New drinks packaging machine automates all stations using just one high-speed bus

When Italian packaging machine specialist, Ecocap’s, decided to develop a new machine for the energy drinks market it gave them the opportunity to adopt a new automation model based on the Omron Sysmac platform. The idea was to develop a system for bottling up to 20,000 cans per hour with automation of all stations using a single high-speed bus: EtherCAT.

The PC-based Sysmac platform is fully compliant with the open standard IEC 61131-3, and comes with proprietary software developed entirely by Omron (Sysmac Studio), to guarantee almost total integration of all the components (NJ, temperature controllers, motors, positioners), even at programming level.

This type of architecture improves operational flexibility, especially with a view to the migration to electronic cams. Furthermore, simulation functions allow programming to be carried out irrespective of mechanics, which allows the integration of third-party products:

“Our customers don’t want a black box; they want open machines which can be adapted,” said Carlo Innocenti, of Ecocap’s “Omron has understood this for some time and the use of an open network with shared programming protocol further confirms it once again.”

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