Most plant managers will have a rough figure in mind for the cost of a single hour of unplanned ELAU PacDrive line downtime. This will be based on previous breakdowns and typically consider the output rate, direct labour overheads and any emergency call-out fees. However, this number is not completely accurate. This is not because […]

Modern industrial automation systems aim for standardisation as much as possible. However, in practice, many high-performance platforms, such as PacDrive, deviate from generic IEC fault handling frameworks. There are specific reasons for why PacDrive diagnostic codes differ from standard IEC fault protocols. Why these differences exist is critical for engineers working with PacDrive motion-control systems

Last June we took at a look at the 3 most common PacDrive M search terms to see the main issues facing users. These were: Now, 12 months later the search terms look like this: Whilst the headline topics may appear to differ the underlying content remains largely the same. This is probably not surprising

For many manufacturers with production lines controlled by PacDrive M, keeping this system can make business sense as upgrading can cost tens – if not thousands of pounds. Not every company may have the budget – or indeed the need – to make that investment. If the PacDrive M equipment continues to operate reliably with

Developed by ELAU AG and launched in 1998, PacDrive M continues to be used on many production lines around the world. PacDrive products continued to be sold until the end of 2018 when its obsolescence was announced.     So how does this affect SM motors and why consider upgrading SM motors to SH3 motors? SM motors

Bearings in PacDrive M and PacDrive 3 motors operate under demanding conditions making them amongst the most stressed components on a production line. With motors spinning at up to 8,000 rpm (SM and iSH motors can spin up to 6,000rpm and SH motors to 8,000rpm) not surprisingly these bearings begin to wear over time. Consequently,

In the fast-paced packaging industry, training engineers is vital for helping reduce downtime and maintaining productivity. This increases in importance with obsolete equipment, such as ELAU PacDrive M, as the expertise required to maintain legacy equipment becomes scarcer over time. It may also no longer be directly supported by the OEM, so finding a partner

Predictive maintenance and condition based monitoring (CBM) are two maintenance techniques rapidly gaining traction in packaging. Whilst these focus on keeping production lines running and minimising downtime, there is an advanced option, Prescriptive Analytics. Prescriptive analytics uses a combination of machine learning, algorithms and business rules to simulate a multitude of “what if” scenarios. The

Annual accounts are a legal requirement and these show a company’s health at a specific point in time. There are many influencing factors, but one usually hidden amongst all the figures is the true cost of unplanned downtime. Depending on the type and size of manufacturer this cost can vary from £5,472 per hour (RS

The IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), Industry 4.0 – and now 5.0 – are all developments which have become increasingly familiar. Now there is a new one emerging – digital twins – and which has the potential to transform packaging manufacturing.   Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical systems, such as production lines. They