain, even on steep parts of the system. Thanks to the lateral guide and the magnetic chain, overhead rides (360-degree loops) are also possible.
Modular system design reduces assembly and disassembly costs
Another special feature of the system is its modular design, which was given particular attention during the planning and construction stages. Complete system sections were divided into transportable functional units. This allows the system to be dismantled within just four working days and completely reassembled within eight working days. This saved our customer unnecessary costs and important time.
