MU May / June 2015

24 MACHINERY UPDATE MAY/JUNE 2015 www.machineryupdate.co.uk
Installation News
Dairy cartons are packed and
palletised in compact manner
Schubert has installed two identical lines at leading Finnish dairy Valio and here, a TLM-F2 robot is setting the cases down onto the waiting pallet
Finnish dairy products
producer Valio has
boosted its exports since
installing two lines from
Schubert to handle various
sizes of its beverage cartons.
The two TLM packaging
lines are identical in design
and each one consists of four
sub-machines. Each line is set
up to handle dairy products
in beverage cartons of 750 ml,
1 and 1.5 litre sizes in various
configurations at up to 233
cartons a minute and then
palletises the packed cases at
up to 24 pallets an hour.
Thanks to the modular
TLM technology from
Schubert, Valio can add to
these lines to handle future
output requirements or
additional carton sizes.
In operation, two singletrack
product belts feed the
upright beverage cartons.
The erection of cases from flat
blanks also takes place in the
first sub-machine. A TLM-F3
robot removes two case blanks
with attached lid from the
magazine and transfers them
to a TLM-F2.
The two-axis robot guides
the blanks past a hot-glue
nozzle, erects them in a folding
frame and places the erected
cases onto a Transmodul
waiting for them below.
This Transmodul then
moves the cases to the next
sub-machine.
The patented Transmodul
is an intelligent rail-based
transport robot that is
the central element of the
Schubert packaging system.
These transport robots
autonomously guide products
and packs through all areas
of the packaging system,
Cartons are packed in lidded cases
ensuring positive control
through the entire process.
In the second sub-machine,
each of the two product belts
feeds the beverage cartons to a
separate NC axis assembly. The
NC axes assembly forms two or
three rows with three or four
beverage cartons per segment,
depending on the size.
TRANSMODUL IN ACTION
A Transmodul with two cases
then stops in the second submachine.
Two TLM-F2 robots
pick up the product groups
and place them in their cases.
The Transmodul moves
downward and then stops in
the third sub-machine, where
the case lid is closed.
In the closing station, a
TLM-F2 robot folds over the
side sections of the case to
which hot glue has been
applied and seals them.
The robot picks up the closed
cases and places them on
two discharge belts in an
alternating fashion.
The palletising process
occurs in the fourth submachine.
The four-axis TLM-
P4 robot picks up two rows of
cases with a powerful suction
tool and places them on the
pallet. The finished pallet is
then discharged.
Incorporated in the line is
an electronic service module
which displays upcoming
maintenance work and reports
when wear parts are to be
replaced. Should an error
message appear the operator
receives instructions on how it
can be corrected.
The patented TLM
Transmodul is a one-axis,
rail-based robot. Individual
Transmoduls move
autonomously, and the rail
section can run through any
number of sub-machines.
One of the major benefits of
the Transmodul is its ability
to run in intermittent or
continuous motions, or a
combination of both. This
allows it the facility to apply
the most efficient transport
motion for each individual
sub-machine.
A turning unit located at
each end is where unloaded
modules turn around and
travel back to the other end of
the machine on the lower track.
T 01676 525825
W www.schubert-uk.co.uk