Solutions in Action
FGWA and CBI Fleetwood
AMBEC AdaptA Series First-In First-Out (FIFO) Single-File Accumulation System from FGWA
With more than 50 years of experience, FleetwoodGoldcoWyard and CBI
Fleetwood have been leading global packaging machinery builders
specializing in advanced conveyance technology, robotics, process
solutions, changeparts and pre-owned equipment for the food, beer,
beverage, spirits, personal care, pharmaceutical and household products
industries. The companies maintain their industry-leading positions by
providing reliable equipment that easily integrates into an end user’s
production line.
Allen-Bradley® CompactLogix®
Programmable Automation Controller
FleetwoodGoldcoWyard and CBI Fleetwood also provide engineering
expertise and services from inception of a project throughout its life,
including layout and electrical-panel design, programming code
development, technical reviews, line integration and installation. “Because we
can provide support and equipment for an entire production line, our
customers benefit from having a single point of contact,” said Maximo Leyva,
innovation team leader at FleetwoodGoldcoWyard.
As part of its ongoing commitment to developing innovative solutions to
manufacturing challenges, FleetwoodGoldcoWyard and CBI Fleetwood have
designed the AMBEC AdaptA Series First-In First-Out (FIFO) Single-File
Accumulation System. The AMBEC AdaptA Series is the industry’s first flat,
multi-lane, pressureless accumulation system that allows users to run a wide
variety of difficult-to-handle package sizes at unprecedented speeds.
Allen-Bradley Kinetix® 350
Servo Drive
“Many of our customers are processing uniquely shaped packages that are
difficult to convey,” said Leyva. “They often experience bottlenecks in their
lines, where product that’s sitting on traditional single-file conveyors
experiences back pressure until it finally stops and product falls off the rails.
Our new adaptive AMBEC AdaptA First-In First-Out Accumulation System
solves that problem.”
The system is comprised of three major components: an in-feed conveyor, a
magazine-style accumulation table, and a discharge buffering system. Product
is fed single-file into the machine and is turned 90 or 180 degrees (depending
on the system layout) as it enters individual lanes on the accumulation table.
Unlike other methods, the product is not compressed during the transfer, nor
is there any back pressure on products. In addition, a patent-pending adaptive
buffer works independently from the indexing device to absorb force, prevent
any product-to-product contact, and help ensure high quality.
small, integrated and cost-effective package. It also enables
seamless upstream and downstream communication, so the
system can bring surrounding equipment to a synchronized
stop when needed.
The controller is tightly synchronized with compact
Allen-Bradley PowerFlex® 40 AC drives and Allen-Bradley
Kinetix 300 or Kinetix 350 servo drives (depending on
specific application needs) via the EtherNet/IP™ network,
providing up to 16 axes of complex motion, all on one
standard industrial network.
AMBEC AdaptA Series First-In First-Out (FIFO) Single-File Accumulation
System from FGWA
The AMBEC AdaptA Accumulation System can
accommodate ever-changing product sizes and shapes
with minimum changeover time. The rail-less magazine
style accumulation table allows the system to run single
or multiple chains per product lane to fit a wide range of
package sizes. Because it is flat, rather than vertical, the
system prevents any product stability or inertia issues,
and it can accommodate a wider range of product heights
without sacrificing valuable accumulation capacity.
“This system ultimately improves production line efficiency
by either providing accumulation of product or available
space, depending on what is needed, to maintain smooth
operation at any given time,” said Leyva. “In addition, users
can load and unload product at different speeds, providing
product-flow control that helps prevent the snowball effect
of production issues.”
The modular design of the system allows users to adapt to
unforeseen production line layout needs, including straight,
curvy, perpendicular or parallel transfers. In addition, the
flat and low design allows maximum product stability and
helps ease maintenance, cleaning and quality control.
Putting a focus on technologies that deliver high-speed
control in a small machine footprint, an Allen-Bradley
CompactLogix 5370 L3 programmable automation
controller (PAC) is used for the AMBEC AdaptA System. The
controller provides right-sized integrated motion control
while leveraging the common design and networking
environment of the Rockwell Automation
Integrated Architecture™ system. This gives users access to
the extensive capabilities of the Logix Control Platform in a
Adding to the machine’s ability to execute high levels of
motion control, FleetwoodGoldcoWyard and CBI Fleetwood
have implemented CIP Motion™ over EtherNet/IP, which
combines deterministic, real-time, closed-loop motion
control with standard, unmodified Ethernet to deliver an
open, high-bandwidth solution. The system is also expected
to reduce product changeover and troubleshooting time
because users can store and recall recipes using the
Allen-Bradley PanelView™ Plus 1000 human-machine
interface.
“Many manufacturers are just living with the problem,” said
Leyva. “Some only have a traditional single file conveyor
running between two machine centers. When their lines
stop, any product sitting on the conveyor can easily pile up.
The AMBEC AdaptA Accumulation System not only solves
this problem, but also provides users with a robust, adaptive
way to keep production running smoothly when frequent
changes are necessary.”
For more information, contact:
FleetwoodGoldcoWyard
CBI Fleetwood
Phone: 630.759.6800
Email: sales@fgwa.com
Allen-Bradley, CompactLogix, Kinetix, PowerFlex and Integrated Architecture are trademarks of Rockwell Automation, Inc.
Trademarks not belonging to Rockwell Automation are property of their respective companies.
Publication OEM-AP219A-EN-P – April 2013
Copyright © 2013 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA.