A major pet food manufacturer needed to stack cans at a high speed to create multi-packs of canned cat food. With the overall output needing to be 1200 cans per minute (or 600 stacks) there were safety concerns of static build up on the cans. Automation of this process was critical for speed of operation and safety of the plant employees.
Morrison used its rotary machine design to create a custom solution for the end user. Rotary machines are useful when trying to run at higher speeds because the space of the rotary allows for more time to perform the operation with less footprint.
The rotary machine accepts two lanes of product from backlog and stacks them two high (one over one) and then discharges the stacks into one lane. To create the stacks, one lane of product is accepted by timing screws at a lower elevation than the other lane. While transferring the cans through the turret star, the top-level can is placed on the base level can at the tangent point between the second lane star and turret star. After being stacked, the product exits the discharge star.
Each lane operates at 600 containers per minute, creating a 1200 containers per minute discharged, or 600 stacks per minute.
The design of the system featured numerous “smart” components to help it run at optimal efficiency. For example, to start the stacking process, the machine primes the screws until the photo eyes are covered and only once they are covered does the rotary system run. Priming the screws helps ensure accurate stack counts.
Additionally, mechanical components were added to the design to help keep stack output counts accurate. A reject guide was added at the discharge of the system featuring offset rails that let correct stacks pass through and reject single stacks. This reject is based on the geometry of the stacks.
The automated rotary stacking machine was constructed using black anodized aluminum and plastic components, providing a durable solution for high-speed operations.
The machine is an example of how standard components are implemented into a custom designed machine to fulfill the specific needs of a customer. This automated container handling machine helped improve speeds, efficiency, throughput, and reduce workforce needs for the customer through its container handling operations. The integration of this machine into the existing line ultimately contributed to greater productivity to meet consumer demands of the end user’s product.
Stacking is most often used for sleeving and cartoning applications.
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