Pack Expo/FPME Report: Rocking, rolling, RFID
The emphasis at this year's Pack Expo/Food Processing Machinery Expo was fourfold: RFID, operations, security and plastics. Suppliers had plenty to show and word was that many attendees were seriously shopping.
Out from under wraps
Numerous vendors debuted new products at Pack Expo/FPME.
Several vision systems for package inspection were introduced throughout the halls. The F270 from Omron Electronics LLC (
www.omron.com), Schaumburg, Ill., integrates into a single unit two CPUs with up to four high-speed cameras, two independent triggers and dual real-time position compensation ASICs to capture images in 8-16ms in either field or frame mode. The two CPUs allow the system to inspect two targets simultaneously with no reduction in production speed.
From Cognex Corp. (
www.cognex.com), Natick, Mass., comes the Checker 101, a simple-to-use and inexpensive ($1,500) sensor that can visually detect presence or absence. The system was designed to replace photoelectric sensors or similar devices in simple vision applications, such as ensuring the cap and the label on a bottle or all of the tablets in a blister pack. It can analyze more than 400 images each second.
Multivac (
www.multivac.com), Kansas City, Mo., displayed the FormShrink system, a system that company officials claim is the first to allow custom thermoforming of film to odd shapes and varying sizes. Multivac’s R550 and R250 rollstock machines were re-engineered to work with a new film from Japanese supplier Krehalon, which shrinks up to 30 percent. Rather than using preformed pouches, products such as whole chickens, loins, cheese blocks and chub sausages can be placed in custom-shaped packages in the bottom web. After the top web is applied and sealed, a shrink tunnel fits the film to the precise shape.
DuPont Teijin Films
(www.dupontteijinfilms.com), Hopewell, Va., showed new, high-barrier Mylar GL and GX polyester films, which have moisture barrier protection approaching that of aluminum foil but in clear films. They also are barriers to oxygen, odors and flavors.
The Taylor Products division (
www.magnumsystems.com), Parsons, Kan., of Magnum Systems announced the Robotic Valve Bag Placer. The Fanuc robot is capable of placing bags on multiple machines, mounting in multiple positions and being customized to the application. In addition to the direct labor savings and improved personnel scheduling and utilization, it has a compact size, is dust and water resistant and requires minimal programming and maintenance.
Key Technology Inc. (
www.keytechnology.com), Walla Walla, Wash., explained its G6 modular platform, which will form the foundation for the next generation of both Tegra and Optyx optical sorting machines. The advanced, modular vision engine, based on industry standards, provides a migration path as customers upgrade or technologies evolve. The sorters’ hardware will not be obsoleted.
