ALS MECHATRONIC LTD

Products Supplied

Bespoke Automation & Control Systems:

ALS Mechatronic are trusted suppliers of innovative mechatronic engineering solutions which include state-of-the-art manufacturing process and packaging machinery, robotics, conveyors and vision inspection equipment which help advance the processes and capabilities of our worldwide customer base, increasing their efficiency, quality and bottom line. We specialise in small control system projects through to ground-breaking innovations and complete turnkey systems, often delivering solutions where others simply can’t.

Palletisers:

The ALS fully and semi automatic Palletisers pack plastic containers onto half or full height pallets up to 1400mm square. The machine loads empty pallets after they have either been automatically loaded via pallet dispenser and optional feed roller conveyor into the hoist area or have been added manually by an operator.

A servo controlled hoist (capable of carrying up to 1,000KG in weight), then loads the pallet into position ready for the first layer of containers. The Palletizer then accumulates containers using a servo-driven pusher-arm and following bar so as to ensure bottles cannot fall over.

The 2 axis are linked together electronically for accurate control and travel at speeds of up to 2 metres per second, enabling high speed product accumulation and transfer onto the pallet.

Light Guard and Laser Safety Scanners create invisible entry barriers to ensure automatic and immediate machine cut off, keeping everyone safe.

Slip Sheets can be placed at each layer on the pallet by an operator or by the optional Automatic Slip Sheet Loader, which includes Top Frame loader as the final layer to complete the frame of the pallet.

Additional options that can be supplied include:

The ALS fully and semi automatic Palletisers pack plastic containers onto half or full height pallets up to 1400mm square. The machine loads empty pallets after they have either been automatically loaded via pallet dispenser and optional feed roller conveyor into the hoist area or have been added manually by an operator.

A servo controlled hoist (capable of carrying up to 1,000KG in weight), then loads the pallet into position ready for the first layer of containers. The Palletizer then accumulates containers using a servo-driven pusher-arm and following bar so as to ensure bottles cannot fall over.

The 2 axis are linked together electronically for accurate control and travel at speeds of up to 2 metres per second, enabling high speed product accumulation and transfer onto the pallet.

Light Guard and Laser Safety Scanners create invisible entry barriers to ensure automatic and immediate machine cut off, keeping everyone safe.

Slip Sheets can be placed at each layer on the pallet by an operator or by the optional Automatic Slip Sheet Loader, which includes Top Frame loader as the final layer to complete the frame of the pallet.

Additional options that can be supplied include:

• Complete roller conveyor to move full pallets out
• Strappers
• Wrappers
• Vision Inspection

Design Services:

Projects are underpinned by our experienced team of 3D mechanical design and electrical systems design engineers. For turnkey and the more complex assignments, we can produce automation animations to help you and your colleagues visualise your investment for added reassurance.

We take a multi-disciplinary approach to our design services to ensure seamless integration of your automation control and mechanical components. Our mechanical design process is 3D by default to ensure there are no hidden surprises for you (or us!) when it comes to build and installation.

At ALS Mechatronic, research and development is continuous as we strive to offer the latest technology for our clients’ automation needs. If there is a specialist piece of machinery you require; or existing machinery that requires additional or updated control systems; or perhaps, processes you need innovative ways to automate, our talented team can create new concepts and model them, before bringing them to life.

We work with a network of trusted technology suppliers including; Rockwell Automation, Siemens, Eplan, Autodesk, SMC Pneumatics and Flexlink, that we couple with our extensive design skills and project management capabilities to ensure each project we deliver, exceeds our customers’ expectations.

Conveyor Systems:

ALS Mechatronic supply a complete line of conveyors to handle all your container conveying needs, including: industry standard stainless steel table-top, wash-down conveyors for filling room applications, rope, cable, slat top, belt, roller, eagle rope, mat-top chain and many others – all manufactured to meet and exceed local safety and regulatory requirements.

We’re also jointly responsible for the industry’s largest and most innovative Alpine conveyor, which has transformed Plains Dairy into one of the most high-tech, ultra-efficient dairies in the United States.

As the only economical, safe and hygienic method of enabling plastic containers to be moved hundreds of feet, conveyors are the main arteries of any production facility, of which they are not many we haven’t experience of. We can supply conveyors that support accumulation and surge (including vacuum assist to convey up inclines at higher speeds as well as stabilise top-heavy containers) during filling and/or packaging processes. Our use of cable drives with direct drive AC motors are always controlled with a variable speed drive to ensure ultimate flexibility, meaning whatever your conveying need, we’ll almost certainly have a solution to fit.

Control Systems:

Our vast control systems capabilities range from small single drive control boxes to large scale plant control / SCADA systems – we can even engineer to enable control and performance updates to your mobile device and enable even greater control and flexibility of your operations. For example, machinery can run start-up procedures ahead of staff being onsite.

ALS Mechatronic are Rockwell Automation specialists as well as having in-depth experience with Siemens and B&R (now part of ABB). All our control design is carried out using Eplan. We are equally happy control panel building against customers’ existing drawings and providing essential control system updates, ensuring further years of life from your existing machine assets, as we are designing brand new control systems.

