Powering the robotic island

Cavanna introduced its robotic island at Interpack 2005. At the time, this was considered to be a new concept for fully automatic and flexible cartoning, known as the G35 series. Since that time, this OEM has installed around 50 robotic systems. Experience gained during these installations has resulted in numerous developments, including continuous carton transportation during the filling process.

Enter the robot

Headquartered in Prato Sesia, northern Italy, Cavanna has manufactured its horizontal flow-wrapping machines for almost 50 years. These machines are used in a wide range of industries, from confectionery and bakery to pharmaceutical. During the past few years, the company has incorporated infeed and pick 'n' place systems based on robotic systems within these systems.

The robotic systems developed by Cavanna can be used to replace those based on fixed automation. The company established the 'Cartesio' division specifically to develop cartoning solutions. Fitted with three robots, the robotic island simultaneously erects four display cartons, into which the bakery products, chocolate bars or similar products are placed, being closed thereafter. As an alternative to a completely equipped line, the modular design facilitates partial automation of selected processing steps, such as erecting/filling or filling/closing.

All systems go

Elau packaging automation technology integrates motion and logic with robotic controls. It operates from a standards-based platform that eliminates proprietary robot controllers that would require separate programming and communications. The robot and machine functions are programmed in the same IEC 61131-3 compliant environment, being driven by the same servo-drives.

The Elau software library comprises modules that perform all common robotic kinematics. These enabled Cavanna to develop its own robots without calculating the related kinematic algorithms. Furthermore, the standardised control platform facilitates synchronisation with the robotic island's infeed, conveyor systems and upstream flow-wrappers without customised communications programming.

Applying the fourth axis

The G35 robotic island was featured on the Cavanna stand at Interpack 2008. One development was the replacement of intermittent carton transport with continuous-motion during the filling process. This was achieved by the integration of a fourth axis for the head of the pick 'n' place system. It also simplifies presentation of the individual products.

At Interpack, Cavanna presented a G35 robotic island within a fully-automatic inline machine for primary and secondary packaging of waffles with two different dimensions (100x30x17mm and 60x30x17mm). The line placed the waffles individually in bag sachets, which are then located in batches of 12 in a display carton. The open multipack is then wrapped with a film tube using an additional flow-wrapping machine.

The full system

The packing line begins with an upstream conveyor system that regulates the unwrapped product flow into parallel lanes. An integrated buffer system stacks 21 rows of 16 large products or 37 rows of smaller products. Next, the conveyor transfers the products to a stream-feeding system with multiple servo-driven conveyor belts. This puts the products into single lanes, leading to a horizontal Zero 5 flow-wrapper that can achieve outputs of 500 products per minute (PPM), according to the company.

The flow-wrapper transfers the packaged product to the infeed component of the G35 robotic island. The EF version comprises two robots, used to pack products into lidless display cartons, negating the requirement for a third robot for closing. The first robot picks four carton blanks, thereafter forming, closing and sealing the cartons with hotmelt glue. This process uses an intermittent infeed, after which the displays continuously pass through the filling procedure. A servo-driven inline feed system supplies the filled cartons to the downstream horizontal Zero 5 flow-wrapper, which is claimed to overwrap 50 display cartons per minute.

Integrated controls

Both five-axis flow wrappers are fully servo-driven and the entire line is automated using Elau technology. The line is equipped with one C400 automation controller per flow-wrapping machine and a C600 controller for the robotic island. This scalable control solution also controls the servo-driven transport and infeed systems, changeovers and reconfigurations of both transport and package formats.

As the Elau packaging automation platform integrates robotics, it was possible for Cavanna to develop its own robotic solutions without calculating its own kinematic algorithms. Furthermore, the standards-based programming and integrated PLC functionality provide some benefits.

Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Weyer is Senior Vice-President of Marketing for Elau, based in Marktheidenfeld, Germany