At Pack Expo Southeast in Atlanta earlier this year, B&R Industrial Automation showcased various motion technologies that can be deployed in packaging.
The demonstration, which focused on linear motion, featured robotic capabilities, human machine interfaces (HMI), levitating magnetic shuttles, and machine vision, all aimed at improving efficiency and accuracy.
“We are showing a linear track function, and we’re also showing a levitating linear motion technology,” said Shaun Kneller, director of strategic accounts for B&R Industrial Automation, during an interview with Packaging OEM.
Robotics and display performance
At the core of the demo was an ABB IRB industrial delta robot, built to deliver consistent and stable performance.
“This is a combination of robotics and different linear motion type technologies. It also showcases the B&R HMIs,” said Kneller.
The ABB high-capacity robot handles up to eight kilograms of payload. Offering a hygienic design for washdown applications, such as food packaging, it has integrated vision and control of indexing belts. It’s built for fast picking applications while featuring motion control and short cycle times.
Additionally, the company demonstrated a Codian robot, available in hygienic models for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical packaging. It can be combined with any control platform for pick-and-place tasks.
“This system differs from the ABB robot setup, which has a separate control for the robot,” said Kneller. He added that the Codian robot offers integration capabilities with B&R products.
B&R also showcased its HMI devices, which are designed to work with industrial PCs. Available in a variety of formats, they feature multi-touch screens or input keys and are designed with IP65 protection, making them ideal for industrial environments.
Levitating shuttles for efficient packaging
One major highlight of the company’s demo was its ACOPOS 6D, which is based on the principle of magnetic levitation. It features shuttles with integrated permanent magnets floating over the surface of electromagnetic motor segments.
The shuttles come in a variety of sizes and can carry payloads of 0.6 to 14 kilograms while reaching speeds up to two meters per second.
“We can control the height of each one of those shuttles, and we can control the height between zero, which is what we call landed, up to around six millimeters, depending on the payload that we’ve got on there,” said Kneller. “We move them in a rapid way, fast acceleration, and obviously a high top speed, once again, depending on the payload that we have on there.”
The system allows simultaneous control of up to four shuttles per 240 by 240-millimeter motor segment, for a maximum processing density of nearly 70 products per square inch. The shuttles can be arranged in any shape to provide flexibility for various machines.
“In this setup, we can control the height of the product, which is crucial for real-world applications like assembly. You can easily move a part from a conveyor, position it under the shuttle, lift it up, and place it onto the shuttle,” said Kneller.
Each shuttle receives its path planning calculation. The system assigns each shuttle a unique ID, so it doesn’t require homing sequences at startup, and production can begin quickly.
“We can rotate the products,” said Kneller. “We can also move with accuracy – within 10 microns.”
The shuttles can move individual products freely throughout the machine, making them ideal for short-run packaging and frequent changeovers between products.
“These are very well suited for lab automation, small parts assembly, electronic assembly, pharmaceuticals, personal health care products, smaller food and beverage applications as well,” said Kneller.
The system is integrated with B&R’s products, allowing the shuttles to be synchronized with servo axes, robots, track systems, and machine vision cameras for accuracy.
Paths for the shuttles are handled on a dedicated controller, which is connected to the machine network via Powerlink, the company’s Ethernet-based system suited for drives, visualization, and data exchange between PLC systems.
Cameras for machine vision, product inspection
Also on display were B&R’s Smart Cameras, designed to provide images and identify products, shapes, blobs, and a variety of barcodes, including 2D. It integrates seamlessly with the company’s products for quality control and inspection.
“The cameras are running on our Powerlink network, fully synchronized with everything in the system,” said Kneller.
Each Smart Camera is equipped with one of three image sensors, ranging from 1.3 to 5 megapixels. It offers light sensitivity and low noise to provide images in fast-paced applications, like packaging or manufacturing.
“We chose to be able to process the image very quickly… and one of the ways we did that is by using black and white cameras. That means we don’t have as much data to process, because you’re not interpreting colors and doing all the extra work. It allows us to interpret the data much more quickly,” said Kneller.
With a single cable that provides power, the cameras connect to the machine network, and a second connection is also available for lighting elements.
Learn more about magnetic shuttles, machine vision
To learn more about B&R Industrial Automation’s solutions, click here. If you missed Pack Expo Southeast, view our photo gallery to catch up with the innovation that was on display.
