Cama set to showcase key packaging systems at Ipack-Ima
The Italian-based Cama group is set to showcase a broad series of secondary packaging systems developed for sectors including confectionery, at this year’s Ipack-Ima event in Milan, reports Neill Barston.
As the business revealed, it will be heading to the key industrial supply chain show between 3-6 May, highlighting its latest series of machinery, which includes breakthroughs from its robotics division.
The company, which has more than 40 years experience devising equipment and systems, is capable of delivering complete lines, from primary packaging handling to finished packaging ready for palletisation.
Furthermore, this year’s Ipack-Ima at the Fiera Milano venue will see the business enhance its physical machinery displays with additional video material showcasing potential applications. For the event in Milan, it will show a robotic line with a battery of 12 Triaflex robots (pictured main image) designed to pick up product and put it in trays. Of note, both machines have an Industry 4.0 package and are applicable to a variety of industries.
The line being exhibited is a fully integrated robotic solution, featuring a small food printer and a battery of 12 Triaflex robots working in co-flow, capable of packaging about 1000 products per minute.
As the business noted, the line features an anti-collision system, which allows it work in a very small space without each individual robot interfering with each other’s functions: two product loading lines, therefore, one on the right and one on the left, with various configurations. The lines have an advanced vision system, which allows them to recognise product shapes and do quality checks.
They are also equipped with an integrated digital-twin simulation system, the flagship of the first phase of Industry 4.0, which the company has supported at an early design phase allowing engineers to replicate the packaging behaviour of the products and their trajectories.
The system features a large HMI touch screen, which has been mounted directly on the machine, allowing operators to see how the system was designed at the virtual engineering level and how it was then explained in reality. This has been developed as a means of letting customers know how essential this phase is to the success of the project.
This design strategy is very useful in sectors such as frozen food, where there is no guarantee of being able to test the entire product, maintaining the cold chain and quantities, which in that sector are often tons processed on very fast lines, on which to simulate operation. The digital twin therefore helps to simulate a real production cycle and helps to prevent problems that, if discovered during assembly and testing, are a very serious problem. The analysis of behaviours, loads, trajectories and robots has given therefore, a strong advantage.
Cama’s machines have also been enriched with Industry 4.0 augmented reality packages, but with one more feature than robotic applications. The machines show through a tablet, all stages of maintenance, changeover and spare parts. The information, which was previously accessible with the paper manual, is displayed on screen via QR code.
A user-friendly solution that almost completely replaces the traditional manual, effectively supporting staff training. The lines have been developed with other added values in terms of the total customisation of the plants; with its application standards including specifications and machinery agreed upon with the customer, for bespoke solutions. Cama will be exhibiting at Hall 5P B10.
