Moeller Provides An Easy Solution For Mixing Ink

In developing such a compact and innovative machine, however, Multi-Mix needed a control system which was itself compact, but which sacrificed neither performance nor ease of use to achieve its small size. Products from Moeller’s easy range of intelligent relays provided a convenient and cost-effective solution.

They were not, however, Multi-Mix’s first choice. “In our first two machines, we used intelligent relays supplied by one of Moeller’s competitors,” said Fred Bartorelli, the owner of Multi-Mix, “as we weren’t at that stage really aware of the Moeller product. However, we had a number of failures and, to be honest, the support we received from the supplier wasn’t particularly good. We didn’t need too much persuasion, therefore, to give Moeller’s easy relays a try.”

In the first of the Multi-Mix vacuum packaging machines to use Moeller products, an easy700 intelligent relay is used to provide sequence control over the vacuum sealing, nitrogen injection and container lid crimping operations provided by the machine. With its straightforward ladder diagram programming system and its exceptionally compact construction, the easy relay is an ideal choice for this application.

In this first generation of machines using Moeller equipment, the operator interface is provided by panel-mounted pushbuttons and indicator lamps. Multi-Mix wanted, however, to give the machine’s users more informative feedback about its operating status. For this, the company turned to another product in the easy range, the MFD Titan. This is essentially an easy800 intelligent relay with an integrated programmable display panel.

In its latest machines, Multi-Mix is using the MFD Titan, which mounts through the panel door, to display text messages that take over the function of the indicator lamps.

“Not only does this give a much neater and more modern appearance to the machine,” said Fred Bartorelli, “it also allows us to give more detailed status information to the operator. The display shows every stage of the operation and is just like a window on the machine’s heartbeat. We’ve even been able to build in a service alert to warn users when their machine is due for routine servicing.”

Unlike their competitors, the Moeller easy relays and MFD Titan units have proved entirely reliable in this application, and Multi-Mix has not experienced a single failure. Fred Bartorelli also notes that the support he has received from Moeller has been second to none.

“As is always the case when you’re developing a new product, we faced a few challenges along the way,” he said, “but, at every stage, Moeller has been ready to give us whatever support we’ve needed. And that support has always been available promptly when we needed it. I can honestly say that we couldn’t have wished for better service.”

Multi-Mix is now looking at further refinements that can be built into its machine at virtually no cost using the Moeller products. The first of these is likely to involve upgrading the program for the MFD-Titan and taking advantage of the unit’s analogue input option so that it can display bargraphs of the vacuum and nitrogen pressures, as well as the status messages it currently shows.

The last word goes to Fred Bartorelli. “The easy products have given us everything we want. They’re tiny, easy to use, reliable, versatile and very cost effective. And, as I may have already mentioned, they’re backed by exceptional support!”