Company: Gerhard Schubert GmbH 

Website: www.schubert.group/en/

Technology Snapshot: Even without the world’s leading interpack trade fair in Düsseldorf, packaging machinery manufacturer Schubert is once again presenting itself as a driving force for innovative technologies and packaging solutions in 2020. With high-level flexibility, the well-known manufacturer is addressing the increasingly complex market requirements of greater product diversity and smaller batch sizes. Its modular TLM machine concept and, of course, additive production offer great opportunities here: With 3D printing, processes can be entirely rethought and optimised. In the future, the packaging machine manufacturer intends to further increase the flexibility of its high-performance technology with its new cooperative robots, the cobots.

Faster, more flexible, more sustainable—the packaging industry is currently facing several challenges. In order to satisfy these requirements economically and ecologically as a manufacturer in the packaging process, highly flexible machines and consistently efficient processes are necessary. Schubert already offers an advantage here with the modular design of its TLM systems, which the group is continuously advancing by developing new robots and digital solutions. In order to pick up on trends such as the demand for alternative packaging materials, the manufacturer is paying great attention to flexible application possibilities when developing new systems and is testing new materials for quality and process suitability even with its own machines. Schubert is meeting the industry’s demand for launching new formats at ever shorter intervals with machines that use state-of-the-art technology to enable fast format changes and immediately deliver error-free production results without a start-up curve.

New pick & place robots for higher output density

If you need to accommodate higher performance in a small space or require more mobility in product handling, Schubert’s specialised T4 and T5 robots are the right solution. They complement the proven F4 robot, which is used in numerous picker and packing lines from Schubert. The design of the new pick & place robots is based on the well-known Delta robot type. Their compact rectangular working area makes them perfect for high performance in the smallest of spaces: Up to six of the new four-axis T4 robots can work simultaneously in a single TLM frame. The T5 variant offers a completely different—and also new—option for machine processes. It features a fifth axis with which products can be pivoted and tilted.

Virtual parts warehouse with 3D printing on demand

3D printing is revolutionizing not only machines but also warehousing, as electronic design data can be retrieved “on demand” in seconds anywhere in the world. Schubert is now making this access to tested and certified print data possible—with the new part streaming platform from its subsidiary Schubert Additive Solutions GmbH. The virtual warehouse is fast, reliable and economical, and represents a major step towards secure, flexible production. The digitally stored parts are available everywhere, eliminating long waiting and delivery times. In addition to simple spare and wear parts, a wide variety of 3D format parts for robot tools can be printed via the part streaming platform. Many possibilities are also offered by permanently used equipment and devices. One of the most secure data connections between the customer’s own printer and the new platform is provided by the GS.Gate industrial gateway from Schubert. The digital gateway also opens up new options for even more fail-safe and economical production thanks to specifically recorded machine data.

The GS.Gate industrial gateway now standard in every new TLM system

Big Data is the new currency –in the packaging industry as well as everywhere else. But simply collecting machine data is not enough. If you really want to benefit, you need a meaningful analysis of the important key figures and 100 per cent protection against attacks from the Internet. At Schubert, both are now available in series: A GS.Gate is integrated as an industrial gateway in every new TLM system. This allows detailed evaluations of system productivity to be called up. The results can be viewed either on the GRIPS.world customer platform or on the machine operating terminal. From this analysis, potentials and possibilities can then be derived as to how the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) ratio of the line and therefore the added value can be improved.

Cobots – the next level of automation

With the cooperative robots, which work without a safety cage, packaging processes of small batch sizes can be automated and significantly optimised. Schubert is developing a comprehensive system for its new cobot modules. The new cooperative robots from Schubert will be presented at the interpack 2021 fair from 25 February to 3 March 2021 in Düsseldorf.