OEM opts for more flexibility in next-gen vf/f/s machine

This continuous motion vertical form fill seal machine handles difficult films and simplifies setup and changeovers

Oem 466455 Matrix morpheus Ins16cf08d

A lot has changed since Marc Willden and his brother Marcel built the first Matrix intermittent vf/f/s machines out of their garage in the late ‘80s. Then fledgling Matrix now occupies a 42,000-sq.-ft. facility in Saukville, Wis., having used a cost effective, flexible machine reputation to grow in the crowded vf/f/s marketplace. Those 20 years of expertise caught the eye of Pro Mach (Cincinnati) executives, who saw the company as a strong fit for its Flexible Packaging Group and acquired Matrix in 2011.

Continuing the company’s constant evolution in 2013, Marc and Marcel developed product strategy and specifications for a solid continuous motion vf/f/s machine to scratch an industry itch for more flexibility in units per minute, optimum product flow, and higher quality packaging. The rotary jaw machine, called Metis, was the industry’s first vf/f/s machine to operate both intermittently and continuously, according to Marc.

Looking forward to next-gen
With a successful foray into the larger world of continuous motion vf/f/s under his belt, Marc became even more sensitive to a frequently cited drawback of that style of vf/f/s—lack of flexibility and configurability. To address this, the Willden brothers hatched their next idea for continuous, this time moving away from rotary motion and thinking of ways to coordinate as many as nine axes of motion at once. The result was Morpheus, which uses box-motion vf/f/s and servo motion control to achieve higher speeds for greater throughput while retaining flexibility and configurability.

“On the surface, it may not seem like a very manic application, but as you dive into it, it really is,” Marc says. “We knew that we would go into this using a number of axes of servos as well as a PLC or an industrial PC.”

As a subset of Morpheus and a nod to the company’s low-barrier-to-entry origins, Matrix also built Apollo, a lower cost, intermittent motion vf/f/s that can be scaled up to include all of the features of Morpheus. 

“We designed Apollo with all of the high end capability to begin with and then on the tail end of the project we decided to remove the continuous jaw, put in an intermittent jaw, and reconfigure the machine so that it can function as an intermittent motion machine,” Marc says.

Hybrid model falls short of expectations
While designing Morpheus and Apollo, Matrix leaned on an incumbent automation manufacturer to create a hybrid architecture system using that brand’s logic controls alongside motion control from a different brand. After many development shortfalls, the Willden brothers moved away from the hybrid architecture, seeing the need for one manufacturer to handle the automated equipment.

Shortly after their epiphany, Marc and Marcel narrowed in on Beckhoff Automation’s PC-based control system, equipped with an EtherCAT communications network. 

Keeping costs down as number of axes, features increase
The cost of automated equipment proved to be more practical, as Morpheus not only has three key operational axes—a horizontal seal jaw open and closure, vertical seal jaw axis, and a film pull—but also an auto setup feature that requires nine more axes, each with its own servomotor. 

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