A digital service that gives ‘instant visibility’ to filling levels in packaging machinery has been developed by SICK in collaboration with industry end-users.
SICK Filling Level Monitoring is said to avoid machine stoppages by giving real-time data to operators via smartwatch or phone, so that levels of carton blanks, adhesive or film wraps, for example, stay topped up.
The firm explained that instead of having to check each magazine or film roll level in person, operators monitor fill levels on their watch or phone and are alerted before levels become critical.
The SICK Filling Level Monitoring digital service can be used with any SICK smart level sensors. The company added that its first applications have been developed with packaging manufacturers and machine builders using SICK DT-50 laser distance sensors to output level measurements from carton magazines and film rolls.
The measurements are routed to a SICK SIM1012 edge gateway, which aggregates and forwards encrypted data via SICK’s LiveConnect digital interface, so that it can be accessed, managed, and processed online.
Neil Sandhu, SICK’s UK product manager for imaging, measurement and ranging, said, “SICK worked closely with leading packaging end-users and machine builders in Europe to develop a cost-effective and easy-to-implement system. By using the smart watch alerts, our customers found that fewer operators were needed to keep cartoning machines replenished, so staff could be deployed more efficiently to other duties.
“What’s more, the system brought unexpected benefits to overall production control. For example, the loads on packaging machinery lines could be monitored to identify over- or under- capacity.”
While initially developed for cardboard and film packaging materials, SICK said that Filling Level Monitoring can also be adapted for liquids including adhesives, or granular raw materials. It is also possible to add customised services.
Up to six SICK sensors can be monitored by each SICK SIM1012 gateway, and more sensors, including third-party devices, may be added by connecting over OPC-UA.
Neil Sandhu added, “Cloud-based services such as Filling Level Monitoring illustrate how making reliable sensor data transparent enables digitalised machine operation as part of Industry 4.0. By combining smart sensors with intelligent software, critical processes can be visualised in real time and adapted for the needs of users.
“Early adopters are noticing new and unexpected production trends when they view and interpret their historical production data in easy-to-read graphical displays. As a result, they have been able to optimise production processes and deploy staff to achieve efficiencies never even expected.”
