Linked dual-line keeps bread rolling

Bakeries in the Netherlands supply many hotels, restaurants and cafés with a sliced, long, round loaf of bread. The bakers were looking for an automated system that would save them money by being more productive. This system should handle the baked bread and package it automatically, ready for freezing. The packaged loaves could then be transported to their customers for storage on the customers' premises, ready to be de-frosted and used as required. Dutch machine builder JBC Flexible Automation, based in Ossendrecht, is a specialist in robotics and packaging machines. It has designed and built packaging machines for diverse applications including chocolates and laboratory sampling materials. The solution that JBC has developed is a linked dual-line system.

The complete automated system consists of two identical lines, each comprising a slicing machine, a box fabrication system, robotic bread handling and final taping of the box. Both lines are synchronised and controlled by a soft PLC using the versatile software Cimplicity Machine Edition.

Cimplicity Machine Edition comprises three standard products - View, Logic Developer and Motion Developer - all embedded in one, open programming environment. By combining all the elements in this way, only one software need be learned. It provides direct connections to all major fieldbuses, and customers can take advantage of the latest PC developments by running their application with a soft PLC.

Powerful argument

The JBC bread handling system employs a single industrial PC as controller. Running on Windows 2000, the HMI screens that were developed under View provide the operator interface. This is used during start up, and for alarm signalling and productivity statistics, for example, during normal running. Cimplicity also provides excellent diagnostics and reporting to resolve issues that may arise during live running or during development of new projects.

Logic Developer-PC provided all the tools needed to develop, monitor, simulate and debug the application, as well as providing the environment to develop new routines. A laptop PC is used by JBC to develop new programs which can then be downloaded to the industrial PC by simply plugging it into the system. The optional Cimplicity Manager feature offers controlled access to applications. It also offers Version Control enabling the user to keep a track of changes to projects and settings, and Audit Trail, which monitors and records actions performed by users, enabling audit trail reports to be printed.

Two robots carry out similar processes on both lines of the JBC system. The freshly baked bread is allowed to cool before being automatically sliced and wrapped. The lengths of the loaves are checked before being boxed. They are rejected if they are too long or too short. Cardboard, used to fabricate a box, is fashioned into a shape ready to accept eight sealed packages. Each robot takes two packaged loaves at a time and places them in a box. When a box is full, a transport system progresses it, tapes it and then it is ready for removal and rapid freezing to -20°C.

The slicing machine, the box fabrication systems, the robots picking and placing the bread, and the subsequent transport and box taping system are all controlled by the soft PLC and GE Fanuc VersaPoint I/O. All stations are linked on a ProfiBus-DP network. There are around 400 I/O.

As a result of the introduction of the automated bread handling system, productivity has been increased from 17,500 loaves per hour to 25,950 loaves per hour, an increase of almost 50%. An operator is only needed now to set up the system, to replenish the plastic film in the bread wrapping machine, and to replenish the 'planos' - the original cardboard pieces from which the boxes are fabricated.

With the experience rapidly gained on the bread handling system, JBC is now looking to apply the 'pick and place' technology to other applications.

GE Fanuc
r109@industrialnetworking.co.uk