Robotics:

ALS Mechatronic are a robotics integrator, with our preferred suppliers being ABB, Fanuc and Nachi but we are always willing to be guided by our customers’ preferences, working with other manufacturers such as Kawasaki.

We can provide a variety of innovative solutions from straight-forward rotary head trolley loaders, through to the additional use of vision technology to check part locations and part types for picking and assembly, as well as to accept and reject products during handling, stacking and loading processes.

As with all our machinery, health and safety conformity and regulatory guidelines is always at the forefront of what we do and as standard we include safety enclosures, standard operating procedures and emergency cut-offs, so you can be assured that your workforce remains safe.

Container Handling:

High-speed, end-of-line process and packaging automation is as crucial for container manufacturers as the blow moulding process. ALS Mechatronic design, manufacture and install rigid container handling systems suitable for high-volume production of most HDPE, PET and PP rigid container types, styles (bottles, jugs, vials) and sizes.

We are the experts in this field, supplying single machine solutions through to full turnkey, multi-site manufacturing automation systems world-wide, comprising:

• Automatic bagging machines
• Debagging machines
• Robotic cells for multi-product picking, placing, sorting, bottle de-flashing
• Conveyors
• Palletizers
• Stackers
• Pallet wrappers
• (Cardboard) Tray erectors
• Case erectors / Cardboard box erectors
• Case liners / Cardboard box liner machines
• Trolley loaders
• Vision inspection

All ALS machinery is built to globally recognised safety standards specifications using the latest technology from Rockwell Automation or Siemens depending on customer preference.

Bagging & Debagging Machinery:

ALS Mechatronic manufacture a large and varied range of fully automatic, semi-automatic and manual bagging and debagging machines.

On the fully automatic bagger, containers enter an accumulation area and are collated into rows automatically. While this is happening, a bag is made to a pre-set length, cut and sealed and placed on a pair of clamp plates in front of the accumulation area. When a full pack of containers has been accumulated, it is transferred into the open bag and then the open end is closed, creating a hygienically sealed pack. The bag of containers is then ejected out of the machine and can be automatically stacked by an optional 2 or 3-position pallet stacker, Trolley Loader or diverted onto a roller conveyor for transportation to a central loading area.

The Belt Accumulation Debagger is a high-speed method of introducing bagged bottles into your conveyor system. The Mat-top Conveyor will continuously introduce bottles to the filler while the operator is removing another bag. The optional “hot knife” cut off is available to open bags even more rapidly and so further increase your productivity.

On a Semi-automatic Debagger full bags of bottles are loaded on to the end of the machine via a Mat-top Conveyor and the operator cuts the tail end off the bag. The bag is then pulled off the bottles through two rollers. The bottles are then released from the bag removal area and are driven by the Mat-top Conveyor toward the bottle accelerator. The accelerator sweeps off a single row of bottles at a time on to an exit conveyor and then on to the filler.

Key features and benefits across our range:
• HDPE, PET and PP containers management
• Small footprint compared to industry standard
• Can be fully flexible to run multiple products with simple changeovers
• Fully compliant with latest safety standards
• Built using modern parts, readily available worldwide
• Highly intuitive fault finding displays, down to sensor level
• Built in web-cams and remote control-system-access
• Options to suit all budget and requirements – from high speed production through to support for low outputs

Stackers:

Whether the requirement is for straight forward 2 position pick and place or for a more sophisticated, robotic arm stacking system to enable greater flexibility and control; ALS can deliver the right solution to fit need and budget.

Stackers can add layer/slip sheets to each bag or just on certain levels depending on preference. These are often an important addition when packed containers are ultra-lightweight or when extra rigidity is required. A typical operating speed for a 3-position stacker is 3 bags per minute with no slip sheets and 1.5 bags per minute with slip sheets. Packs can be stacked to any height, up to 3 metres.

For easy transportation and/or storage, ALS have designed a novel, collapsible trolley system. We are happy to provide the full trolley design specifications free of charge to our customers, for production by their own local fabricators, who can invariably deliver this at the best possible price.

Overseas representation

North America +1 (806) 310-6593

We manufacture in the UK but we operate globally and have small companies through to large corporations as long-standing customers. Approximately 60% of our business is in North America and those customers will all confirm that geography does not affect our ability to deliver.

We have sales offices in Amarillo Texas and we work with a number of trusted integrators / self employed automation engineers in the USA, who are readily available to support start-up and commissioning if on the rare occasion we are unable to get staff across.

Our installed systems are covered in high resolution cameras and remote assistance can be provided by the original software / automation engineers remotely for fast issue resolution.

ALS Mechatronic is a member contractor of ISN - the global leader in contractor and supplier information management that our customers in the USA require us to subscribe to.

We regularly report/update our status’, via ISN’s platform, ISNetworld, which allows our US customers to continuously monitor our overall risk as a supplier to them and benchmark us.

There are no UK Rep descriptions registered for this organisation

Trade names

• ALS Controls
• ALS Automation Group