trends in automation
Synergies
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mall, large, round, square,
aluminium, plastics, cardboard
and composites – food packaging
has never been as diverse as it is
today. This is not just because of the
increase in hygiene requirements but also
because packaging is used as the brand
identity for products and companies. This
development also has an impact on the
manufacturers of high quality packaging
machines. They must be ever faster,
increasingly flexible, more and more
compact. And so the “hand” of Schubert’s
TLM P3 robot has become more and more
complex over the years.
Apart from the core task, holding the tool,
the robot hand must also fulfil many
additional requirements. These include,
for example, transferring energy and data
for the sensors and valves on the tool.
It also transfers the relevant codes to
the tool. But the more complex robots
and tools become the more difficult the
tool change turns out to be. Gerhard
Schubert GmbH realised it was time
for a fully automatic format conversion
process using an automatic tool changer.
Transport in seconds
The principle of the automatic changing
process is simple. With the new tool
changer the TLM P3 robot takes the
suitable format tool for the relevant
product from a tool cupboard specifically
designed to basic europallet dimensions
and transfers it to a TLM transmodule.
As the first transrobot in the world the
transmodule can move freely on the
track system of a packaging machine.
It is driven by a servo motor that
engages into a gear rack by means
of a toothed pinion. The energy and
data are transferred inductively. The
transmodule delivers the tools to their
destination with a positioning accuracy
of up to ±0.1mm. Acceleration of up
to 0.5 g ensures it gets there fast. The tool
is removed and transported in about
40 seconds. Immediately after that the
packaging machine starts the new format.
Progress with a tiny footprint
The central interface of the automatic
tool changer is the valve range VUVG.
It transfers energy and control pulses
quickly and reliably. And its design is
Compact centrepiece:
The modular design of the
valve range VUVG was a great advantage to Gerhard
Schubert’s designers.