A tricky task for PKM Packaging was to assemble 110 carton trays per minute from the carton magazine and fill them with either nine or twelve Ritter Sport minis. Although the small chocolate bars always have the same base area, they vary in thickness depending on the variety. There are also up to three different formats and up to 15 loading variants. For reasons of product output and cycle time, the decision was made to use a quadruple station for erecting the carton trays with a total of 16 stations for flexible loading of the various mini bars. Both the format changeover of the carton trays from nine to twelve chocolate bars to be picked up and the feeding of the carton trays to the assigned loading stations take place automatically. Electric handling systems with linear motor technology were favored from the outset due to the high cycle rates required, the desired flexibility, the essential process reliability and the significantly simpler integration of functions compared to pneumatic handling systems.

One of 16 quadruple loading stations with manually inserted chocolate bars, which are transferred to the carton trays using eps handling systems midi YZ 300E/200E. © Afag

These systems come from Afag. They can be quickly changed over to the relevant format at the stations at the touch of a button. The choice fell on the two EPS midi handling systems with the YZ axis version for loading the cardboard trays with chocolate bars. Another EPS maxi handling system with the XZ axis version is used to erect the carton trays at the start of the packaging process. The EPS midi YZ is a dynamic version that can also handle higher loads of up to 255 Newtons without any problems and works wear-free. The EPS maxi XZ handling system is preferably used when powerful, robust cantilever handling is required.

Saleable cardboard tray. © Afag

PKM had already had convincing experience with the Afag handling systems. The robust and precise design of the linear and lifting axes stands for quality, durability and reliability. Afag guarantees a high level of process reliability with up to 100 million load cycles and supplies the specifically configured handling systems as fully assembled and wired units including gripper interface. This results in real time and cost benefits for the customer from the design stage through to installation and commissioning. With the ready-to-install delivery strictly according to customer specifications, Afag relieves the user of some of the design and assembly tasks. pb