Batch size one production, at lightning-fast speed
An upgrade to ACOPOStrak now allows larger shuttle payloads, along with faster acceleration, deceleration and curve speeds – without compromising on precision and stability. For production lines this means higher throughput, greater productivity and improved ROI.
Lifting and transporting shuttles with high payloads exerts extreme gravitational and latitudinal forces on component parts, as well as the shuttles themselves. And the higher the speed, the stronger the forces. The use of metal guides and wheels, or metal-tometal, provides the stability to withstand huge process forces, and grips shuttles to the track even at very high speeds. ACOPOStrak’s metal-to-metal design can transport a potentially infinite number shuttles of up to 10 kg each at speeds of up to 5 m/s – with no spacing needed between shuttles.
The mechanical, metal-to-metal design means that speed, throughput and productivity can be significantly increased, while errors, waste and wear on machinery and components can be significantly reduced.
With highly dynamic control over the speed, spacing, and routing of each individual shuttle, it becomes possible to perform processing steps all along the track, even while in motion. Square meters otherwise consumed by buffer zones and empty stretches of conveyor instead host high-value processing.
Different products – with different sizes, shapes, contents, closures or labels – each get exactly the treatment they need with minimal intervention or downtime. No two production lines are the same, which is why B&R has developed additional ACOPOStrak solutions to provide additional flexibility for specific use cases, without compromising on speed and productivity.
ACOPOStrak Designer – create complex layouts with ease
The ACOPOStrak Designer tool allows process lines to be designed and simulated virtually on a PC in 2D and 3D using a drag-and-drop interface.
Clear visualization makes it easy to design around obstacles and simulate production flows – even for mixed batches of different products. Right from the outset, users can assess the feasibility of their ACOPOStrak system, accurately predict its future throughput and ensure robust and energyefficient operation.
Programming is carried out using a graphic interface with no coding required. ACOPOStrak Designer realistically simulates performance under real-world operating conditions, and the same code can be transferred to the PLC for the actual machine. ACOPOStrack Designer simulates the thermal behavior of each track segment, allowing strategic placement of cooling systems to enhance throughput while planning the power supply and design to optimize energy consumption. Analysis functions help determine the optimum number of shuttles to use, as well as their maximum speeds and payloads.
Users can quickly test and evaluate different layouts and scenarios to maximize both throughput and energy efficiency, then fine-tune shuttle movements and other parameters before quickly exporting their design to Automation Studio.
Keeping production on track
B&R’s machine vision can streamline production further and open up new possibilities for batch size one production at speed and at scale. A B&R camera will identify a product on the shuttle, its dimensions, characteristics, and condition. This is then fed back to the PLC or industrial PC, which determines exactly where each shuttle needs to be at a given time and the path it therefore needs to take, while synchronizing all shuttles simultaneously to avoid collisions and achieve maximum production efficiency.
B&R’s innovative approach to control technologies means that multiple control PLCs allow the configuration to be scaled up to a theoretically infinite number of shuttles and size of layout, where previously this was limited by the computational power of the PC. B&R’s multi-core technology doubles CPU computational performance – and therefore the number of shuttles controlled from one device. PC-to-PC handling can also be simplified in larger layouts without the need for a physical diverter.
The most versatile transport system on the market
No two production lines are the same, which is why B&R has developed additional ACOPOStrak solutions to provide additional flexibility for specific use cases, without compromising on speed and productivity
B&R has the most versatile transport systems on the market and just got even better, opening up new possibilities for the factory of the future.
With two different grid systems (660 mm standard and 330 mm compact), two options of ingress protection (IP65 and IP69k), two shuttle sizes (50 mm and 100 mm), ACOPOStrak now has more hardware variants than ever before. The new metal-to-metal design accommodates the highest payloads and maximum dynamics, with no limits on the size of line or number of shuttles.
Engineered for Performance: The new metal guide and shuttle system significantly enhances ACOPOStrak’s payload capacity and precision. This mechanical extension enables higher movement dynamics and curve speeds, unlocking faster cycle times and greater throughput. The result: a measurable boost in ROI through optimized performance and reliability.