consumer/nonwovens 01 | 2017

The OPTIMA Magazine

MORE SERVICE, 10 MORE EFFICIENCY And more freedom: The new HMI

TEA DOSING: 22 GENTLE ON THE LEAF The next trend in capsules is here

ONE VARIETY, PLEASE Tubes, and all lot sizes from ADA International 4 EDITORIAL PREVIEW

IN USE

4 2 years of personalization in real-world applications Technical advantage for ADA International

14 Dosing packed with power 4 Sticking "vitamin bears" through the eye of a needle ADA Cosmetic GmbH: Even most of the niche markets today are dominated by 22 Trend: international competitors and are highly Tea in serving-size packages competitive. Hotel beauty products are Gentle and precise in the process no exception. The European market leader PRACTICAL RESEARCH ADA manages to combine both using packaging technology, quality, cost orienta- FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY SEEING INTO THE FUTURE? tion, customer service and flexibility. 10 The new HMI offers freedom of choice What hardware, Futuristic topics are once more a ma- that are proving their worth in practice at what functions? jor story in this o-com: Cobots, the next customer facilities. For instance, modular generations of HMIs and 3D . machine construction, which Optima Con- 19 3D printing at Optima Despite the variety in topics, the focus for sumer takes to its full potential with MOD- For rapid prototyping all projects lies unequivocally on practical ULINE. The system construction kit offers and complex small batches benefit. numerous solutions that are constantly Strategic decisions set the course being enhanced with new additions. 10 26 What are Cobots capable of? even before the beginning of new R&D This is where format flexibility and The helpers in action projects. Psychic powers would come in high output quantities go hand-in- The new HMI: A step into a new, partially handy, since we need to take a look ahead hand for small and large series alike. Our virtual dimension. The service sector ben- 28 Three times faster to answer the following questions: How customer ADA (manufacturer of hotel efits in particular from the newly available Perfect for spouted pouches will a new technology change production cosmetics) wrote that the remote service generation of devices. This o-com edition for customers or internally at Optima? was also "extremely helpful." Likewise, the provides insight into what is yet to come. How will this effect costs? use of cobots in production is no longer COMPACT Another consideration is what is a futuristic ideal. The first of such applica- known as "opportunity costs". What con- tions are already in use. Yours 30 All about Optima sequences arise if a certain technology is Packaging tasks do not always re- LEGAL NOTICE not explored? Which technologies are ab- quire the pinnacle of technological feasi- o-com is the current communications service of OPTIMA packaging group GmbH solute must-haves? bility. It may be sufficient to use existing OPTIMA packaging group GmbH And now we've come full circle. That's technologies in new and creative ways. Steinbeisweg 20 | 74523 Schwäbisch Hall | Germany because, as we mentioned, practical ben- This issue describes vibration conveying Hans Bühler efit is what matters. for the smooth transport of tea or even Chief Executive Officer OPTIMA pharma GmbH Otto-Hahn-Straße 1 | 74523 Schwäbisch Hall | Germany This o-com contains real-world ex- multihead weighers in combination with amples of technologies that were still packaging technology from Optima. This OPTIMA life science GmbH Steinbeisweg 20 | 74523 Schwäbisch Hall | Germany classified as "promising" just a few years is where scientific curiosity meets practi- Editorial staff ago. These technologies which have since cality and technical creativity meets cost Felix Henning become firmly integrated into everyday awareness. We at Optima work for your Responsible for content according to German production and are proving their worth future, with clear vision and experienced media law at our customers' facilities. Technologies judgement - yet without a crystal ball. Sabine Gauger

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FLEXIBILITY AT ADA INTERNATIONAL: TWO YEARS’ PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE CUSTOMIZED IN THE FUTURE

Only practice shows how flexible a system is. According to Torsten Peschel (Chief Production Officer at ADA International), hotel cosmetics require highest demands.

If you frequently stay in hotels, you complex on the customer’s side: There hotel guests of this nearby pine haven. are in particularly high demand at the in cases. Operating personnel place open requirements for the products: rinse the most likely have already used ADA are big hotel chains, which purchase This customized color and fragrance is moment. However, he added, this could cases with upright into the buf- product, disinfect it, and rinse off the dis- beauty products. You may not have huge quantities. "In this , you are specially crafted for their customer. Finally, change again at any time. So what does fer magazine. The cases are brought from infectant. realized it, because the variety of calculating precise unit costs as small as this charismatic delivery concept is round- a system that is mainly used to process the magazine individually and presented It also requires far less time and few- and products is almost as wide as your one-quarter or one-eighth of a cent", says ed off by an individual packaging design - ever-changing orders from a handful of to a robot that picks the empty tubes, row- er personnel than manual cleaning. choice of hotels. Two years ago, the ADA ‘s CPO, Torsten Peschel. Additionally, shape, , graphics. ADA Internation- major customers look like? A system that by-row, and places the tubes into pucks Moreover, the CIP process can be initi- manufacturer, headquartered in Kehl, these large hotel chains sometimes need al employs several graphic designers, who nevertheless still needs to be suitable for for transport into the filling and closing ated prior to the end of a batch, during put a system from Optima into operation. to break down a large order of several dif- are mainly responsible for these tasks. small-series production? system. After the working-case is empty production. During the CIP process the ferent types of products to allow for spe- Licensed products from big, internation- One thing is certain: The system needs the magazine is signaled to bring another change-over process is completed. This FOR ADA INTERNATIONAL TO BE cific branding and/or regionally specific ally renowned perfumeries and couturiers to be as flexible as possible and achieve case to the robot. can even include an automated exchange SUCCESSFUL, THE SYSTEM HAS TO BE color and fragrance combinations. And, are a further important element in ADA’s an acceptable output. It also has to have a This automated component supply of the transport pucks. TAILORED TO THE SPECIAL FEATURES of course, they all come in different con- range for hoteliers. The specialist compa- high filling accuracy and the ability to run buffer magazine allows the system to run Ultimately, flexibility means maximiz- OF THIS MARKET. tainers. ny is also a contract manufacturer and of- self-sufficiently for long periods of time self-sufficiently for about half an hour, af- ing productive time wherever possible. On one hand, the market for hotel fers a comprehensive range of private-la- with little operator interaction. ter which it needs to be refilled with cases, During a format change, the clock stops beauty products is dominated by medi- WELL-KNOWN FRAGRANCES, bel brands. says Torsten Peschel. In his opinion, the after the CIP system has completed run- um-sized suppliers from Europe. And ADA VARIED DESIGN End result is an immense variety of ELEVATING THE CASE buffer magazine is the “key feature” of ning (approximately 40 minutes, depend- is one of these suppliers, convincing its For smaller, family-run hotels the story products within very small lot sizes, while The concept of the Optima system is the system concept: “Without the buffer ing on product), and a new product can customers above all with premium qual- is a bit different. These hotels want to offer still maintaining competitive pricing. as innovative as the requirements placed magazine, the system just wouldn’t meet be run at the push of a button. ity and service. On the other hand, vari- their guests something special: For exam- Packaging trends also have a on it: Looking at the system, the first thing our needs.” Another, equally important, The electronic mass-flow metered ous Asian companies are exerting strong ple, a hotel seated at the base of an Alpine significant influence on this need for flexi- that strikes the eye is a large component feature of the system is the Clean-in- (MDM) dosing system processes show- pressure on prices. The picture is equally forest may want a fragrance that reminds bility. According to Torsten Peschel, tubes supply buffer magazine for empty tubes Place (CIP) function. It meets the hygiene er gel, creams, shampoos, conditioner or

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body lotion “with extreme precision,“ says competitive edge: “Whereas our competi- we have the option of making full use of Torsten Peschel. He added that some of tors can only supply customized products the system by processing bottles and the products are very expensive and that starting from a quantity of 50,000, we can if we need to.“ And the system offers more A robot picks 16 tubes … …per cycle out of the magazine and… …inserts them in two steps into transport pucks. with tightly calculated prices, the compa- do it from only 10,000,” Torsten Peschel than “just” flexibility: The European hotel ny could not afford to give away one or explains. “In fact, the machine allows us cosmetic market leader also produces lot even half a milliliter of product per con- to supply such small quantities in the sizes of more than 500,000 pieces on the tainer. Additionally, the formats processed first place.” The variety of options contin- MODULINE. Up to a filling volume of 125 on the MODULINE are small, ranging from ues with individual closures, screw caps, ml, it offers a continuous output of 200 should remain the same right through to no ifs, ands or buts.“ The CPO says the ten milliliters to 125 milliliters. flip-tops, with lip applicators, containers pieces / min. Bottles could currently be the shipping . This is not possible overall system currently runs with an effi- Changing the inserts in the nearly 450 of various heights and with different con- processed with an output of 125 contain- with a classic . ADA’s field sales ciency of over 90 percent. transport pucks during a format change- tours and opaque or transparent labels. ers/min. staff see it as an important mark of quali- Last but not least, after-sales service is over is a little more time-consuming. An Torsten Peschel sees upright process- ty that customers should find a well-sort- a critical factor determining how effective automated puck changing solution would SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE WITHOUT ing as another important advantage of ed, orderly arrangement of the products production is. ADA has installed a remote not be cost-effective, but a second set ADDITIONAL COSTS the concept. “This was really a precondi- when they open the carton. maintenance module from Optima, allow- of pucks made economic sense. In this Even though the vast majority of ADA’s tion we wanted to meet with this project - And what about process reliability? ing it to take advantage of online diagnos- way, the preparations for a major format production is focused heavily on tubes, to package all tubes in an orderly arrange- “We are very satisfied. This was a devel- tics. changeover can be made during the pre- Torsten Peschel still sees it as “an addi- ment.” opment project, and we knew that we The company also places great value vious production run. The bottom line is tional benefit that the investment is not The aim was that, once sorted, the would run into some problems in the on being able to deliver key components that this gives the company an important limited to just one container type, so that packing configuration of the products first year. But they were all solved – with of the drives and measuring. 

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ENRICHING THE HOTEL EXPERIENCE FROM SMALL BATCHES UPWARD.

Torsten Peschel, Chief Production Officer ADA Cosmetics International GmbH

"OUR COMPANY USES STATE-OF-THE-ART ROBOT TECHNOLOGY."

FINDING OUT MORE: THREE QUESTIONS FOR TORSTEN PESCHEL

Editor: How would you rate the MOD- Editor: You chose an Optima machine ULINE system after two years of opera- here. What were your reasons? tion? Torsten Peschel: Well, we had a few spe- Torsten Peschel: It has all the features I cial requirements here, too. Our company envisioned in the project planning phase. uses state-of-the-art robot technology. The system has proved that it can do We have a big hopper that handles what was promised. The initial troubles the bottles gently to avoid damaging their we experienced and may still experience surface. With one product, there are var- are tackled without delay and a solution ious problems with the alignment of the is found. I can only describe our collabo- bottle: The alignment of the bottle and ration as positive and enjoyable. We are the must match. That was quite a impressed by the accuracy of diagnostics challenge. via the remote maintenance function, and The price-performance ratio is fine. And the overall process runs like clockwork. there are not many manufacturers you can discuss the in-depth details with. And Editor: You have ordered a second Opti- last but not least, standardization is a pri- ma machine, which will produce dispens- ority for me, to ensure that personnel have er systems for hotels. Is flexibility less of a roughly the same HMI, the same basic set- requirement here? What are the goals? up, the same functionality.

Torsten Peschel: Flexibility is just as im- portant here, because we will be process- ing different dispenser systems. The goals are to increase capacity and boost effi- ciency. Currently, we have mono-format systems. The new system will process four different formats.

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FROM RESEARCH TO REALITY HMI REDEFINED

A radical technological change in HMI hardware – and HMI development as well. These are the two core results of the PEBeMA research project. Soon customers will have the option to decide which HMI hardware to work with. How should the HMI (human-machine interface) be adapted to specific needs?

