L Series PLC Provides a Simple Control Solution for Fully Automated Paper Converting Machine

Premier Paper Converting Machinery specialize in  slitting, stripping and partition assembly machinery used to manufacture and assemble corrugated or fiberboard partitions. These partitions serve as dividers to protect delicate items like bottles of wines during shipping and storage.

Challenge

The company needed an intuitive operator interface when they started designing a new fully automated version of their Jumbo Assembler machine, a partition assembler for corrugated and fiber chipboard strips for paper converting applications.  In addition, the machine’s new automation and control package had to offer flexibility for future customization and modifications.  Each of their machines undergo several adjustments and reprogramming to meet customization demands and new industry trends. As most OEMs, Premier Paper finds they need to utilize the latest in automation and control technologies to design and produce machines that are unique and offer the best performance.

The Solution

Mitsubishi Electric Automation was selected because they offered a single, integrated automation and control system that met all the requirements of their new jumbo assembler machine including, Programmable Logic Controls (PLCs), Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), Servo Controls, Simple Motion, Human Machine Interface (HMI) along with a single control software package.

The L Series Modular PLC platform from Mitsubishi Electric is a flexible yet simple system.  More importantly the control platform offers future expandability to meet their complex customization requirements. The assembler feeds up to 16 partition strips at a time using E700 VFDs connected through CC-Link network. The strips move to another platform where a secondary set of strips are laid perpendicularly to create a grid. The strips’ positioning is controlled by the L Series Simple Motion indexing registration features along with MR-J3 servo drives over the SSCNET III Fiber optic network.  These PLCs can store up to 100 recipes which determine the dimension of the partition strips and how they are fed through the machine. The different feeding modes include, intermittent, continuous, full indexing, and even/odd cells. The operator may simply select any of these recipes from a GT12 touch screen.

Premier Paper successfully integrated the machine using a single control platform and software package. The intricate feeding modes are programmed using the Simple Motion Function Blocks provided by Mitsubishi Electric. On-site start-up required very little troubleshooting during the commissioning process. Operating at extremely high speed, the new design more than doubles the overall equipment efficiency of the Jumbo Assembler utilizing Mitsubishi Electric’s integrated automation and control solution.

Solution Includes:

  • L Series Modular PLC
  • Simple Motion Function Blocks
  • MR-J3 Servo
  • E700 VDF
  • GT12 HMI

Read the full case study: MEAU Case Study – Premier Paper Converting