Delta Motion Control Solution Delivers Speed and Efficiency for Lollipop Wrapping Machine Application

Delta Industrial Automation (IA) continues to develop new products and build different solutions for global customers and their many industrial applications. For markets in China, customers appreciate fast and refined merchandise packaging and wrapping, which call for highly precise packaging solutions to fulfill customer needs. Recently, Delta IA provided a motion control solution that can wrap 440 lollipops per minute, offering excellent speed and efficiency for a candy manufacturer in Mainland China.

Delta provided the Chinese customer with a solution that includes: the Advanced Servo Drive ASDA A2 Series and Servo Motor ECMA Series, the Compact Drive VFD Series, the CANopen Motion Controller DVP Series and the Human Machine Interface DOP-B Series to control the conveying process of lollipop wrapping. The solution fulfills the customer's high requirements for excellent speed and precision, a lower defect rate, and a reduction in manpower for its packaging process.

The machine process for lollipop wrapping mainly consists of candy feeding, wrapping and sealing. To package ball lollipops, the candies are first placed in an auto-feeding tray and then onto a conveyor belt where a photoelectric sensor is used to detect lollipops for precise wrapping and cutting at the same time. The ball lollipops then go through sealing for the final phase of the packaging process.

To fulfill this packaging application, Delta's motion control solution employs the Compact Drive VFD Series to precisely control the amount and quality of lollipops entering the feeding tray. The Advanced Servo Drive ASDA A2 Series and Servo Motor ECMA Series then effectively control the wrapping processes of film-feeding and cutting at the same time. All operating information regarding the packaging process are transmitted via CANopen communication to the CANopen Motion Controller DVP Series which automatically programs the packaging process of the lollipops and can be easily monitored or adjusted by the customer via Delta's Human Machine Interface DOP-B Series.

As a result, Delta's solution provides the customer with the following benefits:

• Auto-detection for lollipop placement and film-feeding stop functions : When the sensors automatically detect missing lollipops on the wrapping and cutting conveyor belt, Delta's Advanced Servo Drive ASDA A2 Series and Servo Motor ECMA Series will synchronously stop the process of film-feeding or cutting to avoid film waste and reduce manufacturing costs.

• Low cost & high precision control : Using the CANopen Motion Controller DVP Series with its fast operating speed can achieve precise motion control with a cut accuracy of ±0.75mm and wrapping speed of 440 ball lollipops per minute.

• Integrated Solution : The whole packaging process can be managed through Delta's integrated solution. When matched with the human machine interface DOP-B Series, its widescreen displays information such as electric circuit diagrams for manufacturers or end-users that allow easy maintenance and repair of the machine.