Automated recipe changeover on Galdi packaging machines

Streamlining and simplifying work processes for customers is the basic goal of all Galdi solutions.

This is perhaps best exemplified by the automated recipe changeover.

During development, we especially focused on delivering quality solutions to facilitate integration, daily operations, and productivity.

Several Galdi staff members were involved in the project, including design engineers, automation specialists, service technicians and sales engineers.

Their know-how - combined with the implementation of Industry 4.0 and Smart Factory technologies - was essential to developing a process that could guarantee:

• The benefits of automation: increased productivity, remote control, performance repeatability, minimisation of human intervention, better user experience;
• Integration and customisation: the system has been developed to integrate with ERP and MES systems and can be customised to meet user requirements (e.g.: each recipe is assigned a numeric code or string).

Our customers have indeed played a key role in field implementation. Thanks to their cooperation, new bespoke features that integrate seamlessly with their internal processes have already been added to the system.

We are currently working on a further development: the implementation of the remote automatic recipe changeover to the entire production line.

RECIPE IS SENT REMOTELY

Thanks to the efforts of our development team, the Factory's process managing capabilities have been optimised.

When changing format, speed, cardboard or design, processes can be reset digitally, meaning that you can also manage your recipe changeover fully remotely.

SUPPORT FOR OPERATORS

The HMI provides operators with the information they need to proceed in a simple and intuitive way.

They can accept or reject tasks, send alerts to digital systems and production control.

Furthermore, the system supports interaction with the factory, providing information, warnings and guided modes (via navigation or pop-ups on the HMI display).

The sharing of data and procedures with operators and production control has been developed very carefully to make it as functional as possible, with the ultimate goal of optimising productivity.

STREAMLINING PERFORMANCE

Improving user experience goes hand in hand with continuous improvement.

All interactions and tasks carried out by operators, to change recipes and for all other processes as well, are monitored to measure performance.

This way, the performance of each machine operator can be assessed to determine process improvements and resolve any issues that may arise.

The solutions we developed for the automated recipe changeover process aim to simplify and optimise work processes for all those involved, namely:

IT MANAGER

The system already saves considerable time at start-up, generating debug information and statistics.

This feature supports IT Managers in verifying processes, enabling fine-tuning right from the start.

Once production has started, production control can manage the whole process remotely, supported by information provided by both the system and machine operators.

OPERATORS

The system offers operators a simplified user experience and a very straightforward guided mode.

Through on-screen pop-ups, they can access all supporting data for each processing request and communicate promptly with the Factory, reporting problems in real time.

PRODUCTION MANAGERS

The system ensures faster recipe changes and performance monitoring, also helping to improve production planning.

It is therefore a further tool to reduce your machine's TCO.

If you are already using a Galdi packaging machine, you can switch to the automated recipe changeover via an upgrade performed by our technicians!

For more info on available upgrades, please visit the Upgrades pages or contact us.