Page 35 - Packaging News July - August 2019

July-August 2019
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COMPANY PROFILE
35
Profile Solutions expands automation capability
Australian OEM Profile Solutions has over the last two decades built a strong reputation in the field of leak detection. More recently, the company has expanded into automation. PKN sat down with MD Thomas Mitchell at ProPak Asia to gain insight into its progress.
FOUNDED in 1993, NSW-based Profile Solutions has focused most of its efforts over the last 20-plus years on developing and honing its leak detection equipment, which it has exported to some 35 countries
to date and which it was showcasing at ProPak Asia 2019.
“We have the fastest leak detectors per test in the world,” says MD Thomas Mitchell. “In this area we have also been innovators, and always have looked for solutions outside of the box.”
Mitchell explains that the company has also been engaged in other areas of packaging supply, and in the last three years has added automation to its portfolio of services.
“In the area of plastics machinery, we have also been involved in sup- plying and installing blow moulding machinery and robots for injection moulding machines, including in- mould labelling robots.
“In a country like Australia, auto- mation is the key to unlocking global competitiveness, and in many areas we are trailing other nations,” he says. “When you look at China, the country is automating at a significant rate and this is ensuring it doesn’t lose out on lower cost jobs to other developing nations. This is despite China being a lower cost nation.”
Mitchell is quick to point out that automation need not be complex.
“On some of the jobs we have under- taken, we have tried to find the way in- volving the least complexity,” he says.
“So, companies should not try and automate every part of production, just the core tasks that constitute the majority of sales. You have to focus on the simple, time-consuming and la- borious or repetitive tasks in your fac- tory that can be automated,” he says.
According to Mitchell, Profile So- lutions is seeing more vertical inte- gration in the local market and has been installing an increasing num- ber of bottle conveyors using the Smalte modular conveyor system.
“We have manufactured items like pre-label cooling tables, collation ta- bles and bung inserters for 15 to 25-li- tre drums, dust cap placers, high speed stackers and spout inserters. Our capability now includes install- ing items like sleeving machines, checkweighers and vision systems.”
Mitchell cites an automation proj- ect the company undertook for Class Plastics in Truganina, innova- tors of the anti-glug pouring system applied to bulk drums. The compa-
The end-of-line automation installed by Profile Solutions allowed Class Plastics to expand output without additional labour and improve quality.
ny installed automation around its blow moulders, and at the end of the line was a highly versatile palletiser (pictured) which handled a wide range of product with one end-of- arm tool. The system allowed Class to expand output without additional labour and improve quality.
“Aside from palletising with six- axis robots, we have also installed palletising using long stroke linear robots in novel ways – palletising the output of four slow machines at once, usually not considered viable. Palletising is an area in which we wish to expand.
“Part of this vertical integration included co-operation worldwide with another innovative Australian manufacturer of take-outs for Aoki ISBM machines, Pacwel,” he adds.
Despite being a small company, Profile Solutions has pursued over- seas sales, setting up offices in Singa- pore and Chicago. The company is a regular exhibitor at international trade shows, and will be exhibiting at Pack Expo in Las Vegas in September, and K 2019 in Germany in October.
Mitchell concludes: “Although we have traditionally been in blow and injection moulding, we are looking to expand our customer base in palletising and apply our innovation to new sectors.” ■
In a country like Australia, automation is the key to unlocking global competitiveness, and in many areas we are trailing other nations.”