Windmöller & Hölscher: EASY CONTROL automation and operating concept

The EASY CONTROL automation and operating concept and its variety of modules is designed to make the system more intelligent and increase uniformity across the entire FFS line.

EASY CONTROL can be divided into three broad areas: EASY OPERATION, EASY MANAGEMENT and EASY COLLABORATION.EASY OPERATION are modules that make working directly on the machine in the production environment easier. One example of this is the integration of third party equipment, such as metal detectors, inkjet printers and weighing scales, into the line management systems. Third-party equipment can be managed and monitored centrally via the PLATINUM controls. The benefits are obvious: the operator only has to learn a single system, they have all of the data in one central location, and when it comes to making optimizations, analyses provide better insight because they include data from the entire line.

Another example is a MOBILE function that makes status alerts available anywhere via smartphone or tablet PC, and also provides information about upcoming events. 

The machine can report an upcoming roll change, for example, and the operator can then plan the most efficient route and resources in advance. The status of the machine is visible anytime, anywhere, so operators can react quickly when they need to which ultimately minimizes downtime.

The next module, EASY MANAGEMENT, involves providing and analyzing data. Staff working in the back-office can use an "Offi ce" function to pull and analyze all of the production data.

EASY COLLABORATION involves integrating process steps from outside of the system itself. At interpack, W&H has demonstrated data transfers from an extrusion application using its SMART ROLL system. Inline quality assurance and 100% traceability are becoming increasingly important for end customers. The intelligent TOPAS system enables us to connect information about the fi lm from the extrusion system with production data from the packaging machine using QR or barcodes. This not only gives customers the complete traceability they need, but also optimizes extrusion and FFS processes.

The valve sack experts

The AD PLASTIC 2 machine for film valve sacks requires no adhesive as it seals the sacks with hot air

The market for industrial packaging is full of different valve sack concepts for paper, woven plastics and plastic films. There are a number of reasons for this, such as different applications, availability of the respective materials, or even regional differences, sometimes with historical root causes.

The AD proFilm MP sack is manufactured on the AD PLASTIC 2 valve bottomer. The machine, launched in 2015, is unusual in that it uses hot air to seal the sacks. This means that it does not require adhesives, which can be the source of signifi cant production costs and technical process limitations.

When the company was developing the new AD proFilm MP fi lm valve sack, it chose to focus on two key factors: high moisture protection (MP = moisture proof), and extending the product's shelf life. It achieved this through the use of its innovative Breathing Chamber Technology – a ventilation chamber along the longitudinal seam of the sack. This technology means that effective ventilation and high moisture protection are no longer mutually exclusive.

Valve sacks have the important benefi t of being able to be filled on nozzle packers, which ensure a high filling output. But although paper, woven plastics and plastic fi lm sacks all have this one factor in common, each material has its own specific advantages. Paper valve sacks are a comparatively cost-effective form of packaging made from a renewable source.