The Herma 500 label applicator, available in Australia through Result Group, now offers users the option to easily add new functions or higher speeds via code-enabled upgrades, purchased online and delivered automatically by email, enhancing flexibility and further futureproofing the machine.
[Result Group will be exhibiting at AUSPACK 2022 on stand G205]
Ccritical components of the Herma 500 label applicator can now be exchanged easily on the operator’s premises, thus avoiding a time-consuming visit to a service centre.
“For us, the key question was how could we substantially further improve an applicator’s availability,” explained Tobias Erhardt, who heads up the Herma Labelling Machines service department.
“The answer was found in the realisation that long-term efficiency and effectiveness depends to a large extent on the ease of maintenance, and the ability of the user to respond quickly to new challenges without significantly interrupting production.”
In order to achieve these goals, the company equips the Herma 500 from the outset with a series of options that users may wish to activate and use later, such as connectivity.
“Instead of configuring an applicator for the individual customer’s specific requirements, all the principal connectors are already on board. Only those for industrial ethernet and power out are now optional,” Erhardt added.
Herma said that one function that is often requested subsequently is the master encoder, as it is responsible for maintaining absolute synchronisation between the operating speed of the applicator and that of the conveyor belt, resulting in the encoder achieving greater labelling precision and reliability.
“In the past, the applicator had to be rebuilt quite time-consumingly for this purpose if the connection for it was not yet available. Now, it’s simply a matter of the customer enabling the function with a code,” said Erhardt.
“Users can also apply the same method if a need arises for higher speeds, OPC UA or Modbus TCP interfaces, or machine control via CAN bus.”
The enabling codes are available from the Herma Service Portal.
Whole package of measures
With immediate effect, smart design details of the Herma 500 help users to eliminate the causes of unscheduled downtimes even faster.
In necessary, both the main and the plug-in circuit boards can now be exchanged on-site by a local service partner, and the task involves little more than slackening off a few screws. This means there is no longer any need for wiring work, which previously called for a visit to a service centre.
Herma has also further reduced the number of wearing parts and is committed to using standardised components that are available worldwide. In addition, no special tools are needed to exchange the transport roller.
What’s more, most of the connectors are now being embedded in the housing, where they are well protected against accidental impacts. And the outgoing cabling is integrated in a single loom, which further simplifies integration.
“This package of measures enables us once again to redefine the boundaries of maximum applicator availability in practice, no matter what the circumstances,” concluded Erhardt.
“At the same time, the Herma 500 is further demonstrating its credentials as an especially futureproof investment.”
