INTRODUCTION

The BestPack ATFXU machine is an adjustable, automatic carton sealer designed for industrial, agricultural packaging which utilizes Half-Slotted Cartons (HSC) with pressure-sensitive tape. For more than decade, the ATFXU has been successfully integrated into the automated production of oranges, lemons, potatoes, and other produce. This article will venture into the technical details that underpin the basic machine functionality- mechanical adjustments to airflow regulation, sensor alignment and timer optimization. 




 

AIR SETTINGS

The main regulator controls the air pressure for all pneumatic components on the machine: Indexer Lift, Kicker, and Lid Lifters. Changing the air setting will affect all operations, so be prepared to make multiple adjustments if the main regulator is altered.  The recommended air pressure range is 65 psi to 70 psi.

NOTE: Maintaining the air pressure within this range will help prolong the lifespan of the machine’s pneumatic components.

MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENTS

The adjustments that correspond to the height and the width of the boxes is critical to have a good production flow. Here is a list of steps to follow for properly adjusting the machine:

1. 1. Position the Carton: Begin by placing an erected, assembled and pre-folded carton under the top Tape Head cavity near the exit. Raise or widen using the adjustment handles to allow for full clearance, at least 3". in height
      

2. Lift the Lid: With the carton positioned at the machine's outfeed, lift the lid to 2.5 inches from the bottom.                   
   
   
                                                                                                                             

3. Adjust the Width: Carefully center the box in the machine . Adjust the side guide width by positioning the side guides to within 3-5mm of the width of the carton but not touching the sides.
   * One method is to fully snug the guide rails up to box (to center it), then back the handle off about 1 - 2 full turns. 
   * Pull the spring-loaded, lid-support plate away from the side of the box to verify that the sides of the bottom box do not touch the side guide rails on both sides, and that they are equidistance from the box.
   * Bulky, overfilled produce will cause the sides of the box to bulge and get stuck if the side guides are too narrow. 
   
   
   
   
   

4. Verify Lid-Support Plate:  Verify that the lid-support plate is positioned beneath the lid. The movable, lid-support plates should just barely touch the sides of the bottom box while the lid rests on top of the plates. It is recommended to set the four springs to the least tension position, initially. With time and use, the springs will gradually lose tension and the bolt will need to be adjusted. 
    
   
   
   
   
5. Adjust the Sealing Height: With the lid resting on lid-support rails, lower the sealing area top mast by turning the handle counterclockwise. Align the top belt drive with the top of the carton. The top flaps should lie flat with the drive belts gently touching the top. 

   
   
   
   
   

   * Too high will cause a poor seal with a loose tab, the belts won't make contact with the box, reducing pulling force.
   * Too low will crush the bottom edges of the lid or force the lid to drop below the support plates resulting in a No-Cut tape condition.
   
   
6. Adjust the Sealing Compression Rollers: 
   • Loosen the knob above the rollers until it makes contact with the side of the carton, then tighten.

1. • If a carton gets stuck at this point, move the rollers further apart. 
   • The flaps should meet in the middle with little or no gap.
   • The rollers should leave a very light impression, if any at all. 
     
     
2. Adjust the Folding Height: Move the box to the folding area between the lid lifters, With the lid resting on lid support rails, lower the folding area top mast by turning the handle counterclockwise. The bottom edge of the folding mast should be 20-30mm above the top of the carton. This will allow some clearance for the lid lifters to pop the lid up above the lid-support rails, without driving the front panel into the bottom of the folding mast assembly.  
   
   
3. Adjust the Lid Lifters' angle:  When the lifter cylinders activate, it is crucial that they move parallel or nearly-so to each other. Slight negative camber is acceptable.
   
   
   
   
   1. Place torpedo level on the lid lifter's guide rod, underneath the machine.
   2. Adjust the bolt stop underneath the machine by threading it in or out to achieve the appropriate caster angle.
   3. Adjust both sides incrementally. The two lifters are mechanically linked, so make the same adjustments to both left and right sides to prevent binding or uneven force when lifting. 
      * Too much negative camber will "squeeze" or "pinch" the box and cause the box to stall between the lifters
      * Positive camber will drive the lifters away from the scoreline and create a false fold in the middle of the flap.
   4. Tighten the Back-Up Nuts
      
      
      
4. Adjust the lid lifters' centering tension: Slight inward pressure of the lid lifters against the sides of the box is required to ensure the lid lifts without damaging the flaps. The tension is set by a spring and adjustable bolt underneath the machine on either side. The good starting position is about the middle of the threaded bolt- if the lifters were set to slight negative camber. If the lifter angle was closer to parallel than more force (less spring tension) is needed, so only a 1/3 of the bolt length threaded. 
   
