The intelligent transfer system incorporates personalized robotics and customized tooling, increasing production line efficiency and speed capabilities
R.A Jones recently launched its intelligent Flexible Transfer System (iFTS), a smart automated and customizable transfer system that provides consumer packaged goods (CPGs) companies with a reliable and flexible solution to solve simple or complex automation challenges.
Offering the standard building blocks, iFTS draws upon a comprehensive library of fixed automation, various robot types and sizes, and standard or custom tooling to optimize a solution to meet production needs and improve efficiency within the packaging line. The iFTS will be showcased alongside R.A Jones’ Criterion CLI-100 cartoner at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2023.
The iFTS being displayed at the show will demonstrate the receiving of product from upstream systems, such as a Volpak SI-180 pouch machine, which are then placed upon magnetic levitating shuttles which transport, group, and orient the pouches for side-loading of cartons from 3-count to 8-count variations.
The system integrates a four-axis robotic pick and place, offering enhanced pouch size change flexibility, and depending on sizing, product can span across two magnetic shuttles. By rotating and collating products so more can fit in the carton, iFTS can help brands cut down on overall carton volume by 10 to 20 percent and create a more sustainable packaging option.
Another advanced feature of the transfer system is the shuttles’ ability to detect the presence of a product; if no product is placed on the shuttle, the machine automatically responds to substitute another shuttle in its place in some scenarios. By combining appropriate digital technology, robotics, and tooling, the iFTS can provide greater production efficiency, reliability, and flexibility within packaging operations.
“Leveraging over 30 years of robotics experience, R.A Jones is able to provide our customers with a flexible transfer system that can be customized to solve any packaging problem,” said Bob Burkhardt, Product Portfolio Manager at R.A Jones. “Our customers come to us needing to package 300 or more products a minute, so they need an efficient transfer system to help produce compact cartons.”
The transfer system can service a variety of products, including bulk packs and dry foods, such as snacks, cereal, and candy as well as electronics and home goods like toothpaste. Standard frame mounting, guarding, and overhead enclosures can be readily adapted around other machines in the line while lower frame mounting enables easy integration of conveyors and other equipment. The system offers a smaller footprint and is scalable, so units can be grouped in a line or in different configurations to incorporate larger robots or solve different problems, such as packaging heavier products.
The iFTS is available now and can be purchased alongside other Coesia company machinery to create a fully integrated system or sold individually with an R.A Jones pouching machine or cartoner.
