Innovation in packaging lines and quality

Apr 07, 2014

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For its most innovative packaging lines, Bergami avails itself of the collaboration of Bosch Rexroth, developing technological solutions universally recognized for their performance and reliability.

At Interpack 2014 Bergami will be presenting its TF200 tube filling machine, designed with the new in-line approach, that operates via an orbital track system that receives the empty tubes vertically, then proceeding to filling and closing them.
This allows the machine to be balcony designed, enabling access to all the parts and thus ensuring extreme ease of cleaning in accordance with GMP standards.
In addition, closure systems for plastic and aluminum tubes can be mounted side-by-side so as to be easily interchangeable, without having to install or uninstall other components during format change.

Every movement controlled by servomotor
The orbital track of the TF200 has fully guaranteed quick-release magnetic tube holder sockets, fed vertically and then rotated to center the print on the tube. Immediately after that if required a cleaning station can be attached that operates through blowing and suction of compressed air. Given that the lane rotates in a continuous cycle, the tube-carriers deliver the tubes ready for filling.
The metering system is regulated by servo-drives, which enable the programming by display of the 3 to 350 ml range of the metered volumes and that raise the tube-carriers to the height of the two filling nozzles. At format change, all specific product variables such as humidity, temperature and viscosity can be changed using a simple and functional graphic interface.
The metering system, together with hot air welding stations for plastic or laminate tubes and with folding grippers for aluminum tubes, is supported by an upper frame adjustable via handwheel, in order to handle tubes of different lengths.
The filled tubes advance along the lane and are then gently transferred to a horizontal position in the cartoning machine feeder. The tubes can also be taken and inserted automatically in the cartoning machine drawer chain.
This pick & place option prevents the risk of rubbing and ensures the proper orientation of the tubes.
The format change procedure is guided via an image based graphic interface so as to facilitate the operator, reducing the entire format change operation to about 10 minutes.
The strength of the TF200 is the absence of mechanical movements controlled by traditional cams, by now obsolete: Every feature of the movement can be set and adjusted by programming the corresponding servo motor.

Partner in automation
To go beyond the standard, developing technology specific to each project by using the most modern mechanical and electronic components, improve daily efficiency of the machines and to minimize operator presence during the production phases: All these activities represent a challenge for those who today want to play a leading role in the packaging industry.
To innovate their applications Bergami has turned to Bosch Rexroth, leading technology partner in developing solutions for the packaging machine sector.
The higher level of quality of basic components achieved by Bosch Rexroth following a continuous presence in different automation sectors, is in fact an intrinsic value for Bergomi, who can offer its customers a final product universally recognized for its characteristics of functionality and reliability.
Another determining factor in the choice of the automation platform has been the technical cooperation with the Bosch Rexroth application engineers, focused on the research and implementation of innovative solutions designed to specific manufacturer requirements.
A flexible platform
The Indraworks development environment conforms to IEC61131, includes several function blocks dedicated to typical automatic machine functions, allowing a significant reduction in the development time of applications.
Bergami was able to select the best among the scalability characteristics of software and hardware of the IndraMotion platform, using the various MLC platform (MLC25/MLC45/MLC65) controls, depending on the complexity and the number of axes required for the different applications. Also in the choice of servodrives Bergami has taken advantage of the Bosch Rexroth’s comprehensive offer. The use of servo motors with integrated Mi IndraDrive series with safety features that range from SafeTorqueOff to SafeMotion functions, also enabling direct connection between the motor and IO nodes remoted in the field, has allowed the maximum reduction of bulk inside the electrical control panel, as well as a significant saving in wiring.
For low-cost applications, with reduced number of axes or that do not require the presence of a motion controller, the compact servodrives of the IndraDrive Cs series are today the most flexible and cost-effective on the market: thanks to extensive interfacing towards the most common fieldbuses (Ethernet IP, Profinet IO. Profibus DP and CANopen), applications can be built at a reduced cost simply by interfacing the servodrives to the machine PLC.
And this is why Bosch Rexroth has introduced the novelties presented by Bergami (Interpack, Hall 16, Stand 16B04) in its Innovation Tour, a special presentation dedicated to all the innovative solutions developed in cooperation with Bosch Rexroth (Interpack, Hall 06, Stand D62), which will be previewed in a promotional launch at the fair.

Bergami in brief
Bergami Srl (Altedo, Bologna) is a consolidated concern in the automatic packaging machine design and building sector: their main markets centre on cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, with over 90% of the group’s output exported abroad.
In over 30 years of activity the Bolognese concern has sold more than 1000 machines in 45 different countries, installed with big international groups.
Their technological offer features tubefilling and closing machines, medium to high speed vertical and horizontal cartoning machines, wrapping and bundling machines for single and multiple products and lastly automatic casepacking and palletising systems.
Thanks to the experience built up over the years, Bergami has also been supplying its customers complete packaging lines, availing itself of partners in the sector and guaranteeing interaction with its own machines.
Since the beginning of the nineties, their machines have been designed in compliance with GMP standards. These are compact, flexible and functional systems, all balcony designed, so as to guarantee easy cleaning and maintenance.
The technical solutions adopted, both in the engineering mechanics and electronics field, feature max functionality, enabling format changes to be carried out in but a few minutes by a single operator. In view of total customer care, Bergami guarantees its customers daily assistance, with a complete offer that includes hardware and software updates, maintenance, spare parts and inspection audits with specialised techniques.
To satisfy growing production demands in its traditional sectors but also to extend its horizon to the food, non-food and tobacco sectors, the company will transfer in 2015 to a larger premises (still in the Altedo area), continuing to invest in design and innovation.