ORLANDO, FLA. (April 5, 6:10 p.m. ET) — Proco Machinery Inc. (Booth 542) launched its first integrated take-out system which incorporates a deflasher and a leak testing system at NPE.
“Our new technology has taken the take-out system to a new level, providing a reduced footprint and substantial cost savings, since processors don’t have to purchase all three machines separately,” said John McCormick, president of Proco Machinery in a news release.
The system incorporates the company’s patent-pending Robopik Plus, which is an upgrade of its original Robopik model, according to Siva Krish, sales manager for Proco Machinery, in a booth interview.
“The Robopick is so successful that we’ve sold more than 200,” he said.
Krish added that the newest model accommodates a wide range of shuttle extrusion blow molding machines including the Bekum H style without modification or adjustment.
‘Everything is on a single platform,” he noted.
The Robotpik takes a container and transfers it directly from the deflasher where the tail and top flash is removed. An optional spin trimmer is also available to spin off any dome flash. After deflashing, a special telescoping vacuum conveyor extends into the deflasher and retracts with the container in an upright position. The container is leak tested on this same conveyor.
“We,ve gotten really good feedback,” said Krish.
With the telescoping conveyor mounted on wheels, the setup actually cuts down on the machine footprint and the whole system is hooked up to a single touch screen control system. The system also permits the use of one set of tooling and makes for easy changeovers.
Krish said that it replaces a setup that usually was designed as an elbow shape and that it now fits in easily in the footprint of the blow moldng machine.
Container heights can range from two inches to 15 inches and the unit is designed to keep up with cycle time of extrusion blow molding machines. It also has less scrap, utilizing one common scrap conveyor rather than the normal two.
The best thing about the whole system, he noted, was that it was plug and play.
Proco, which has 50 employees, is based in Mississauga, Ontario, and makes a line of Robopik take-out systems, automatic deflashers, ulta test leak detectors, flame treaters, dome spin trimmers, robotic case packers as well as a palletizing Multipack Packaging System. It has been in business since 1979.
