INMOCO cuts packaging times
system, which the company claims can cut development time by 50 per
cent.
UK-based INMOCO has recently introduced its PacDrive packaging system, which the company claims can cut development time by 50 per cent.
PacDrive, which was developed on the basis of PC technologies, uses only standardised hardware, interfaces and software to offer packaging companies an automation system that employs the same structure for both small and large machines. As a result the company claims that machine development times are cut by up to 50 per cent, whole machine life cycle costs reduced by up to 30 per cent and productivity increased by an average of 25 per cent.
The system has been developed especially for the requirements of the packaging industry. It consists of a PC-based control, the PacController, which provides a platform for both IEC 61131 PLC and motion control functions.
A Profibus DP master connection for all PLC signals, and a digital SERCOS drive bus for the control of decentralised servo drives are also integrated into the control. In addition, extensive facilities for monitoring and control, using operator interface panels and Window-based HMI's, are provided via RS 485 and Ethernet interfaces, the latter also enabling supervisory systems to interrogate PacDrive and diagnose all states of the system.
PacDrive is essentially a synergy of hardware and software technology, the latter crystallised in the Windows based EPAS-4 programming environment for the system. EPAS-4 has extensive proven functions and tools, and offers a key advantage in that all of its components are integrated and intuitive. For the user, this means an easily learned system, with effortless handling and integration of all tools. Additional help and functionality is provided by extensive software libraries, which offer cost effective and speedy answers to any concern. These also help to improve the quality of any user programs.
The compact book-sized PacDrive is a truly international product, complying with a host of international standards including CE, EN, UL and CUL. With the demands for standardisation in the global field of packaging technology growing stronger, this means that no other system is more qualified to achieve conformance and deliver the improvements in performance and development and life cycle costs required by both builders and users of packaging machines, the company claimed.
Intelligent Motion Control has over 30 years experience in the servo drive industry. INMOCO's products are used in robots, machine tools, automation, metal bending, handling, packing, textiles and paper.