Smartphones and tablets have a a higher priority in the engineering pro- trol panel on a machine, which today nor- reality devices. This is why it is especially on the machine. This is very helpful for it possible to implement the individual re- strong influence on machine operators' cess. The goals of this part strive for more mally comes in the form of a touchscreen important to understand the potential understanding processes. The only down- quirements for the HMI in projects at all. expectations from equipment. Continu- speed, more flexibility and high HMI qual- for displaying information and receiving of the device characteristics against the side is limited to being mounted to the The market launch for the new HMI ing to June 2017, researchers are work- ity early on. data input in order to pass it on to the needs of users. Determining the diverse machine. Comparing the actual and target concepts: Index 2017 will provide the first ing to meet those expectations as part A second part of the research project machine control system. In actuality, there needs and scenarios was one task in the state becomes a challenge even if the pro- glimpse into this area and unveil the hard- of a project called "Phasenübergreifende deals with the hardware. Thanks to smart- are other HMIs to machines. Technically, early stage of the PEBeMA project. cess under observation is just a few feet ware secret. Entwicklung von Benutzerschnittstellen phones and tablets, today's users are used every single adjustment knob and on/off All of the devices have been analyzed away from the user interface. Tablets are im Maschinen- und Anlagenbau" (cross- to intuitive and clearly arranged interfac- button is a HMI. They, too, are used to is- based on criteria that are typically very im- one possible solution for this. But are they DEVELOPMENT: phase development of user interfaces es for operating devices. But these devic- sue "commands" to the machine. The new portant in mechanical and plant engineer- rugged enough for use in harsh industrial A NEW WORKFLOW FOR THE HMI in mechanical and plant engineering), es do not transfer over to use in industry design of HMIs incorporates all of these ing. An example: Workshops can be loud. applications? Flexibility and durability are Until very recently, machines were de- or PEBeMA, to meet those expectations. in every instance. Other devices promise control options to generate a new com- This means audible warning signals are additional criteria for selecting devices. veloped sequentially. One step followed Three months before that point, Optima even greater potential. Is it possible to plete HMI concept. only suited for a few instances and voice Analysis and classification of technol- the next until finally the software had to is showcasing the initial results at one of merge the hardware requirements from The project examines which forms of input does not really work for machine ogy is followed by prototype develop- be written, usually under tight deadlines. the world's premiere trade shows, INDEX the world of industry and the world of operations work best in which cases. This control. The flexible availability of infor- ment of control concepts and validating Optima Nonwovens implemented an or- 2017, in Geneva, Switzerland. consumer electronics together? requires considering which types of devic- mation is another example. Already today, such concepts. Using precise application ganizational form suited for mechatronics The PEBeMA research project is divid- es might make a splash in the near future. a machine operator or service technician scenarios as a basis, the PEBeMA project early on and took part in several research ed into two parts. One part of the research INDUSTRY 4.0: The variety of devices emerging is im- can use the HMI of an Optima packaging group has developed design rules and projects. Today, the Engineering 3.0 pro- project handles organizational issues. This HMI FOR THE MODERN AGE mense; smartwatches and tablets to wired system to watch videos of functions and strategies for the new, innovative mix of cess has become an established part of ensures that the HMI development has A HMI usually brings to mind the con- gloves to virtual, augmented and mixed make adjustments to match the situation technology. This is the first step to making the company. An important part of that

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PEBEMA – PARTNER AND BACKGROUND

The name PEBeMA comes from a specialist for mechatronics processes, "Phasenübergreifende Entwicklung von and the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Benutzerschnittstellen im Maschinen- und Tools and Forming Technology, which Anlagenbau" (cross-phase development handles several aspects including efficien- of user interfaces in mechanical and plant cy maximization for resource usage. User engineering). PEBeMA focuses on devel- companies include Kapp Niles (mechani- opment processes for the human-ma- cal engineering for gearing technology) chine interfaces of mechatronics products and Optima Nonwovens. The project part- in mechanical and plant engineering. The ner Centigrade is incorporating its exper- project has been running for two years tise in the area of user interface develop- and ends in mid-2017. ment. The Federal Ministry of Education A consortium of scientists, engineers and Research is financing the project. DLR, and advisory companies is running the the German Aerospace Center, is serving project. The partners involved include ITQ, as the organization running the project.

process is the parallel workflows for me- These requirements are determined and developed easily with the help of a sepa- chanical systems, electronics and soft- defined specific to users. This is a funda- rate symbolic language. Over the course ware, which requires early coordination in mental difference compared to previous of the PEBeMA project, Optima Nonwov- a project. HMIs, which had a structure focused solely ens has implemented and adapted a spe- But even under Engineering 3.0, on functions. The structure and display of cific symbolic language (Scribbles). HMI development was simply lumped new HMIs can be oriented to various user In conjunction with agile software de- ensures optimal quality. The base func- One problem that many nonwovens tenance work. The associated goals cover with software development to date. The roles. The requirements for a machine op- velopment, the customer benefits from an tionality is expanded and continuously manufacturers encounter is finding work- many aspects: The HMI should increase PEBeMA project is changing that. In the erator, are very different from those of a accelerated processing time. The custom- improved. Many operating systems and ers suitable for production. Several man- the quality of the manufactured products. future, HMI development will run in par- service technician or a technical director. er provides feedback on "its" HMI modules control programs experience successive ufacturers have unanimously reported The same applies to machine availability. allel as a fourth discipline alongside the The latter is interested primarily in analy- and, even when nearing the project end, development based on this principle. that job changes are frequent especially in Manually recording process data should three mentioned previously. The lean UX ses such as OEE, while the former appre- change requests relating to the HMI are Examples of this include computer and emerging markets with strong sales. As a also be a thing of the past. Overall, virtual- approach used for HMI development has ciates a clearly arranged format selection. still possible, while a developed HMI is smartphone operating systems as well as result, the operation of packaging systems ly no at all should be used in system found its way into "cross-phase develop- Thus, customized representations on the also available at a much earlier point. automobile control software. needs to have the simplest possible de- operation. ment". This means that HMI development HMI are useful. In order to prevent detrimental ef- sign. The new HMI solution had to prove Conclusion of the project case study: not only takes place at a new point in time, fects on the cost, HMIs – like the machines APPLICATION EXAMPLE itself under these conditions. The measures have provided a measur- it also has new "rules of the game" to fol- AWAY FROM FUNCTIONS, themselves – will have a modular design. In order to demonstrate the effects of The specific concerns relate to how a able increase in OEE. The bottom line is a low. TOWARDS USERS At the same time, the HMI development these changes to the HMI, PEBeMA has newly designed HMI could support users three-percent increase (including format In this approach, the requirements of These individual user scenarios that a for each module never really reaches an done real-world testing. What effect do in the workflows relating to format chang- change times).  the customer always take center stage. HMI must display can be represented and end. A continuous improvement process the changes have? es, process parameter settings and main-

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TEAM EFFORT FOR GUMMI VITAMINS TAMING THE WILD

Gummi bears are best-known as cute little sweets for snacking. Adding vitamins to them turns the candy into a dietary supplement. They taste just as good but are intended to compensate for nutritional deficiencies. Gummi vitamins require special dosing and packaging solutions. They are sold by piece count into rigid bottles instead of by weight into soft flexible pouches like gummi candy is. The sticky surfaces and sugar of gummis also create special challenges when packaging them as vitamins. OPTIMA has sold several system solutions to customers for packaging multiple bottle sizes at high output rates and with precision down to a single bear in every bottle.

Gummi vitamins – depending on their, grated with an Optima machine. OPTIMA’s shape and – can be quite stub- responsibilities included sorting and ori- born and unruly. Especially when they enting the bottles, cleaning them with air have to be dosed into containers that have and vacuum, transporting them, filling the an opening with a relatively small diame- gummi vitamins into containers, check ter. The automation handling them needs weighing for quality, closing the bottles to be fast and accurate down to the indi- with , and . While the vidual piece, to meet the requirements of Optima packaging machine and the mul- the customer. In addition, sticky surfaces tihead weigher each have their own con- make the product flow a challenge be- trol systems, they are also synchronized cause the gummis clump together. Sug- with each other. ary coating particles become airborne and can find their way into bearings or other BEARS IN STEP parts of the machinery, which can dam- The fully automated packaging solu- age the components and the machine’s tion starts with a supply hopper, into operation. which loose containers are deposited in bulk. An elevator takes the containers to For products that are both lumpy and a disc sorter, which unscrambles and ori- sticky, multihead weighers have proven then dosing the gummis in a stream to ents them standing up for transport to themselves to be an effective method the fill funnels. In our projects to date, a the air rinsing module. The air rinser turns of determining piece count via weight, Multipond was inte- the containers upside down and removes

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Precise dosing incl. multiple-head scales. Rotating funnels ensure a smooth and fast After pre-screwing and induction sealing follows transition into the containers. the process of final screwing.

any foreign particles using a stream of take into account all the available partial weigh hoppers into twin chutes, then into ditional measures are employed to ensure This controlled system enables the Next, an induction sealing station securely ionized air, which is simultaneously being quantities and determine the best combi- fill funnels that are each filling a bottle. smooth operation of the machine: The gummi vitamins to be dosed into the welds a safety seal to the bottle for tamper suctioned out with vacuum. nation of hoppers that correspond to the These funnels taper down to the bottle- containers and funnels can be vibrated containers with a very high efficiency. For evidence and freshness. The caps are then While the bottles are being cleaned target weight within a tight tolerance. This neck diameter where the vitamin gum- over about a meter of travel to help un- added assurance, a two-position check- re-tightened to a final torque specifcation. and supplied to the filler , an overhead makes it possible to dose product with mi'scan tend to become stuck and cause jam the product in the fill zone. A series weigher measures the total weight in Up to 100 containers leave the machine belt is continuously feeding gummi vita- precision down to within a single piece at a plug. of three plungers with staggered diame- each bottle which is used to determine per minute. mins to the multihead weigher. They are speeds of up to 100+ bottles per minute. The fill funnels are advanced two at a ters are located above the funnels, down- and report the number of pieces in the dropped onto a vibrating distributor disk, The next task is to feed the gummi’s that time by a rake transport through the en- stream from the fill position. These plung- container. The filled bottles are advanced WHERE DOTHE PROBLEM GUMMI'S GO? and are uniformly dispersed into 28 ver- have been portioned by the multihead tire OPTIMA MPS system. Two containers ers are to loosen any gummi's that may to the capping station. Screw caps are un- Since the gummi properties can pre- tical banks of pre-weigh and weigh hop- weigher into the containers that have re- are filled with each cycle. The fill funnels have jammed before entering the bottle. scrambled and oriented from bulk and are vent the multihead weigher from always pers. The pre-weigh hoppers weigh small strictive neck openings. The weigher is lower and seal themselves to the bottles The final plunger is used to gently push automatically fed to the capping heads. making a suitable combination of hop- quantities of gummis and drop them into installed on a platform directly above the as they are advanced to the fill position. any remaining product all the way into the A servo-driven pick and place method pers, the machine design includes an in- the weigh hoppers below. The multihead OPTIMA MPS fill module . Gummi's are Due to the tendency for the gummis to container without risking any damage to is used to put them on the bottles and tegrated safety process control. When a weigher's proprietary software is able to discharged in a controlled stream by the plug the fill funnels and bottle necks, ad- the product. tighten them to a specified initial torque. hopper contains an unusable weight of

