Packaging & Labeling

System Overview :

Improvement Overview :

Device for printing lot numbers on cardboard boxes for shipment.

Replacing an air cylinder with an ELECYLINDER ® for positioning the cardboard boxes on a conveyor belt.

Reduced labor cost thanks to no adjustment time. Facility's initial cost is also reduced.

Description of Operation

1 Cardboard boxes move along the conveyor belt.

2 Boxes are pushed against the positioning plate.

2 Printing by ink jet printer.

Before Improvement

Improvement Effects

Past problems

Increased initial cost of the facility

In the previous facility, purchase costs for air cylinder, reed switches, speed controllers, solenoid valve, air filter and lubricator were incurred. Also incurred were design, assembly and adjustment expenses for piping and wiring.

Speed was not constant and operations were not stable.

The air cylinder changed its speed due to fluctuations of air source pressure caused by different temperatures depending on the season or time of day.

Cardboard boxes were damaged at high speed, or passed through at slow speed before positioning was complete.
Because of this, it took 30 minutes per day on average to adjust the speed controllers and reed switches before the startup of operation and after maintenance.

After installation of an ELECYLINDER®

Reduced initial cost

The ELECYLINDER consists of the main body (with built-in controller) and a cable only, reducing overall costs.

Cost comparison Air cylinder and ELECYLINDER (motorized)

Air cylinder	device	Device using an	ELECYLINDER
Item	Cost	Item	Cost
Air cylinder (double guide type)	$146	ELECYLINDER（built-in guide type）	$391
Design/assembly/ adjustment expenses (6 hours)	$300	Design/assembly/ adjustment expenses (1 hour)	$50
Reed switch (2 units)	$44	Cable	$50
Pipe coupling	$6	-	-
Solenoid valve	$69.50	-	-
Pressure regulator + air filter + lubricator	$60	-	-
Speed controller (2 units)	$8	-	-
Air piping (3 meters)	$30	-	-
Sensor wiring (3 meters)	$30	-	-
Total for air cylinder facility	$693.50	Total for ELECYLINDER facility	$491

Difference $202.50

Reduced labor cost

Operations are not affected by different temperatures depending on the season or time of day.
The ELECYLINDER can set A (acceleration), V (velocity) and D (deceleration) at desired values, after which no adjustment is needed.
As a result, cardboard boxes are not damaged because of high speed, or passed through due to slow speed.

Air cylinder adjustment time

Adjustment time for speed controllers and reed switches: 30 minutes / day

ELECYLINDER adjustment time

Once the speed is set, it will always be constant. 0 minute / day

Annual labor cost reduced by $1,500 thanks to the reduced adjustment time from 30 minutes to zero. In addition, the initial cost is also reduced by $202.50.

The above application example and results including numbers are introduced from one of our product user's event and experience.
*Exchange Rate: 1(USD)=100(Japanese Yen)

Model Number

EC-RR6 » more details