News Release

Automatic packer for aerosol caps from Apex Automation and Robotics

The common practice for shipping aerosol caps is to drop them from an injection moulding machine into a carton. This results in nesting and distortion of these caps which could eventually cause problems to the machines that assemble them to the aerosol cans.

Apex Automation and Robotics has released an automatic packer that packs these caps in cartons, layer by layer without nesting, at a production rate of more than 5000 caps/hr. This packing configuration also meant that upto 20% more caps could be packed in the carton, resulting in
a substantial saving in shipping cost.

After the caps drop off the moulding machine, they are transferred on a slope conveyor to an unscrambler which discharges them onto a chain conveyor all facing the same direction. At the end of the conveyor one row is separated and pushed onto a stainless steel plate. Every second row is staggered and pushed onto the plate until
a whole layer is formed.

The carton is formed and transferred on a conveyor to the packing station. A Unigripper   vacuum head mounted to a 2-axis robotic arm picks up the whole layer and loads it inside the carton. Every second layer will have the caps staggered by half a diameter so that the caps don’t nest. When the carton is complete it is pushed
out on an accumulation conveyor and a new carton is presented to the packing station.

 The HMI (Human-Machine Interface) consists of a Touch Screen which will allow the operator to setup and run the machine as well as monitor the errors.

 This Automatic Packer is a new addition to the list of automation systems provided by APEX Automation & Robotics to the plastic industry. These systems assist their clients to meet the challenges of increasing production, eliminating manual operations and meeting the quality requirements.