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product such as a large clump, it is auto- measures ensure that the sugar dust does LIGHTER COMPONENTS WITH MORE FUNCTIONALITY matically discharged out of the front of not get scattered within the machine. At the OPTIMA system, without needing to the same time, the OPTIMA MPS has an interrupt the fully automated process. extremely rugged design with special Bottles are rejected via the reject lane of bearings, a closed machine body and a the OPTIMA MPS for other reasons, such chainless drive. The machine is designed 3D PRINTING: as incorrect weight or if visual inspection for easy wipe-down cleaning without liq- finds that the closures are missing or have uid agents. been fitted improperly. ARRIVAL IN As a monoblock machine, the OPTIMA COLLABORATION FOR MPS has a compact size of about four me- TAMING THE GUMMI'S ters. Filling, checkweighing, pre-closing, The entire machine lines are assem- induction sealing, final torqueing, and the bled and tested at Optima, consumer PRODUCTION reject functions all take place within this where the customers also accept them. length. Flexibility is provided for quick Over the course of these projects, finding format changeovers that take about 30 the best method to feed the gummi's into minutes. The system is designed to need the containers took special collaboration. Watching a 3D printer at work is a minimum number of physical parts to Staggered discharge from the individual be changed by the operators. Many of weigh hoppers, that creates a streamed fascinating. Components of plastic the format change parameters are per- ‘flow’ through the funnels and into the or metal are formed not by stripping formedautomatically from the control containers, proved to be the best method. systems recipe memory. The same applies The physical positioning and integration away material but by adding it. Optima to the multihead weigher, which is con- of the multihead weigher above the OP- uses a variety of 3D printing processes trolled in a similar manner. TIMA MPS also required detailed planning Sugar-coated gummi products are not in advance, resulting in both machines in its own production and as part of as sticky as other gummi’s, but they create now being easily accessible for operators collaboration with external partners. challenges of their own. As these gummi's and maintenance staff. are handled the sugar forms a significant Vitamin gummi's are processed in The modern application is not limited to amount of dust, which makes keeping the many bottle and cap sizes. Each contain- just manufacturing prototypes. Optima machine clean quite difficult, and can lead er needs an exact count of between 20 to heavy wear in the bearings and other to 120 pieces. The products are primarily production machines already use series- parts of the machine. To minimize this, sold in the United States, but some are production 3D-printed components. there is a sugar removal system on the also at pharmacies and drugstores in Eu- multihead weigher. Optima has incorpo- rope. There is a growing demand for gum- rated a vacuuming function on the inter- mi vitamins in North America and around mediate funnel, which reliably suctions the world. OPTIMA is working on multiple some of the remaining sugar dust as the projects to supply this market, and has gummi’s are filled. In addition, the fun- a current system on order for delivery in nels are sealed to the container opening 2017. with a positive fit at the fill position. These One advantage offered by all 3D pro- since. Even today, the designers have an advantages into play: Reducing complexi- cesses is the clear reduction in material immense appreciation for the time the ty and providing lightweight construction. usage. CNC milling, drilling and turning, in process saves. When a component plops A component from the traditional produc- comparison, always involve removing the out of the printer onto the table it can be tion approach usually consists of several excess from the whole. If this were the only examined immediately without making a parts, such as a milled metal body, axles criterion, people would have switched to stop at Purchasing or waiting for a deliv- in plastic bushings and stamped metal 3D printing all components long ago. But ery. From a starting point in rapid proto- parts. These are put together in an assem- it is not quite that simple. As in everything, typing, many new applications now make bly process. Using 3D printing, it might 3D printing also has its advantages and use of 3D printing processes. They key be possible to construct this component disadvantages. idea is additive manufacturing. completely in one single work step. Prototyping was the first appli- Even plastic ball bearings can be cation area to use 3D printing. The INTEGRATED FUNCTION WITHOUT manufactured together with other com- first 3D printer at Optima came online ASSEMBLY STEPS ponents in one step using 3D printing. six years ago and has been in use ever Additive manufacturing brings two The use of an additive process may pay

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Above: A development project – pouch opening module from the 3D printer.

off even in the case of a two-component can be used to achieve high mechanical on even greater importance in the near part being replaced by a single 3D-printed durability about on par with cast materi- future. PROCESSES USED AT THE COMPANY part. Today, for example, a venturi nozzle als. The initial properties of the material in Polyjet and inkjet processes: Thin lay- (for generating low pressure) is no lon- use largely remain unaffected. DEVELOPER EXPERTISE: ers of liquid polymer are sprayed on and ger purchased separately and installed. The printing machines that manufac- A CASE FOR THE ACADEMY cured using UV light. Instead, it is integrated as one single part ture these exceptionally rugged and du- The expansion of 3D printing is caus- Fused disposition modeling (FDM): directly into the 3D printer. rable plastic and metal parts are still very ing developers to face a new challenge. A Layer by layer, are heated In lightweight construction, 3D print- expensive. In this area, the investment for new approach is needed. While the days and deposited by an extruder as an ex- ing is advantageous because only the Optima is not worth it (yet). This is why, before 3D printing primarily required tremely small blob. material actually needed is added. Hon- depending on the requirements for the production-ready design, 3D printing re- eycomb and lattice construction create components, Optima works together with quires function-focused thinking. This has PROCESSES USED BY EXTERNAL PARTNERS solid structures without additional costs. external 3D printing specialists. led to situations where a design idea was Stereolitography (SLA) Even carbon material can be integrated In other words, cost is still a limiting impossible to implement previously due Liquid resin process into 3D printing today. In contrast, the factor for 3D printing. Generally, using 3D to the excessive costs of cutting processes. > time that components need to spend on printing for the mass production of (sim- But now, 3D printing provides an econom- Fused layer modeling (FLM) machines is a significant factor for CNC ple) components is uneconomical. Using ical option. Extrusion process milling, turning and drilling. The more traditional manufacturing approaches This has led to Optima's drive to con- > Plastics material that needs to be removed, the tends to be more economical as the num- tinuously expand expertise in 3D printing. Selective laser sintering (SLS) longer the machine usage and the more ber of parts being manufactured increas- Training events at Optima's own Academy Powder bed process expensive the components. es. This is why Optima does not expect 3D are held to provide that expertise. In ad- > Plastics In the case of heavily stressed metal printing to replace these manufacturing dition, key technicians are available inter- Selective laser melting (SLM) components, selective laser melting (SLM) processes but instead envisions a fruitful nally to answer all questions relating to 3D Powder bed process or selective laser sintering (SLS) processes coexistence in which 3D printing will take printing and specific design guidelines.  > Metal/ceramic

20 o-com Magazin 1/2017 o-com Magazin 1/2017 21 IN USE

FINEST DOSING OF TEA GREAT TEA STARTS WITH GOOD VIBRATIONS

How do you combine the enjoyment of tea with convenience? Tealovers are experiencing their drink like never before thanks to a new serving-sized capsule systems. How good the teas taste and how well they are liked has a lot to do with the highly precise dosing technology and the gentle product feed system that Optima has specially developed for sensitive, lightweight tea leaves.

