Our customer’s machines face the challenge of accommodating different products quickly and consistently. Each product's carton has its own size and color, and this variability can cause the machine’s sensors to lose track of cartons. DMC implemented a tracking system that remembers when cartons enter the machine; the system then keeps track of all relevant product information as the products index through the machine. DMC also modified the system to look for cartons while the machine moves the products, because it is more likely for sensors to detect a moving object than a stationary object. The new tracking system includes an HMI screen that shows the operator where the cartons should be located in case cartons are out of position or removed. If necessary, this screen also allows the operator to modify the carton positions.

Some facilities use several of these tax stamping machines at once, and that demands proper maintenance. This requires having the correct machine settings on each machine, and this can be done by copying the settings from one machine to another using a USB stick. DMC made this process more robust by modifying the B&R code to perform searches in order to confirm that the correct settings are written to the correct variables.

It is most important to make sure that the correct stamps are applied to all the products that go through the machine. After hours of continuously running the machine, some of the stamps can become misaligned. DMC implemented code to check the stamp paper before moving it to make sure the stamps are still aligned with the stamper.

Learn more about DMC's B&R automation studio programming services.