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| | Maksimal Series™ Horizontal Form-fill-and-seal (HFFS) Machine from Aagard |
| | Customer: | | Aagard, Minnesota |
| | Country: | | United States |
| | Industry: | | Packaging |
| | Services: | | None |
| | Products: | | Motion Control |
| Maksimal Series™ Horizontal Form-fill-and-seal (HFFS) Machine for Stand-up, Re-sealable Pouches
At PACK EXPO 2011, packaging equipment experts from Aagard will showcase the new Maksimal Series™ horizontal form-fill-and-seal (HFFS) machine for stand-up, re-sealable pouches. This machine executes the first known continuous forming and sealing process for HFFS stand-up, re-sealable pouches. Founded in 1997, Minnesota-based Aagard has quickly become a leading manufacturer of cartoning, case-packing and palletizing machinery. The company is known for innovative, cost-effective and easy-to-install
systems, including patented wrap-around cartoning equipment and combination packaging solutions that use a single frame and control system to save floor space and ease system operation.
The Maksimal Series™ new approach to forming and sealing stand-up pouches sets it apart from competitors. Traditional horizontal form-fill-and-seal packaging systems require intermittent stop-and-start film transport to form and seal each pouch. These systems advance film through multiple tooling stations one repeat of graphics at a time. As a consequence of intermittently advancing the material, the films used in these traditional systems must be thicker and non-extensible to withstand the heat and tension. The Maksimal Series™ alleviates these problems by using continuous motion forming and sealing of the film, and eliminating the need for stop-and-start actions. This allows customers to use significantly thinner gauge films.
“Traditional form-fill-and-seal pouch packaging machines don’t allow end users much choice in the materials they use,” says Steve Mulder, vice president of operations, Aagard. “The Maksimal Series™ rectifies this problem, enabling customers to use a variety of films that can save them money.”
The Maksimal Series™ requires precise motion control to move the film through forming and sealing stages. Engineers use an Allen-Bradley GuardLogix programmable automation controller (PAC) and Allen-Bradley Kinetix 6500 servo drives to deliver high performance with multidiscipline control. The GuardLogix PAC seamlessly connects to plantwide information systems using EtherNet/IP™.
The machine also uses Allen-Bradley PowerFlex® 40P AC drives to provide closed-loop control in a compact and cost-effective design. The drives’ category 3 safe-off capability provides certified protection for AC drive control, while helping to eliminate external hardware and reduce space requirements.
The Maksimal Series™ also uses an Allen-Bradley PanelView™ Plus 1500 color touch-screen human-machine interface (HMI) for user-friendly operator access to machine information. The easy-to-view screen displays machine status and alarms, timing signal entry, servo parameter entry, machine-function selects and size-menu selection.
Aagard engineers designed a custom control cabinet to lie horizontally across the top of the machine that not only contains the control panels but also serves as the machine top frame. Unlike other systems with a remote or vertically-mounted control cabinet, the wiring on the Maksimal Series™ is more evenly distributed from the control cabinet through the machine and does not exit the control cabinet until the point where the field device is located. This innovative approach results in a clean design with minimal wiring on the machine.
“Our partnership with Rockwell Automation and the advantages of the Integrated Architecture™ system help us innovate without risking the flexibility our customers need or slowing our design process,” Mulder said. “Furthermore, our customers are familiar and comfortable with the Rockwell Automation technology, which helps them take ownership and efficiently support the machinery."
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