Faster Format Changes with IO-Link, RFID and Digital Position Indicators

Industry: Packaging | Customer: Global Leader in Food Manufacturing

A global leader in food manufacturing was looking for ways to improve production efficiency and increase machine availability. After evaluating different approaches, the company implemented a combination of Balluff RFID, SmartLight and IO-Link technologies on a coffee can labeling machine to support faster and more reliable format changes.

Situation

The machine handles five different can sizes ranging from the smallest at 400 g to the largest at 1700 g. The substantial size variations make changing formats challenging, especially when moving between the smaller and larger can sizes. 

This particular production line has a high commercial demand and requires operating 24 hours a day. The machine with its twelve change points had become a bottleneck during changeover process, making it vital to reduce downtime in order to produce the required demand. 

Challenge

The main challenge was to reduce format change downtime and improve ramp up of the production line after a completion of changeover. Every minute that is saved here can be used for more valuable production. It was also important to reduce training requirements and the need for experienced personnel. Good and skilled people are hard to find and also more expensive.

The overall challenge was to increase productivity and profitability of this production line to produce more goods for less money.

Balluff Technology in Action

To optimize the process, the customer implemented a combination of Balluff RFID, digital positioning indicators, SmartLights, and IO-Link-enabled devices. 

RFID automatically identified the correct format parts and tooling before production started, helping ensure the correct setup for the selected can format. Balluff digital position indicators and SmartLights provided clear visual guidance at each adjustment point, leading operators through the changeover process step by step. IO-Link enabled transparent communication between sensors, actuators, and machine controls, ensuring that adjustment statuses were clearly visible throughout the machine. 

Results

The impact was immediate: 

Customer Benefit 

What was once a complex and experience-dependent task became a repeatable and highly reliable process. Operators can now complete format changes faster and with greater confidence, while production teams benefit from fewer errors, consistent quality, and reduced downtime. 

By combining RFID for format identification, digital position indicators for precise machine setup, SmartLights for clear machine status visualization, and IO-Link for seamless communication and diagnostics, the customer achieved shorter changeovers, fewer setup errors and improved machine availability on the can labeling machine. 

Note: The percentages shown represent typical customer benefits achieved in packaging changeover applications and are illustrative rather than measured values from a specific installation. 

Products