The question "tea or coffee?" has di- Assam, English Breakfast and Redbush The quality of the final product is filling scales with a trolley to the cleaning age. Among them was Daniel Charles Jo- for more quality, paying more attention vided mankind for ages. There is even a are part of the different systems. With the impacted significantly by not only the location and back. seph Benoudiz, who opened a tea café in to their body and valuing the finer things fundamental distinction between the ide- addition of fruit bits, mint and other nat- dosing process, but also how the tea is sunny Miami of all places, where he sells in life. They are also prepared to pay a al dosing technologies for ground coffee ural herbs and spices there are also new brought to the dosing system. The Optima IS TEA A LIFESTYLE PRODUCT? nothing but tea. When asked whether tea little more money for those things. Tea and for tea leaves. Consumers view high creative blends. engineers decided on a particularly gentle In November of 2015 Germany's well- is becoming just as hip as coffee, Benoud- is back." That's one example of how tea quality teas as generally characterized by method of transporting the tea by means known Zeit magazine asked various tea iz said: "I believe that the tea movement can be part of a modern, urban lifestyle. larger leaf structures and pieces of the GOOD VIBRATIONS FOR HIGH-QUALITY of vibrations. This ensures that the leaves experts about the specifics of the bever- will be even stronger. People are yearning (www.smallteaco.com)  fruits or spices used. Although auger fill- TEA LEAVES reach the gravimetric dosing system un- ers are very useful for coffee, they are not The dosing of high quality tea leaves damaged. The tea leaves are divided into an option for loose-leaf tea, as they aren't comes with stringent requirements, par- portions in multiple lanes using a special able to fill capsules gently and with accu- ticularly for capsule systems. When fill filling weigher and put into capsules. rate weight. weights are small, even a single large tea Seals the capsules with maximum pre- leaf can lead to overfilling or underfilling. cision. A camera system checks is the THE TYPE OF TEA DETERMINES THE The tolerances are small ensuring that the is on correctly. Each capsule is measured BREWING TIME AND TEMPERATURE user gets identical tea quality with each for this purpose. A pick-and-place system MORE CAPSULE SYSTEMS FOR TEA Just as there will always be "baristas" capsule. receives the good products and then puts who prepare their own espresso, tea cer- Dedicated Optima line begins with a them onto an outfeed belt. Some of the capsule systems for tea coffee capsule system with tea capsules. emonies will also continue to exist. In sorting bin that separates the plastic cap- require a specific machine type. Special.T Those who provide these options include addition, tea capsules make it possible to sules and moves them onto a belt. Here, a RELIABLE SUPPORT FOR MARKET from Nestlé, T.O by Lipton and Tealounge EasyTea, Cudia Te, Twinings, Tassimo and enjoy tea of outstanding quality in entirely pick-and-place system takes the capsules LAUNCH from Teekanne, and their respective ma- Cremesso as well as Dolce Gusto, Lavazza new ways. Even those who aren't so inter- and puts them into the multi-lane trans- To clean the dosing unit, you can sim- chines, operate according to their own Blue, Kfee, 3Beans and Tchibo Caffissimo ested in the details of perfect tea brewing port system. After a presence check, nor- ply pull out the filling scales and separate unique principles. Furthermore, there are Teatime. This list is incomplete, as the rela- will get to enjoy all kind of teas. mally the containers are deionized and them from the system without any tools. numerous options for filling an existing tively young market is constantly growing. Familiar classics such as Darjeeling, filled with tea. The operating personnel transports the

22 o-com Magazin 1/2017 o-com Magazin 1/2017 23 IM EINSATZ INTERVIEW

THREE QUESTIONS ADDRESSED TO THE MARKET RESEARCH COMPANY MINTEL (LONDON)

HISTORY: THE FIRST SERVING-SIZE PACKAGES IS THE NEXT CAPSULE

The first tea were invented by Tom Sullivan, a tea merchant in the US. Instead of using tin cans for his tea sam- REVOLUTION COMING? ples he used silk bags, which he sent to his customers. The recipients, as it turned out, were thrilled about the simplified way to Mintel, headquartered in London, is a leading market research brew tea. Various sources give the years 1904 and 1908 as the time when this un- agency. Jodie Minotto, Global and Drink Analyst with intentional "invention" appeared. the Mintel Group Ltd, answers three questions about the tea Other branches had already started marketing consumer-friendly Single-Use capsule market. portions by then: The first bouillon cubes were sold by Liebig’s Extract of Meat Com- pany as early as about 1880. In 1893, Wil- liam Wrigley Jr. began producing chewing gum. August Oetker started marketing single portions of baking powder in 1898. Until then, it had only been supplied to bakeries in large quantities. Editorial staff: The idea of providing their sales by about four to 38 percent – in OPTIMA’s V300 offers a highly precise dosing Back to the tea , which wasn't such tea in capsule-sized packaging is still rel- particular with a strong focus on flavor, va- technology and a smooth product supply. an overnight success. Individual imitators atively new. Are there any initial estima- riety and health. This data is based on the of Sullivan's idea mixed cheaper herbs tions and forecasts as to how this market Mintel Report "Tea UK" from July 2015. and crumbs with tea. As a result, consum- will develop internationally? ers began to associate tea bags with lower Editorial staff: Are tea capsules aimed quality. Starting in 1920, the Englishman Jodie Minotto: Tea capsules have more at the "gourmets," or is the product John Horniman vowed to rem- been available in the US and Europe for range primarily oriented toward conve- edy the situation by providing a few years already. In this time, market nience? Or do the two have to coincide for In the interview: Jodie Minotto, Mintel high-quality sealed tea bags launches of new tea capsules have con- the system to succeed? bearing his name. Tea bags at the tinually increased. At present, tea capsules time were being made out of paper, primarily serve as a supplement to a prod- Jodie Minotto: Various machine sys- which Horniman sealed with glue. uct category that is dominated by coffee. Editorial staff: Capsule systems often tems serve different consumer needs. But the glue dissolved in hot water But it is possible that this will change promise a particular enjoyment that the Consumers who are looking for a specific and affected the taste of the tea. with the introduction of special machines consumer also pays for with a relatively tea capsule machine or a machine that The tea bag closed with a , dedicated to brewing tea with capsules. I high price. How do consumers like the has a special mode for brewing tea, such as we know it today, was invent- currently have no opinion about how this taste of tea brewed from capsules com- as the one from Dualit, probably have a ed by Adolf Rambold. In 1929, the market will develop. Pods are much more pared to tea brewed the usual way? stronger interest in the tea quality. Those Teekanne company launched its expensive per cup than tea bags. And a looking for an espresso capsule machine first tea bags made of tasteless parch- goal of the tea industry is to raise the prod- Jodie Minotto: The tea capsule seg- are primarily concerned with the coffee ment paper. Rambold also developed uct value, which means it is quite probable ment focuses on flavored teas as well as quality. It isn't easy to tell whether tea tea bag packaging machines. These that this format will be pushed to a certain herbal and fruit teas. This reflects a trend quality is also playing a role in that case. machines were brought to the market extent. Despite the price of pods, we have to be found in many established, devel- Compatible capsules that produce tea are by Teekanne as well. These tea bags were observed good sales development in mar- oped markets in the tea industry. By con- presumably sold because of convenience followed by the double-chamber bag in kets that are in recession, such as in Spain. trast, mainstream tea brands, such as in and the beverage variety.  1949. The idea for double-chamber bags Here, capsules are viewed as an affordable the United Kingdom, definitely have rea- also came from Rambold, who lacked a luxury—a cup of capsule coffee is cheaper son to worry. While the overall tea market For more information about Mintel, technical education but was still able to than a cup of coffee in a café. Tea benefits has shrunk by two percent, individual pre- please visit de.mintel.com bring his inventions to series production. from that in the same way. mium brands have been able to increase

