B&R offers solutions for all types of packaging machinery: from primary and secondary packaging to end-of-line solutions. We address our customers' unique requirements and help them set new standards in flexible, productive, efficient packaging technology. We help them create adaptive machines that bring real competitive advantages.

1. Why do I need an adaptive machine?

See how adaptive packaging machines are able to accommodate new products automatically on the fly.

  • 4 new challenges
  • Increasing batch size variability
  • Shorter product lifecycles
  • Unpredictable demand fluctuation
  • Product proliferation

The solution for mastering these challenges is already available today:

The adaptive machine 

2. How does B&R enable the adaptive machine?

1) Track technology

B&R's track technology lets you move products through your line more efficiently while simultaneously improving quality. Independent control of each product makes manufacturing lines more flexible and more productive. Product movement can be configured individually, including variable speed and acceleration as well as batch grouping and ungrouping.

Track technology makes it possible to produce even the smallest batches with the speed and economy of mass production. Here we see how highly customized bottling can be done without long changeover times or high warehousing costs.

2) Magnetic levitation

B&R's ACOPOS 6D moves products freely through an open production space, creating new dimensions of flexibility in packaging. Each product can be raised, lowered, weighed, tilted and rotated as it navigates its own personal route through the system.

The system enables instant changeover on the fly, profitable small-batch production, minimized footprint and mass customization on the production floor. ACOPOS 6D eliminates all friction, wear and contamination – making it ideal for handling products in the strictly controlled environments of the food and pharma industries, including cleanrooms.

3) Integrated robotics

With B&R's Machine-Centric Robotics, robot control is an integral software function within the machine controller – ensuring the tightly synchronized operation needed for picking, packing and palletizing applications.

Here we see a machine placing primary packages or naked products into tri-seal cartons with a on-the-fly changeover:

4) Integrated machine vision

B&R also has an easy-to-implement, high-performance vision system integrated into the same machine controller and network.

Here we see measurement data from cutting units being read and used in real time to correct processes and improve product quality.

5) Intuitive, intelligent HMI

B&R delivers a complete solution of HMI hardware and software for outstanding usability in every packaging environment.

Here we see how web technology enables powerful and intuitive HMI on whatever screen is most convenient.

6) Uniform, scalable portfolio

The heart of the machine: B&R has integrated both the development and operation of motion, logic, HMI, safety, robotics, product transport and all other aspects of automation into a uniform, scalable system.

Here we see how B&R technology makes it possible to achieve cutting-edge performance with a short time to market.

7) Integrated safety

B&R lets you replace hardwired safety with programmable safety and integrated safe motion control. Rather than a full emergency switch-off, the machine goes into safe mode and keeps on producing. Here we see how safe a bottling machine can be.

8) Industrial IoT solutions

B&R enables Industrial IoT solutions that can enhance the performance of packaging lines. B&R offers functions for analyzing real-time and historical data as well as business intelligence solutions.

3. What competitive advantages can I gain?

B&R is pioneering the next generation of innovative automation solutions and enabling machine builders and operators to achieve operational excellence. Tap into B&R's experience and expertise to drive your success in the packaging industry:

With OPC UA over TSN, machine builders finally have a vendor-agnostic solution for device-to-cloud and machine-to-machine communications for more effective production line synchronization.

With unprecedented flexibility, the adaptive machine enables you to master the challenges of product proliferation, mass customization, demand fluctuation and ever shorter product lifecycles. Flexibility fuels adaptability, which makes short runs nearly as efficient as conventional high-volume production.

A unified architecture enables implementation of all control functions on one platform. That includes logic, motion, HMI, safety, robotics, monitoring, vision, maintenance, data acquisition.

Unified means having one environment for development, operation, service and changes. And it means running a single, unified application on a single controller over a single hard real-time network.

Machine builders and users benefit from a consistent programming and development environment – including for robotics, vision and track systems. The ability to use the same code on any hardware platform , from the smallest PLC up to a high-end industrial PLC, guarantees future-proof investments.

B&R first introduced its modular application technology – mapp – nearly a decade ago, and we've been continually building on this foundation ever since. The idea is to replace complex programming with simple configuration, to make software more modular and to streamline compliance with important industry standards.

Ready-made software components for all aspects of automation – including a selection designed specifically for packaging applications – help machine builders accelerate engineering and development.

The B&R automation platform has built-in digital twin capability, offering detailed simulation of how a new design will perform and how various options will affect output. Digital twins are the key to efficient software development and virtual machine commissioning.

With no additional effort, the machine model can also be viewed using virtual reality or augmented reality headsets. Augmented reality offers the added benefit of being able to view the model on-site in the real environment.

4. Which packaging companies put their trust in B&R?

References

Learn what some of our many customers in the field of packaging have to say about their experience with B&R.

Packaging references 

Standards in the packaging industry

B&R is an active member in major global organizations for standardization in manufacturing technology, including OMAC and Weihenstephan. B&R offers a comprehensive portfolio of software solutions to enable international implementation of packaging standards: PackML an OMAC standard; FDA Part 11 Compliance.

Discover how B&R enables operational excellence

Lower your total cost of ownership 
New solutions being implemented in the context of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) promise to lower total cost of ownership (TCO) by simplifying the operation and maintenance of machinery.

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