Interlinking of a pharmaceutical end-of-line packaging machine with moduflex puck conveyor system
For Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co KG, modular automation developed an innovative and highly flexible puck system conveyor for the final packaging process of pharmaceutical products. With the help of our moduflex FS puck conveyor system, an efficient conveyor system was developed that efficiently interlinks all end-of-line packaging processes and packaging machines in the plant.
The task:
modular automation was tasked with developing and supplying an innovative and highly flexible plastic chain conveyor system (link chain conveyor, slat-band conveyor) for linking the entire end-of-line packaging process for pharmaceutical products. The result was a final packaging system in a clean room in which medical products are depalletised from pallets and fed into the final packaging process. The products are first transported on workpiece carriers (pucks) via the conveyor system to the labelling process, in which labels are applied to the products with the utmost precision. In the next step, the labelled products are transported to the cartoning process, where they are cartoned and packaged. In addition, accumulation conveyor lines, also known as Alpine conveyors, should be integrated between all packaging processes.
modular automation was faced with the challenge of developing a space-saving yet highly flexible conveyor system that could synchronise the individual system processes and react automatically to situations in the production process in real time. The focus was on system efficiency, energy-saving potential and noise reduction.
The solution: A high-performance conveyor system based on the moduflex FS plastic chain conveyor puck system
The conveyor system developed by modular automation (based on the modular automation plastic chain conveyor, link chain conveyor or hinged belt conveyor system) handles the complete transport of the products on workpiece carriers (pucks) through the system, as well as between the individual system processes. In addition to pure transport, this also includes functions such as accumulation and storage of products in accumulation sections and accumulation conveyors (Alpine Conveyor), as well as the control and monitoring of all system processes.
Increased process autonomy, optimised system output, reduction in system downtime
Accumulation conveyor sections (plastic chain conveyors or hinged belt conveyors) are positioned between each system process (depalletising, labelling and cartoning process), which can be automatically filled with up to 750 products if necessary (e.g. maintenance or machine failure). The system has two accumulation conveyors (Alpine Conveyor, also known as spiral conveyors), as well as a further conveyor section that can also accumulate or temporarily store the same number of products. These ensure optimum balancing between the individual processes, resulting in optimum interaction for high system output and increased autonomy of the individual processes. The conveyor control system recognises and controls this fully automatically, as it communicates continuously with the connected machines, the accumulation conveyors are filled immediately if required.
The space-saving conveyor system (plastic chain conveyor, hinged belt conveyor)
The entire plastic chain conveyor system stands on a steel frame designed by modular automation, and the system is also suspended from the ceiling at the end customer's premises. This frees up valuable floor space in the production environment.
This enables optimum accessibility to the machines located on the floor (labeller and cartoner).
Energy saving, noise reduction, synchronisation of the system
The conveyor system itself recognises which areas of the system are not needed at the moment and switches them off. This is made possible by synchronising all system processes via the central control system. This significantly reduces energy costs and the noise level of the system.
Pucks (workpiece carriers) specially developed for this project, whose weight has been reduced by around two thirds compared to standard pucks on the market, result in further savings in terms of energy and noise, as well as wear on the conveyor system.
Accumulation and buffering: accumulation conveyors/alpine conveyors and accumulation lines create autonomy and buffers in the production line
The conveyor system was developed by modular automation in such a way that an accumulation section (accumulation conveyors serve as a buffer between the system processes) is integrated between each production process, which can be temporarily filled with the products in the system if required. This allows short-term production fluctuations between the individual process sections, e.g. due to maintenance or breakdowns, to be compensated for and bridged.
If one machine breaks down, the rest of the system can continue to operate for a certain period of time. Optimum interaction between the individual system processes maximises system output. This is recognised and controlled fully automatically by the conveyor system's control system, which communicates continuously with the connected machines so that the accumulation conveyors are filled immediately if required.
System control - intelligent, networked, intuitive and user-friendly
The control system developed in-house by modular automation forms the centrepiece of the conveyor system. It intelligently networks all system processes with each other. The connected system processes send real-time parameters to the control system, on the basis of which the entire system is automatically controlled.
Advantages and functions of the machine and system control (PLC) at a glance
Connected processes report problems
The control system receives a problem message from a system process and then automatically fills the connected accumulation sections, so that the upstream and downstream processes can continue to work independently and the entire system does not come to a standstill, thus avoiding high costs.
Energy savings through intelligent control of the system
The conveyor system control system developed by modular automation uses sensors to recognise which areas of the system are not currently required during operation and switches them off until they are needed again. Conveyor speeds are also adapted to real-time conditions. This significantly reduces energy costs and noise levels.
Intuitive user interface with diagnostic function and fault localisation
The user interface of the control system has been designed to be very intuitive, allowing system operators to operate the system without a great deal of training. The diagnostic function with fault localisation shows the system operator the cause of the fault (with a detailed description) and the exact location of the fault. This means that faults can be rectified in just a few seconds and do not have to be identified and localised in a laborious and time-consuming process. The control system can be accessed via all touch panels in the system, which significantly simplifies the handling of the system and saves long journeys.
Setting options without programming effort, parameter settings possible via the touch panel
The system can be set and optimised using a variety of parameters via the control interface. The conveyor system can therefore be set and optimised by the machine operator without any programming knowledge or effort.
Videos about the project
Customer interview on the project
