Page 44 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec 2018

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PACKAGING INNOVATION
PACK EXPO 2018 www.packagingnews.com.au
November-December 2018
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1: Re-engineering packaging lines: Sidel Group’s Stephane Banville (left) and Stephane Hacpille.
2: Automation is in: Heat and Control’s Amber Crowley and Geoff Church.
3: VR for operator training: Bosch shows the way forward.
4: PackReady is a game changer: Raul Mattos, VP of Karlville.
5: Show stopper: Ishida’s mini multi-head weigher for marijuana
6: Coffee break: ABB’s YuMi serves it up.
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Layout tool, which converts a 2D sketch into a 3D image of a planned packaging system on a 1:1 scale. This immersive, 360-degree experience delivers a realistic impression of the system as if standing on the production floor. Also demonstrated was Bosch’s VR tool for operator training, including the re- moval of machine parts with highly de- tailed functions such as being able to zoom in or out or move around the machine.
Last but not least, PKN readers have heard a lot about ABB’s award-winning YuMi col- laborative robot, and at the last few shows we’ve attended we have seen it adopt differ- ent guises, like the casino dealer at Pack Expo Las Vegas last year. But this time there was definitely cause to pause, as YuMi was dispensing a much needed coffee after a long day walking the Pack Expo aisles.
Pack Expo Las Vegas is up next, taking place from 23-26 September 2019. ■
5AUTOMATION & DIGITISATION
When it comes to game-changing tech- nology, Pack Expo had so much to offer and space constraints limit our coverage. Suffice to say, packaging solutions using Industry 4.0, IIoT, AR, VR, and collaborative robots were in strong evidence. The message is clear: the future factory is here now, and machinery suppliers have raised the bar when it comes to design for the digital age.
There was a veritable feast of automation advances and Industry 4.0-based solutions on the Sidel Group stand. Stephane Ban- ville, VP Gebo Cermex North America and Stephane Hacpille VP Sales and Marketing, North America, Sidel Group, shared how the group is re-engineering packaging lines, in- corporating VR, IIoT and cobot applications. A highlight was AQFlex, which Banville and Hacpille describe as “a breakthrough in product handling technology”. AQFlex is a an agile system offering smooth contactless product conveying and accumulation in a very compact space. Sidel Group believes this is a significant first step towards bring- ing the factory of the future to life.
Digital transformation was a strong focus on Pack Expo’s Packaging Printing Pavilion. PKN stopped in at HP and Karlville (both represented in Australia by Currie Group), to get the latest update on HP’s ‘game changing’ Pack Ready lamina- tion solution for digitally printed flexible
packaging commercialised by Karlville. Raul Mattos, VP of Karlville, said the glob- al uptake has been strong and the company will have over 20 installations in the mar- ket by the end of the year.
“Pack Ready is the next step in the digital disruption of printing for flexible packag- ing, the fastest-growing packaging sector. This solution helps brand owners maxi- mise the value of HP digital print, drive brand engagement, shorten time to market, and cut waste and costs,” Mattos said.
Heat and Control’s Amber Crowley and Geoff Church showed PKN the fully auto- matic, high speed Ishida ACP-700 case packer. It boasts the smallest footprint in the industry which enables easy installa- tion for existing production lines. Change- over is fully automatic and toolless, and a large 15.3” colour HMI provides easy-to-use functionality for changeover, and general operation, while the intuitive screen design reduces the opportunity for human error.
As an aside, attracting a lot of attention on the stand was a mini multi-head weigher for marijuana, a sector that requires small-dose precision. With the recent change in US leg- islation around medicinal marijuana, there was a notable increase in the number of packaging solutions on offer for this sector since the last Pack Expo show.
On the Bosch stand, PKN was treated to a demonstration of the company’s Virtual
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