- Ascertains that every carton entering a folder gluer meets printing and appearance specifications
- Reads all standard barcodes for quality assurance that the carton and product are in synch
- Matches database records for mass serialization applications
New CartonSpec Folding Carton Inspection System Lowers Labor Costs and Improves Quality
May 26, 2010
Charlotte, NC - Roberts PolyPro, a division of Pro Mach, and Label Vision Systems (LVS) jointly introduced today CartonSpec - a high-speed vision inspection and data acquisition system for folding cartons.
The new CartonSpec system:
The CartonSpec system has been in development for more than a year. The system appeals particularly to the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, where print quality and appearance, data acquisition, and the minimization of risk are all paramount concerns. In fact, every high-volume/high-speed carton operation can potentially benefit from its capabilities.
"This system differs from other solutions because it is the only one that is inline with the folder gluer," said Roy Tetreault, general manager, Roberts PolyPro. "CartonSpec inspects and records data on 100 percent of the folding cartons as they are fed into the folder gluer and does so at speeds of up to 1,000 feet per minute."
Tetreault said that out-of-specification cartons can be rejected before product is inserted, and the organization can have an individual record of every carton entering the folder gluer. There is no other system on the market that can deliver this level of inspection and data acquisition with nearly zero labor cost.
Scott Lydell, North American sales manager at LVS, adds, "Cartons enter folder gluers with the print side down, so until now the only way to inspect print quality was offline, which adds an extra step to the production process. Furthermore, the offline inspection was only for print quality, not scuffs and damage to the carton that can frequently occur as cartons are fed into the folder gluer.
"The CartonSpec inline system lowers labor costs for carton inspection because there is no need for an additional inspection step. The return on investment in labor savings alone is compelling, not to mention the many other advantages offered.
The CartonSpec technology breakthrough comes from the development by Roberts PolyPro of a vacuum system that holds the cartons steady from the top while the LVS camera inspects them from below as they travel from the feeder to the folder gluer. At speeds of up to 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) per minute the control of both carton flutter and the +/- .125 inch (.3 centimeters) control of carton orientation make it possible for the up-facing camera to capture a clear image. It is this mechanical/electronic coordination that delivers the application breakthrough.
Flexibility adds to the value of the new system - it is modular and can be moved to different folder gluers within a packaging facility. Set up for each job goes quickly and once a job has been run, the master image and associated data is stored in memory, where it is available for easy recall, reducing set up time.
Acceptable carton widths range from 5 to 20 inches (12.7 to 50.8 centimeters) and lengths from 6 to 24 inches (15.2 to 61 centimeters). The new system can be obtained from Roberts PolyPro, (1-800-269-7409).
About Roberts PolyPro
Roberts PolyPro provides innovative product packaging solutions for the food and beverage, paperboard packaging and textile markets. They manufacture innovative plastic solutions including bottle carriers, box handles, pour spouts, j-hooks and more to enhance the function of consumer packaging, as well as a complete line of standard and custom packaging machinery to both apply their plastic solutions and to help paperboard manufacturers increase efficiency, eliminate labor, reduce repetitive motion injuries, boost productivity and save money. The company is based in Charlotte, NC, and has helped many Fortune 500 companies launch successful new products. Roberts PolyPro is a division of Pro Mach, a Cincinnati, Ohio based provider of integrated packaging products and solutions for food, beverage, household goods, pharmaceutical, and other diverse consumer and industrial companies. Through three business units and related divisions, Pro Mach provides equipment, training, installation, and parts in primary packaging, end-of-line packaging, and identification and tracking.
For more information about Pro Mach visit our website at www.ProMachInc.com.
Media Contact:
Jack Aguero
513-831-8778, ext 423
jaguero@ProMachInc.com
