Automated double sleeve labeling machine with Altus PLCs

Total control over the process, exponential increase in productivity and excellent cost-benefit ratio. These are some of the benefits that manufacturers around the world add to their business by using Nexto Xpress PLCs in their machines.

A traditional machine manufacturer with more than 40 years in the South American market is one of those companies. The company was looking for a control solution for its new line of double sleeve labeling machines and found in Altus products the necessary technology to guarantee high speed and precision of synchronism in the action of each stage of the production process.

Today, we are going to talk about how our PLC technology helped the company achieve an important productivity gain and a significant reduction in the waste of material.

The Altus technology that drives production

Compact, high-performance and with an excellent cost-benefit ratio, the XP325 controller, a model from the Nexto Xpress family of IoT Ready PLCs, was the product chosen to be the central unit of the machine`s control and movement system. By having several communication interfaces and support for a wide range of protocols, such as MODBUS TCP Client/Server, OPC DA, OPC UA and MQTT, the controller is able to interact with the most varied smart devices on the market and meet the diverse demands. of Industry 4.0.

The XP325 model also stands out for having a real time clock (RTC), high density of multipurpose digital and analog I/O points (voltage, current and temperature) and LEDs for status indication and diagnostics.

Solution applied in the machine

The application uses two PLC units, one for each labeling head, increasing the level of control and speed of process scanning. The controllers work together with a pair of servo drivers and motors each, an architecture that delivers exceptional motion control to the machine, allowing it to operate at high speed and an incredibly low application error rate.

The pair of XP325 PLCs is also responsible for controlling the movement of the conveyor belts, communicating with sensors and interacting with the HMI P2070NA, from the P2 Series, used for inserting recipes and supervising the machine.

Precise control system result

The developed application resulted in an important productivity gain for the machine, which obtained a significant increase in production capacity. At the same time, the precision provided by the servo drivers contributed to reducing the waste of material with poorly applied labels.

Another differential of the project was the dedicated service provided by Altus` technical teams. The client Tehchnology Director declared that Altus has "a technical support that we don`t see in other places". "The fact of being able to count on the support of Altus is fundamental for us", he concluded.

Nexto Xpress, um CLP compacto all-in-one

Besides to the robust Nexto Series products, the company will also present the novelties for the Nexto Xpress IoT ready PLC solution. With different embedded communication interfaces and support for a wide variety of communication protocols, Altus compact controllers can be used as IoT gateways for small applications. Among its many 4.0 functionalities, the Xpress products can, for example, collect production data from the application in the field through a MODBUS TCP network and send them via OPC UA or MQTT to a supervisory system hosted in the cloud.

Designed to deliver performance and high connectivity to the most varied industry processes, the Nexto Xpress family has different options of multifunctional programmable controllers prepared to connect your business to the IIoT Universe. Now, to further increase its versatility, the Xpress line gains a new member developed to meet the demands of packaging machines and material assembly lines. Meet the new XP350, the first PLC Motion Control from the Nexto Xpress line.

Click here to access the official landing page and learn more about the Altus new PLC.

The IoT-ready PLC designed for Motion Control demands

Compact and with high processing speed, a trademark of Nexto Xpress controllers, the new PLC IoT-ready XP350 also features high I/O density, fast embedded inputs and outputs, Ethernet and USB interfaces, RS-485 serial port and CANopen Master. Like the other products in the line, the new Xpress unit is mounted on a DIN rail, Real Time Clock (RTC), Data Logger type function block, conformal coating and supports the main communication protocols on the market.

With software based on the CODESYS technological platform, the product has the capacity to interact with different brokers in order to communicate with web service platforms, such as Node-Red, connection with the main cloud hosting services and to write directly in the databases of the SQL type.

Complete solution for precise motion control

Created to add safety and flexibility to machines and processes that demand precise movement control, the new member of the Xpress family is capable of operating in loops with up to 4 motion control axes (X, Y, Z and A). Used in conjunction with Altus` new fast response and high performance servo drivers, the XP350 PLC comprises a complete motion control solution for applications where power, efficiency and precision of movement are essential.

To meet this demand for high precision in machines and processes, the new Altus controller, as well as the servo drivers, supports EtherCAT Master and CANopen, two of the main communication protocols used in the segment. and the PLCopen Motion Control Part 1 library. In addition, it supports PLCopen Motion Control Part 1 function blocks for single-axis command, multi-axis synchronization, electronic gearing (CAME), special editor for planning motions (CAM), among others. others.

Do you want to know more about the new PLC of the Nexto Xpress solution? Click here to access the official landing page of the product, download the technical documentation and receive a contact from our commercial team.

The reach of the Altus brand

Because they have the highest on-board technology and adhere to the most varied safety and quality certifications, Altus products are ideal for the international market. This solid technological base is the driving force behind the company`s expansion strategy implemented in 2016. Over the past seven years, we have consolidated our position in Europe and South America, expanded operations to southern Africa and West Asia, started opening channels in North America and took our first steps to access the Oceania market.

Today, our products can be found in countries such as Germany, India, Turkey, Italy, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Morocco, Canada, Holland, Taiwan, Australia, Norway, China, United Kingdom, United States, among others. With actions like these, we seek to solidify the Altus brand as a synonym of quality, high technology and reliability for the international market. These results demonstrate that we are on the right track and are getting even closer to our Vision: to be a major force in the national technology market, operating globally and delivering solutions with excellence.