The Marchesini MCP842 is an automatic monoblock machine, capable of receiving products on an infeed conveyor, collate in a requested pattern, opening RSC-case (regular slotted container) taken from magazine, loading product into the case and sealing it with self-adhesive not overlapping tape, transport the closed cases to pick-up position and palletize them in requested patterns.

The machine is with double case pick up to take 2 cases at a time thus handling a major number of cases coming from the case packer when there are more than 10 cases/minute.

Casepacker

• Machine frame to which all movements and functions are connected in a balcony style construction. Within the frame are enclosed all mechanical movements and motors for both case-packer and palletizer.
• The electric panel of the Monoblock is enclosed in a cabinet placed on the back wall of the case-packing section and all mechanical movements are accessible. This type of construction reduces mechanical maintenance and lubrication. Mechanical parts are protected against dirt and dust because they are isolated from the working area and case transport unit.
• Movements achieved through servo motors, controlled by the PC.
• Adjustments for size change of the case, width ‘B1’ and height ‘H1’ by servomotors with indicators shown on HMI screen. The case length “A1” adjusts automatically by case data input on the PC. The collating funnel, the products pick & place head and bundle transfer pusher into the case must be changed in accordance with the size dimensions. Size parts equipped with quick lock and a minimum of tools.

Case Collating Station

• Easily accessible from operator side.
• Products are received from the upstream machine on an infeed conveyor at a height of 870 +/-50mm (34.25” +/-2”).
• The products are transferred from the conveyor by a pick & place. A sensor detects the pickup of each product at each cycle to assure that the defined numbers of product has been collated. In case of a wrong pickup the machine stops.
• Product collation is performed through horizontal layering starting from the bottom. Operation similar to palletizing where layer by layer is formed and product stability is granted at every level. Once collation is completed, the pusher and the funnel, mechanically driven, move towards the open case to achieve the product transfer into the case.

Case Feeding System

The flat case stock is placed on a 1800mm (71”) long conveyor at a floor height of 450mm (17.75”) so easy to be loaded. The belt allows placing more stacks of flat cases over all the length and one stack in the pickup area. The magazine is motorized with automatic transport of the single stacks to the pickup area.

Cases are picked up from the top of the stack. The pickup arm adjusts itself to be able to pick the last flat case. The case is then transferred to the forming station by a vacuum system. Case forming is achieved by a combined movement of the pickup arm.

The case is squared up by two sets of vacuum suction cups located on the opposite sides (upper and lower panels) of the case itself. This allows a large range of cardboard flute and sizes to be handled without requiring change parts. After the case is opened in the first station, it is transferred by transport chains up to the product introduction station, thus enabling the first station to open the following case even during product introduction.

Based on the selected size on the PC, the stroke of the pickup and case transport chains is automatically adjusted without neither size parts nor manual settings.

Case Closing

After the product has been loaded in the shipper, continuous motion chains transport the shipper through the flap closing and taping station.

(Hot melt is available as an option.) Case closing does not require adjustments or parts for the different sizes but a simple adjustment of the lateral flap closing tools.

The chain transports the filled shipper to the discharge for further operations. The position of the taping units is adjusted simultaneously based on the case height ‘H’.

Case Transfer

The closed shipper is discharged to the motorized roller conveyor straight to the picking station of the Palletizer. On the conveyor several options can be installed: a checkweigher, printers, barcode readers and labellers.

Palletizing

• The Palletizer is capable to load cases arriving from the casepacker section of the Monoblock, on standard pallets.
• The structure of the new anthropomorphic “Robotic Arm” with 4 free sides movement, it improves performance and flexibility of the application based on the experience of previous Cartesian design.
• The rigid arm structure made of anodized aluminium plates, enables the palletizer to absorb a high number of cases (with double case picking head) up to 20 pieces/minute.
• The Pickup head works with vacuum and free rotation over 360 degrees.
• Manual empty pallet loading and manual full pallet discharge within dedicated guides.
• Machine is prearranged to receive application to load empty pallet & discharge full pallet in automatic mode.

Installed Safeties

• Emergency circuits and protections with safety level “PLd Cat.3”.
• Full Safety Protection in methacrylate with micro switches for machine stop.
• Overload torque control on all motors.
• Case packer infeed: minimum load control, the machine remains idle if product is missing and starts automatically if product flow is restored. Maximum load of product in infeed causes stop of upstream machine.
• Low level in case magazine with acoustic signal and machine stop.
• Control to ensure that the case has been squared up correctly before product insertion with machine stop.
• Control for adhesive tape breakage with machine stop. Acoustic signal for end tape reel.
• Case overload control on roller conveyor with machine stop and automatic start after free discharge has been restored.
• Visual and acoustic signal of empty pallet ready for start loading.
• Optical barrier safety at pallet discharge.

Machine complete with:

• Case packer, case transfer unit, Palletizer with guides for manual pallet loading and discharge.
• Machine complete in all parts equipped to handle one product size, one pattern size, one case with not overlapping tape and one pallet size.