Filling machine performance optimized with Nexto Xpress PLC technology

Total control over the process, exponential increase in productivity and excellent cost-effectiveness proportion. These are some of the benefits that manufacturers around the world add to their business when using Nexto Xpress PLCs in their machines. One of these manufactures, which is a company specialized in the development of packaging and filling machines, sought in Xpress controllers the technology needed to automate its new line of machines for filling yogurts and dairy drinks.

Developed in a cooperation between the customer`s engineering team and the specialists of Altus OEM team, the architecture applied to the machine has as its central part the XP300, programmable controller of Nexto Xpress family, as the central part of the control system.

Nexto Xpress PLC as a control solution

Compact, with a high-speed processor, varied communication interfaces and support for multiple protocols, Altus` most advanced line of programmable controllers is capable of meeting most demands and processes of Industry 4.0.

The XP300, model chosen for the application, features 16 digital inputs, 16 transistor digital outputs, an Ethernet port, a standard RS-485 Serial channel, a CAN port and a USB interface. Due to its high density of I/O points, the Xpress was the PLC chosen to interact with the equipment used to control the various processes of the machine.

The complete architecture also uses a 7” touchscreen HMI, six frequency inverters and a sequence of sensors and solenoid valves. In the developed application, the HMI is used to insert recipes and supervise the application, communicating with the controller through Modbus TCP protocol.

The inverters are responsible for controlling the conveyor belt for the bottles, the table turning mechanism and the four pumps and dosing nozzles that comprise the yogurt filling process. The devices receive the commands to operate through a CANopen network connected to the CAN interface embedded in the Xpress PLC.

The solution also has sensors to identify the exact position of the bottles throughout each stage of the filling process and a set of solenoid valves, activated through the fast outputs available on the XP300, used to control the flow of yogurt released to fill each one of the bottles.

See the video below, with the machine in full operation:

Availability and knowledge: the differentials of our OEM team

One of the owners of this machine manufacturer company, highlights the ease of Nexto Xpress PLCs programming and the availability of Altus’ experts team as differentials in the execution of this project. For them, the high technology of the products combined with the experience of our OEM specialists team resulted in an important improvement on the performance of this new machine line. 

Formed by trained professionals with extensive market experience, our OEM team has been helping manufacturers across the country to maximize the performance of their machines. Available from the beginning to the end of the project, our team is capable of identifying needs, proposing improvements and, in certain cases, even assisting in the development of the application.

As with everything we do here at Altus, this dedication intends to offer a differential experience to users of Altus technology so that they can deliver highly efficient solutions that add real value to their customers` business.

Would you like to know how we can help your company achieve results like these? Click here and talk to our experts!