24 o-com Magazin 1/2017 o-com Magazin 1/2017 25 FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY

NEW ROBOT GENERATION COBOTS LENDING A HAND

Until now, cobots have mostly been utilized as amusing interviewees or trade show attractions. Now the application scenario is changing. Cobots are beginning to see use within an increasing number of "serious" industrial applications – even in initial projects of Optima Nonwovens.

Robots (the closest relatives and fore- power (force) and the simultaneous limi- fathers to these cobots) have been pres- tation of these forces. To ensure that the ent in industrial applications for decades. cobot can work in the vicinity of the per- They have become indispensable in the son without any additional safety devices, automobile industry, in metal processing, the cobot must detect "abnormally" high in the furniture industry, in the food and resistance (forces) and stop its work pro- beverage industry and (last but not least) cess immediately before injuries occur to in packaging processes. Their high level of the person. Sophisticated sensor technol- flexibility in continuous processes makes ogy is used for this purpose. This sensor them so successful. But this comes with a technology allows humans and cobots to costly disadvantage. Robots cannot work work together right in the same area. in the immediate vicinity of a person. They require bordered zones that are moni- THE BEGINNING OF A SPECIAL CAREER tored with safety technology. As soon as a Over the last two years, Optima person enters a robot zone, a system stop Nonwovens evaluated which applica- must occur immediately. tions and which auxiliary activities in the Collaborative robots, called "cobots" packaging process can be executed using for short, overcome these limitations. As cobots. Tests have shed light on practical termining risks are only just being creat- STRONG GROWTH – the term "collaboration" suggests, cobots application scenarios, including assis- ed. Optima uses all available and relevant COBOTS ARE ON THE RISE are designed for the purpose of close col- tance during format change operations ISO safety standards while simultaneously laboration with people. And many pro- and configuration operations on packag- monitoring further development and the Market researchers at "Marketsand- space requirements as well as higher ef- duction halls already feature this close co- ing systems. Additional cobot tasks are creation of new standards. The goal is to Markets" are expecting growth of approx- ficiency thanks to more fluid processes, existence of man and machine. This makes currently in the experimental stages, and ensure safety at all times for people work- imately 60 percent* for the cobot market which currently still need to be stopped in the use of cobots one of the "hottest" in- initial projects using cobots are about to ing with cobots. We absolutely cannot use by 2022. This is based on a market volume sequence fairly often. In "MarketsandMar- dustry topics. enter the FAT phase. The immediate envi- cobots if we think that doing so may result of 110 million USD that was determined kets" also claims that the attractiveness of The cobots are intended to assist hu- ronment of systems provides a particularly in injuries to humans. And of course, there for 2015. According to the study, profits cobots is on the rise for smaller and mid- mans in carrying out particularly strenu- practical area of use for cobots. This devel- are reasons to support the use of cobots of 3.3 billion USD in 2022 will result. The size companies, as cobot prices are sink- ous or repetitive tasks or tasks that pose opment remains exciting and promising. from an ergonomic point of view as well. safety technologies installed in these co- ing and return on investment is high. a health risk to humans. Two things are But the cobot movement is still in its Optima is on top of the issue and will con- bots are being mentioned as a reason for *CAGR: compound annual growth rate required in order to make this a reality: infant stage. Standards and tools for de- tinue to report on the use of cobots...  this development. This will result in lower

26 o-com Magazin 1/2017 Picture: Universal Robots A/S o-com Magazin 1/2017 27 FOCUS: TECHNOLOGY FOKUS: TECHNIK

NEW FOR SPOUTED POUCHES: THE OPTIPOUCH SYSTEM POWERED BY FUJI SEAL PERFORMANCE INCREASE BY A FACTOR OF THREE

Spouted pouch packaging is booming worldwide. High output is becoming that much more important. The new OptiPouch system virtually eliminates previous performance limitations. Fluid to viscous products are filled in pre-made pouches that have already been checked 100% for pinholes.

Pouches with spout

The OptiPouch system fills and closes design of the OptiPouch system has many Spouted pouches are resealable, light up to 600 pouches per minute. The rotary features, including moisture protection and flexible. After use, they can be com- machine also displays maximum flexibility in accordance with IP67/NEMA4X. Oper- pressed to a much smaller size. (By the in the process. It covers a format area of ating the machine and supplying it with way, these characteristics also won over 50 to 1,500 ml without format parts. The material requires little personnel effort. Of the European Space Agency, which uses format change takes place "on the fly." course, the machine can also be expanded special spouted pouches on the Inter- Pouch designs can be customized in by adding a CIP/SIP unit. national Space Station.) many different ways. Whether the prod- The OptiPouch was created in ucts are stand-up pouches or side-gus- A LOGICAL cooperation with FujiSeal. FujiSeal seted bags with centred or corner spouts, OVERALL DESIGN developed a compact transport and feed- there are a wide variety of possibilities. Spouted pouches stand out in the life ing system for the pre-made spouted Various closure types such as "no spill," cycle assessment thanks to low material pouches the OptiPouch System. FujiSeal "anti-choke" or dosing dispensers can be use and volume after consumption. also produces spouted pouches at four integrated. There is also freedom in the The packages are also ecologically and locations in the USA, Poland, Thailand material selection, with various laminated economically advantageous in logistics: and Japan. Optima Consumer assumes film structuresto choose from. All bags are A vehicle transports approx. 1,650,000 responsibility for filling, dosing, closing prefabricated and checked individually for pouches (approx. 33 palettes) of the and servicing the system and for the over- tight sealing before delivery. OptiPouch system. all integration of the system.  The footprint of the machine is com- Consumers particularly value the Consumer demands meet ecology and efficiency: pact at approximately 47 m². The hygienic convenience of this type of packaging. The OptiPouch System