   
   
5. Adjust the lid lifters' Height: Position the box on the lid lifters with the flaps up.  The distance between the major flap score-line and the lifters measures 3-5mm. If you find a discrepancy in the gap measurement:
   * Use a 6mm Allen Key along with a 12mm Metric wrench to loosen the clamps on lid lifter support rods. 
   * Adjust both sides accordingly
   * Retighten all hardware.
   
6. Adjust Entry Compression rollers: Move the box to the entry and fully push the lid down into the bottom half. The rollers should be positioned just below the box's score line. The compression rollers hold the sides of the box while the horns fold the flaps outward. insufficient compression will allow the sides to bulge from bulky produce. When the horns start folding, the flaps will resist and tear off or crush instead. 
   
   
   
   * To adjust the height, loosen the hexagonal knob and move the base up or down accordingly.
   * To adjust the width, loosen the cap screws with a 6mm Allen key. 
   
   Adjust Folding Horns

Sensors

The ATFXU Machine is equipped with three Photo Eyes and a limit switch, with a reflector for the respective photo eye. Each sensor serves a specific purpose to trigger sequence of events: indexing, lid-lifting, kicking, and cycle reset. 

• PH1 and LS0 are positioned closely together, so that when both are triggered, the box stopper and indexer will lift.
• LS0 detects the trailing edge of the box and activates the kicker to tuck the rear flap. 
• PH3 activates the lid lifters. It is positioned underneath and offset to minimize dirt build-up.   
• PH4 detects the box exiting the lid lifter system and provides the signal to reset the air cylinders for the next cycle.

INDEXING

    The ATFXU is capable of handling multiple boxes sequentially. However, a gap between the boxes is required for the machine to cycle correctly. The necessary gap is created automatically by the indexing process.

    The machine features a stop and hold system during the folding sequence.  When two boxes enter back-to-back, PH1 and LS0 will trigger, respectively, at about the same time. This condition will activate the indexer lift cylinder. The indexer plates lift the second box off the belts while the first box is processed. The first box is processed while second box is held, creating a gap.  The box stopper will also help relieve upstream pressure if the conveyor has not been interlocked. Once the first box clears the folding zone, the indexer drops the second box down onto the belts and the cycle repeats. If the boxes are spaced adequately, the machine should cycle without indexing.

    The sensors can be adjusted laterally to accommodate the length of the box. If you're sending a single box and the indexer lift activates, it indicates that PH1 is too close is too close LS0; PH1 should be moved toward the entry.  Here are the recommended distances for these sensors:

• PH1: It is advisable to position this photo-eye approximately 25 cm from the beginning of the shaft.
  
  
  
• LS0: It is recommended to place this switch around 15 cm from the edge of the hole (end section).

• PH3: Rising edge triggers the reset signal for the indexer lift cycle, allowing the next box through.
  
  
  
• T5: Receives the reset signal from PH4 and provides additional delay before resetting the indexer. More delay creates more carton spacing.

FLAP FOLDING

The machine is designed and built around the unique flap folding process. The first step is to fold the major flaps out, and in the process, knock the minors or break the flap memory with the folding horns so that the flaps fold easier.


Once the majors are folded outward, the lid is lifted and partially separated from the bottom. The rear minor is kicked down or tucked (Ideally after lid lifting) so that the majors can be folded in.


Occasionally, the lid may stick, and the kick occurs during lid-lifter shaking which greatly reduces accuracy of the kick. 

KICKER TIMING AND ADJUSTMENT

The kicker process is a key function of the flap folding sequence.  The kicker is activated when the limit switch LS0 is released after the box passes over it. This is called a trailing edge trigger.  LS0 is rarely moved, and comes pre-set with the machine. It should be mounted approximately in the middle of the slot.

* LS0 Positioning and lever arm adjustment- Provides Initial Trigger:  The limit switch should be securely mounted in the middle of the slot, and the lever arm on the switch should be fully extended to maximize accuracy of the trigger angle when the wheel is released. A stuck lid can partially lift the box and cause the limit switch to reset prematurely. Full extension of the lever arm reduces the trigger sensitivity. Vent holes, tears or imperfections in the bottom corrugated can also cause premature kick triggering.  

* Kicker air cylinder flow control valve adjustment- Provides Motion adjustment: The motion of the kicker is very important for accurate and repeatable operation. Harsh motion will drastically reduce the functional life of the equipment, causing metal fatigue, shearing mounting hardware, and leading to costly downtime. To set the flow control valves:

    - A good starting point is to completely close the valve (clockwise), then open it 4 full turns, then fine tune as necessary. Cylinder extension (kicking) speed should be approximately 85-90% of maximum (or a wide-open flow control valve) to minimize wear and tear; cylinder retraction can be significantly slower- about 50%.  

