Mind the gap

Connecting individual machine modules to form a continuous line can be a lot of work and take up a lot of space. Optima has joined a filling and packaging machine in a way that reduces the footprint by nearly four meters. It's made possible by a unique solution featuring B&R's intelligent ACOPOStrak transport system.

Optima machines and lines have used material transport systems from B&R and other suppliers for many years. "When designing a line, one of the main challenges is how to connect all the different machine modules," says Andreas Dreschner, technical sales manager at Optima. When Optima kicked off the project, they evaluated possible transport systems to interface between the filling and packaging units. "For our application, there was no other system that offered the same kind of flexibility or met our requirements for speed and dynamics the way ACOPOStrak does," explains Dreschner.

"One challenge with this application were the gaps that arise during the manufacturing process," says Dreschner. That happens, for example, when capsules are rejected for failing to pass quality inspection. Since even a slight deviation in weight, an imperfect seal or minor offset in the position of the lid can cause a capsule to be rejected, plant operators assume a reject rate of around 0.2 to 0.3 percent. "The capsules are typically packed in cartons of ten or more," adds Dreschner, "so that ultimately leads to an even larger percentage of defective cartons."

Thanks to the ability of ACOPOStrak shuttles to move independently, any gaps in the production flow can easily be closed. Any capsules that fail to pass quality inspection are sorted out right away. "ACOPOStrak immediately moves up the next capsule, and the flow of products continues without missing a beat," Dreschner explains.