Attaching package leaflets to plastic bottles
Initial situation
The package leaflets held in a wrap-around band are supplied to the system as loose material. The variously-sized plastic bottles are transported through the system.
Detailed task definition
The package leaflets in their bands are to be glued in an exact position on the lid of the plastic bottle using hot melt. For this, individual bundles of package leaflets must first be picked out from the loose feed. Then the band must be checked for completeness and legibility of the pharma code.
Equipment
Brief description
The plastic bottles [8], which are running on a feeding belt [7], approach the first robot cell and are checked to see they match a previously set height [G] – this is to avoid collisions when attaching the package leaflet later. The bundles of package leaflets [12] are stored loose in a hopper [5] and separated as they are transported [B]. The individual bundles of package leaflets [12] are conveyed to the pick-up position via a transport belt [6]. Their position on the belt is scanned by a camera, and this information is passed on to the delta robot [4]. The robot (4) picks the bundle up from the belt and moves it over a nozzle [9], which applies the hot melt to the outer sleeve [C]. The bundle is then attached to the plastic bottle as it passes by [D]. The same process is performed in the second cell, where only the remaining bottles are provided with the bundle.
The bundle is then checked for completeness – that is, whether or not there is actually a package leaflet in the band [11] [E]. In a second checking station, the pharma code which is printed on the band is scanned by a camera [10] for legibility [F]. Bottles with illegible code or an empty band are ejected.
Challenges
- Package leaflets not secure in the band
- Hot melt application
- Detection of empty bands
- Removing package leaflets which are not properly fixed
- Uninterrupted product stream regardless of hopper filling level
Advantages of the system
- Detection of the bottle height +/-2 mm
- Attaching the package leaflets +/-1 mm
- Hot melt application without strands
- Redundant hot melt applicators
- Detection of empty bands, i.e. without leaflet
- Checking for legibility of the pharma code