With an estimated 1,500 exhibitors expected and a growing confidence that live trade events can be staged safely, Pack Expo is hoping to bring people and innovative solutions together Sept. 27-30 for the largest North American packaging and logistics show.
“We can’t wait to welcome the industry back to the Pack Expo show floor,” said Jim Pittas, president and CEO of host organization PMMI in a press release. “With nearly 2,500 new registrations coming in last week alone, the industry is looking forward to seeing brand new show features, engaging in-person and exploring new technologies never seen before. It is sure to be a meaningful event not to be missed.”
In accordance with current Nevada health and safety guidelines, all attendees will be required to wear masks in indoor venues at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
After a year off due to the pandemic, Pack Expo is returning with enthusiasm over several special events. Exhibitors also are making up for lost time with an array of innovative technologies for the packaging industry, as well as new applications for legacy technologies.
Among the show products on display are:
ABB Robotics: Booth C-4609
ABB recently partnered with Covariant to bring AI-enabled robotics solutions to accelerate ABB’s expansion into the distribution and e-commerce sectors with fully autonomous warehouse order fulfilment solutions. The growing demand for e-commerce fulfilment services and the complex and labor-intensive nature of the process offers unique potential for intelligent automation.
Festo: Booth C-6132
Festo plans three new offerings at Pack Expo. The Simplified Motion Series electric actuators now have an IO-Link enabled capability to allow these electric axes to function as servo controlled three-position actuators for simple servo applications, which is expected to lower programing and servo motion costs to be comparable to pneumatics. A decentralized I/O offers OEMs advantages, including less wiring and less-expensive Ethernet connectivity. CPX-AP-I Festo decentralized I/O was announced in late 2019 and is now being applied. Festo also has filling machine apps for its intelligent valve terminal VTEM. The new Flow Control app enables nitrogen flushing on up to eight containers simultaneously through four valves.
Bosch Rexroth: Booth C-5214
Bosch Rexroth’s ctrlX AUTOMATION’s app-based system architecture allows developers to add apps from Rexroth, develop their own apps or use Github open-source solutions. The Pack Expo exhibit will explain the new automation platform, including ctrlX CORE controller, ctrlX DRIVE and the MS2N synchronous motor, and how open control and drive technology has been engineered to be easily integrated into any automation infrastructure and packaging solutions.
Yaskawa: Booth C-4040
Among its demonstrations at Pack Expo, Yaskawa will be presenting:
- The industry’s first IP67-rated collaborative robot with an easy-to-clean surface and NSF H1-certified food-grade grease for use in sanitary environments.
- Precise, high-speed SCARA robots to enable fast and precise operation for small part processing .
- Fast pallet pattern generation to enable fast development and deployment of complex palletizing systems.
- High-speed picking for distribution automation, combining motion planning AI technology and intelligent 3D vision capability for optimized recognition.
BW Packaging Systems: Booth C-1800
The packaging equipment arm of Barry-Wehmiller will present various packaging solutions that were developed, based on customer feedback, to drive improvements across food, beverages and consumer products applications. For cheese, produce and frozen food (IQF) products, BW Flexible Systems’ Hayssen ISB vertical form-fill-seal bagger provides solutions in sanitary bagging. Pneumatic Scale Angelus’ CB50C counter-pressure integrated canning line helps craft brewers meet consumer demand for carbonated craft beverages. Accraply’s modular upgrade for Trine roll-fed labelers offers improved throughput and changeovers.