28 o-com Magazin 1/2017 o-com Magazin 1/2017 29 COMPACT COMPACT

WATER VOLUMES DESTROYING INFRASTRUCTURE An excellent employer for every phase of life OPTIMA EMPLOYEES HELPING OUT WITH RECEIVING A "BERUF UND FAMILIE" TRADE SHOW DONATIONS AND ASSISTANCE INTERVENTIONS CERTIFICATE AND A KUNUNU AWARD DATES

one fell swoop. The damage order to make a financial contribution. 22.03.2017 - CIDPEX was and remains particularly All employees were encouraged to do- 24.03.2017 Wuhan, China cataclysmic in Braunsbach and nate "and Optima will double the amount," nearby Steinkirchen. These Hans Bühler decided spontaneously. The 04.04.2017 - INDEX 07.04.2017 Palexpo SA communities require exten- Optima employees reached deep into Route François Peyrot 30 sive rebuilding. their pockets. A fantastic sum of 31,584 1218 Le Grand Saconnex Immediately after the euros was recorded by the end of August. catastrophe, executive man- 10.04.2017 - Tissue World Europe 12.04.2017 Milan, Italy agement at Optima decided MiCo - Milano Congressi to lend a hand. Hans Bühler, managing partner, issued a 04.05.2017 - Interpack call for help. And his call was 10.05.2017 Düsseldorf Mayor Frank Harsch (left) and Hans Bühler answered. Relief supplies were brought to where they were 13.06.2017 - Expo Pack 15.06.2017 Guadalajara, Jalisco, México It's Sunday evening at the end of needed as emergency aid without bu- Expo Guadalajara May 2016. Following a severe storm, the reaucracy. Many employees acted as vol- The reconciliation of work and family can be actively supported by companies. An auditor (left) confirms this small community of Braunsbach (near unteers in the catastrophe relief effort. concept at OPTIMA with a certificate. 14.06.2017 - ProPak Asia Schwäbisch Hall) is nearly washed away To support the volunteers as well as 17.06.2017 Bitec, Bangkok in a flood. The meter high flood waters those employees who were personally A "berufundfamilie" (career and fam- took everything away with it; cars, trees, affected, Optima gave these employees ily) certificate has been presented to the 12.07.2017 - ProPak China 14.07.2017 SNIEC Micha Brenner (right side of the picture) and and even emergency vehicles. More than 30 days of paid leave. "Multiple employ- Optima Packaging Group for 2016 in rec- Shanghai New International Johannes Noller actively supporting. 100 people were subsequently evacuated. ees went to the site immediately to help ognition of its human resources policies, Expo Center Many homes in the area have been unin- and organized aid transports with vital which show outstanding consideration habitable since the incident. Unfathoma- resources. They have set an outstanding Optima is rounding the sum up to an even for families and people at various stages 25.09.2017 - Pack Expo Las Vegas ble damages occurred, and nothing will example for us and deserve our utmost 65,000 euros: A (symbolic) cheque was of life. The certificate was presented by Bir- 27.09.2017 Las Vegas be the same as it once was for a long time. respect," Hans Bühler said. Subsequently, handed over to the mayor of Braunsbach, git Weinmann, auditor at berufundfamilie 11.10.2016 - MIAC The storm changed the way of life here in a fund raising campaign was initiated in Frank Harsch, in September. Service GmbH, to Hans Bühler and Jürgen 13.10.2016 Lucca Exhibition Center Kuske. In total, the distinction was given Lucca to 297 employers this year (163 compa- ADDITIONAL PORTFOLIO nies, 110 institutions and 24 colleges and universities). Successful completion of an with employees on parental leave or after R+E AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY auditing process is required for receiving retirement, family days, paid leave in spe- the certificate, valid for three years. This au- cial emergency situations, health days and TAKEN OVER dit simultaneously serves as a tool to help sporting events. management improve their personnel pol- By the time the next re-auditing pro- R+E Automation Technology (based in icy with respect to families and people of cess takes place in three years, Optima is Fellbach near Stuttgart, Germany) was ac- various ages and in various stages of life. planning to introduce additional measures, quired by Optima in the summer of 2016. Optima is among the 56 employers who including implementing corporate health The more than 30 employees of R+E Auto- successfully completed the "berufundfam- management, providing comprehensive mation Technology remain independent ilie" auditing process the very first time as well as location-specific information and active under the same management they went through it. Optima employees regarding the compatibility of career and as before. The company's product portfo- can benefit from family-conscious policies. family life, executive qualification, encour- lio includes assembly machines and lines These policies currently offer the following: aging self-management skills among exec- for medical technology, pharmaceuticals A delegation of R+E Delegation visiting OPTIMA. Mayor Michael Becher on the photo. flexible work schedules, part-time options, utives and employees, systematic support and other industries. measures to promote health, a resource upon re-entry into the workplace after pa- now a part of the Optima family." It was R+E product portfolio offers major po- center with information on work/life bal- rental leave, inspecting the emergency care "We had been keeping our eye on important to Hans Bühler that people tential for collaboration with the Optima ance, systematic personnel development, options for children, offering holiday care this company for a while," explains Hans from the two companies got the chance Consumer, Optima Pharma and Optima seminars for further personal develop- and information events on the subject of Bühler. "We are very pleased that R+E is to meet and get to know each other. The Life Science divisions.  ment, measures for maintaining contact compatibility of work and care giving. 

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