Acma's smart handling packaging systems set for Interpack spotlight

Nov 02, 2023

pic: Acma

Posted: 18 March 2023

Related core topics: Business news, Cocoa & chocolate, Processing, Regulatory, Sustainability

Related topics: confectionery, equipment, Interpack, packaging, systems

Related people: Alessandro Parimbelli

Related regions: europe, germany, worldwide

Packaging machinery specialist Acma will be unveiling a number of key solutions for the major Interpack event taking place this Spring in Dusseldorf, Germany, writes Neill Barston.

According to the company, there will be a prime focus on its ‘smart handling’ simulation of a robotic distribution line for the management of flat-based asymmetrical chocolate pralines, integrated with the CW 600 wrapping machine in "bunch" style.

Furthermore, the company will also be displaying its Material Gate system, a unit for testing wrapping materials, with which tests will be carried out with sustainable materials.

In addition, the company's parent Coesia group will be presenting its Greenmation, addressing consumer demands towards reusable and recyclable packaging solutions, whilst manufacturers face labor shortages and production cost increases within supply chains.

"In this complex situation, Coesia believes that the answer to this profitability-threatening challenge lies in supporting a revolution in production which is capable of combining the principles of automation and sustainability in the industries of Food & Beverage, Pharma & Personal Care, and Cross Industry Automation," says Alessandro Parimbelli, Coesia Chief Executive Officer.

As the business revealed, its appearance at Interpack will be split into three areas – Food and Beverage, Pharma & Personal Care, and Cross Industry Automation, where technicians and experts will present the latest solutions presented across the combined companies.

In terms of Acma's offering, its smart handling demo solution has been devised in partnership with Schneider Electric, is an automated robotic distribution for Confectionery made of two different product handling stations, showing ACMA's engineering capabilities in the management of automated pick and place of flat-based products with shape and surface irregular.

In this line simulation, its first robot will sort and orient the chocolate pralines in rows (also thanks to the support of a camera directly connected to the robotic arm). The second one, equipped with a multiple gripping hand, inserts the product correctly oriented inside the CW 600 feeding conveyor, finally wrapped by the latter in bunch style.

The line is also supported by smart systems for real-time production process control, a camera system developed in collaboration with the Coesia Engineering Center (CEC), allowing the monitoring of the movement of the chocolate pralines during the line process. This tool can give the operator a clear view of what is happening to a specific portion of products in the various steps of the process, making any problems along the way easily identifiable and supporting flow optimisation.

Chocolate packagingMeanwhile, its CW 600 F multi-style technology for packaging flat-based chocolate pralines will also be showcased, and on this occasion will have a "bunch" wrapping style, capable of working with different wrapping materials, including mono-materials such as aluminium, PP, PVC and cellophane.

At the same time, the flexibility of the machine allows the handling of multi-layer or paper-based materials, thus responding to market demands, which increasingly ask to package products with sustainable materials. With this wrapping style, ACMA wants to show the precision of its machines thanks to the necessary correspondence between the shapes of the chocolate praline and the designs presents on its wrapping. At Interpack, CW 600 is equipped with Coesia OptiMate Premium and PerforMate digital solutions.

OptiMate is the HMI developed by Coesia for the direct management of machines easily and intuitively, acting as a single interface for accessing ACMA digital services, including remote assistance for diagnostics and troubleshooting (Advanced Remote Assistance). The Premium version integrated into the CW 600 has additional features, making easier operations such as ordinary maintenance, predictive maintenance and format changeover, guided through step-by-step procedures.

PerforMate is an integrated IoT platform allowing real-time monitoring of the machine and production lines through an intuitive and customizable interface based on customer needs, accessible at anytime and anywhere. PerforMate offers functions such as real-time monitoring of production and analysis of bottlenecks, thus becoming a powerful tool for managing the entire production line while ensuring data security.