Standardization Creates Flexibility

Mechanical engineers are masters at finding innovative technical solutions to meet customers’ challenges. The crucial elements in this are broad know-how, a wealth of ideas from intelligent experts, the use of advanced technologies and the standardization of processes and technical components.

IWK Verpackungstechnik GmbH successfully combines these elements in numerous customer projects, even as the level of customization keeps increasing. The company is working with its strong partner WAGO GmbH & Co. KG to optimize the electrotechnical aspects of its machine systems.

Based in Stutensee in Baden, Germany IWK Verpackungstechnik GmbH has a 130 year history and has been supplying filling and packaging systems to customers around the world for decades. The company has a good feel for trends, which has helped it consistently impress customers with its cutting-edge technology. At the moment, two mega-trends, sustainability and customization, are especially relevant. “Our customers expect efficient solutions for increasingly flexible batch sizes,” explains Bernd Langlotz, Head of Electrical Engineering at IWK. “Environmental protection and resource conservation are important issues, and our systems and turnkey lines support our customers in addressing them.” IWK’s state-of-the-art machines help their customers implement successful, sustainable packaging despite new challenges, allowing them to remain competitive. The company holds numerous patents for key technologies and regularly receives awards.

Turning Trends into Innovations

When filling and packaging cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, smaller batch sizes usually mean greater machine customization, more frequent format changes and associated setup time. “Four or five years ago, we mostly supplied standardized machines, but the degree of customization has steadily increased to this day, along with a demand for greater automation in the lines,” explains Langlotz. “Our most highly automated system at the moment, the Flexline, is characterized by extremely short format changeover times, because servo motors and controllers handle a lot of the manual work.”

Increasing specialization and customization of their machine portfolio also entail significantly greater planning effort. Timo Raff is responsible for hardware and electrical planning at IWK and knows this issue well: “Whereas we used to customize machines by having multiple options and different format parts, new control and servo technology now gives us much more freedom and flexibility. But to maximize the efficiency of planning and project design, we need standardization – for control processes, components, communication protocols, suppliers, etc.”

Sustainable Capacitors Instead of Lead Batteries

The conversion of IWK’s machines’ electrical buffering demonstrates how the standardization approach can be successfully reconciled with the need to serve market trends: Years ago, the idea arose of switching the uninterruptible power supply required for one type of machine to a more environmentally friendly option. Before that, lead batteries had been used to ensure that, in the event of a power failure, the Windows-based PC used would shut down properly and important production data and machine parameters would be backed up, but IWK now wanted to use modern supercapacitors instead. “What motivated the team back then was the possibility of switching to environmentally friendly capacitor buffering, which would save our customers from having to replace batteries every two years,” recalls Langlotz. “Of course, we couldn’t compromise data storage or machine functionality, so we went through stages of testing, evaluation and redesign.