OCME has revolutionised the end-of-line concept with a compact and integrated solution that focuses all phases of packaging in a single block: Blox. Fabio Cavalchi, OCME sales engineering department project leader, talks to TWM. A TWM report.
Blox is a fully customised packaging line, perfectly flexible, versatile and modular. It can adapted to suit many sectors: tissue, beverage, petrochemical, home and personal care and edible oil.
It was designed to meet recurring needs and growing demands that come from the consumer goods industries, including:
- Increase in efficiency: the overall efficiency of a line with the Blox system is greater than the sum of the efficiency of the individual units.
- Cost reduction: a single operator manages the entire end of the line thanks to a number of innovative features within the single machines and the whole system.
- Reduction of energy consumption by up to 36%, almost cancelling the need for compressed air.
- Space reduction: in a space of only 35×14 meters, a complete end of line, from the labeller to palletiser, thanks to Blox technology.
- Levels of flexibility without precedent: the format changes are automated and made quickly, for a wide range of bottles or containers, even hard to handle bottles with shaped forms and light materials.
Blox is designed to be a modular system so that it can be adapted to the needs of numerous industrial sectors. The various modules can include a labeller (or a sleever), a packaging machine (shrinkwrapper, tray former, wrap-around, pick & place, combi, etc.) and a palletising module that typically consists of a layer formation unit (manipulators) and one or more robots – or alternatively traditional palletisers.
The system is controlled by a single operator who is located in a central position with respect to the whole plant. Here the operator can monitor the status of each component and govern the operating parameters through a single interface.
Blox expresses the attention of OCME for the quality of the work environment and respect for the highest standards of safety.
Measures adopted for crucial points include:
- Ergonomics maximised thanks to:
- Shorter distances;
- Simplification of the label change;
- Automatic labels splicer;
- External and integrated reel holder, ergonomic and easy to reach;
- Integrated handle applicator, placed outside the machine;
- One operator panel;
- Eutomatic film splicer;
- Maximum safety standards with CE compliance;
- Reduced noise thanks to the reduction of components and accumulation.
An important part of the Blox logic is the rationalisation of the product flow. This has led to the elimination of accumulation, with the benefit of reducing friction and contact between containers. This reduces the risk of damage to the product, even when running ultralight, fragile, delicate or unstable containers.
OCME’s aim has always been to provide its clients with ever more efficient and flexible equipment. By this we mean the tools, technologies and professionalism to give us the leading edge in today’s constantly moving competitive markets.
Each machine, each complete line, each activity undertaken by OCME represents the synthesis of a unique experience in the sector, as well as a way of working that focuses on the needs of the client.
