NEW LOGISTICS PRODUCTS & SERVICES
EDITED BY DIANE RAND rollouts
SPOTLIGHT ON ….
PACKING AND PACKAGING
Diagnostic solution for packaging systems: Schneider
Packaging Equipment Co., a packaging solutions manufacturer,
has introduced Intelligent Illumination, an end-of-line packaging
system designed to change the way operators maintain their
machines.
The concept is simple: Blue light is good, red is bad. But this
basic spectrum could save manufacturers thousands of hours in
wasted productivity, the company says.
Intelligent Illumination alerts end-user personnel on the floor
of issues, then allows them to pinpoint and fix the problem(s)
without even consulting the human machine interface.
The machine detects when attention is needed and immediately causes the LEDs at that specific location to illuminate in a particular color. This alerts the operator to the machine’s condition.
If the machine is running smoothly and requires no immediate
attention, the LED lighting will glow with a soothing blue. In
the event operator intervention is required, the LED lighting will
switch from blue to amber, red, or other colors, depending on
the action needed.
Once the operator has opened the guard door where the
problem exists, the lighting within the machine turns to white
task lighting, which provides proper visibility for the operator.
(Schneider Packaging Equipment Co. Inc., www.schneiderpack-aging.com)
Lithium-ion battery packaging: Labelmaster, a company
specializing in dangerous goods transport, and Procyon-Alpha
Squared, a technology provider focused on aerospace applications, have teamed up to develop and manufacture Obexion, a
complete line of protective packaging solutions engineered specifically for shipping and storing lithium batteries and
devices that contain them.
According to Labelmaster,
this new brand of packaging uses passive technology to achieve capabilities
ranging from fire resistance to thermal, flame, and gas management to full ballistic and pressure management that will mitigate
risks by reducing the potential for thermal runaways.
This packaging is available in multiple formats: a multi-use
metal design for larger-sized batteries and large quantities of
batteries, and a lightweight fiberboard box for single-use and
reverse logistics needs.
To facilitate assembly and reduce shipping costs, the Obexion
line of packaging does not contain heavy inner packing components, such as gel-packs or heavy liners, and does not contain
additional pellets, other voluminous fill items, or outer packaging. (Labelmaster, www.labelmaster.com/obexion)
Packaging robot: Bagging
systems specialist Automated
Packaging Systems has partnered
with robotics manufacturer ABB
to integrate the Autobag 500
bagging system with ABB’s YuMi
robot. According to the company,
YuMi is the first collaborative dual-armed robot designed to work
side by side with humans.
The YuMi can assist with assembling and packaging small parts
and kits on the Autobag 500. Using motion control and cam-era-based parts location, the YuMi can pick and place products
into pre-opened bags, which are then automatically sealed and
dispensed by the Autobag 500.
YuMi has two magnesium arms that flex on seven axes to
mimic human movements with spatial efficiency. The robot takes
up no more space than a human operator does and is extremely
precise, with 0.02 mm accuracy and speeds of 59 inches per
second. This robot includes built-in sensors that instantly halt all
motion if the unit bumps into a person or other object, which
eliminates the need for cages and safety zones. There are no
pinch points on the YuMi robot.
The Autobag 500 bagger is an automatic filling and sealing
machine capable of cycling at rates of up to 100 bags per minute. Genuine Autobag pre-opened bags-on-a-roll are available
in a wide range of sizes and styles that are system-matched for
optimum performance. (Automated Packaging Systems, www.
autobag.com)
Wood-fiber packaging material: BillerudKorsnäs, a maker
of paperboard and packaging technologies, has introduced
BillerudKorsnäs White, a packaging material designed to help
companies achieve
greater visual and tactile
appeal while using less
packaging material.
BillerudKorsnäs White
is made of primary
wood fibers that are
engineered to make the
cartonboard exceptionally strong. The company
explains that the product’s construction and mix of Nordic spruce and pine fibers differ
from other boards available in North America.
The company also offers consultation and sustainable design
ideas through its Carton Solutions team. The design team provides pre-studies, prototype development, and evaluations, and
can help brand owners create special shapes, latticework designs,
windows, and other unique designs. (BillerudKorsnäs, www.
billerudkorsnas.com)