* Kicker air cylinder end-of-travel air cushion adjustment- Provides Motion adjustment: End-of-travel and stroke deceleration is mitigated by restricting or creating a sealed air cushion in the last ~15mm of travel. This greatly reduces mechanical banging and metal fatigue. Set the cushion next to each port with a 1.5mm Allen key (no metallic slamming, minimal bounce). 

*Kicker air cylinder rod end adjustment- Provides Motion adjustment: Make sure the kicker does not strike the front plow at max cylinder extension. The cylinder rod end may be threaded further into the hind joint to achieve 5mm clearance if necessary. 

*PH4 reset Signal- Provides Reset Trigger: Position the sensor so that kicker will not reset until the rear minor is tucked under the plow. Take a measurement of the box length and use that as a reference for positioning the sensor. If the sensor cannot be moved accordingly due to physical constraints, timer T6 can add sufficient delay and prevent retracting the cylinder prematurely. 

Flap-Folding Horns

The ATFXU machine has two sets of horns: the first set opens the major flaps in preparation for lid lifting and the second set closes the flaps for sealing. Generally, the horns should be positioned in the middle of the adjustment range. The horns should be equidistance from the center. 

* Smaller boxes will fold later so the horns may need to be moved toward the center (back and in).

* Larger boxes should start to fold earlier so the horns may need to be spread further apart (forward and out). 

The flap-opening horns and entry compression rollers work together to open the flaps. Problems with flap opening are frequently caused by a combination of the horn placement and compression rollers height / width adjustments. 

LID LIFTING

The adjustment of this system is crucial, as it involves separating the top lid from the bottom box.  If the flaps have been folded correctly the lid should pop up above the lid support rails. The correct trigger timing, oscillation and force are required to perform this function, which can make it tricky to adjust properly.

  PH3 Triggers the lid lifter cylinders to push the top up. Different box dimensions may benefit from making slight configuration changes. 

* Long, narrow, or short boxes tend to separate easier with a 'one-hit' punch approach. The lid lifters fire squarely in the middle box and lift completely one or two bumps. Trigger PH3 later by moving the photo eye towards the exit.  Generally, this produces better results and prevents from the lid binding. Adjust the T3 to have a longer period: 0.3-0.5 seconds.

* Square, tall, or tight boxes tend to benefit more from oscillation to shake the lid loose. Rapid oscillation helps to break the static friction and lift the lid in steps.  Trigger PH3 earlier by moving the sensor towards entry. Adjust the T3 to have a shorter period: 0.1-0.3 seconds. 

PH4 triggers the air cylinder reset for lid lifting and kicking, if lid drops before fully supported by the rails delay the reset by moving the senso towards the exit. 

Verify the air adjustments: flow control valves and air cushions.

TIMERS

There are multiple sequences that can be adjusted using the timers located on the control panel, especially for the kicker and lid lifters. Here is a comprehensive list of all the timers and their recommended settings:

• T2 - Delay between initial lift and vibration (1.5 seconds): Setting should occur right after lifters are raised to ensure best production rate.                                                                                                   
• T3 - Lifter vibration frequency (0.1-0.3 second): Determines frequency of the lifter oscillation.                                                                                                                                                       
• T4 - Shake duration (3-6 seconds): Determines how long shaking will occur for stuck cartons before machine shuts off.                                                                                     
• T5 - Indexer reset (0 seconds): Indexer and Lid Lifter reset delay after PH4 signals box exiting.
• T6 - Minor flap kicker (0-2 seconds): Kicker reset delay after PH4 signals box exiting. 
   

CONCLUSION:

Mastering the technical intricacies of the ATFXU Machine equips you to optimize its performance. From air pressure and sensor adjustment to precise timing, this guide provides you with the knowledge needed for efficient operations. Implement these recommendations to achieve peak performance and extend the lifespan of your machine's components.

Setup Checklist

*Position the Carton

*Lift the Lid

*Adjust the Width

*Verify Lid-Support Plate

*Adjust the Sealing Height

*Adjust the Sealing Compression Rollers

*Adjust the Folding Height:

*Adjust the Lid Lifters' angle

*Adjust the Lid Lifters' centering tension

*Adjust the Lid Lifters' Height

*Adjust Entry Compression rollers

*Adjust Folding Horns

*Verify Sensor position, alignment, and sensitivity

*Verify Timer settings

*Verify Air settings

*Box Testing

*Verify: Indexing, Flap-Folding, Lid-Lifting, Kicking, and Sealing Processes