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L’Assemblaggio talks about Zetapunto.
Assembly and Mechatronics Solutions is the leading Italian technical magazine specializing in automation, assembly, and industrial handling. In an article by Rossana Pasian, she discussed Zetapunto at length and its collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric, which for years has made high-value-added projects for the cosmetics industry possible.
The article focuses on Bellerofonte, a machine developed by Zetapunto for packaging makeup pads—a sector that is driving the growth of the Vimodro-based company. To build it, Zetapunto developed proprietary software based on Mitsubishi Electric technology .
Bellerofonte is a type of system designed for packaging pods and cosmetic pouches, fully customizable to the user’s needs. “Mitsubishi Electric supplies us with almost all of the machine’s components,” explains Filippo Zechini. “Currently, this machine uses SCARA robots; previously, we installed Delta-type robots, but over the years, SCARA robots have become the ideal solution: in fact, they offer the same performance in terms of speed, but with greater mechanical precision and very little need for maintenance; furthermore, since they do not need to be ceiling-mounted like Delta robots, they do not require a sturdy and expensive structure.”
This machine uses a vision system to handle and position the cosmetic pods inside the makeup cases; it is equipped with an RH-CRH series SCARA robot, an FR-E800 inverter, and an FX5U PLC with a GS2107 operator panel from Mitsubishi Electric.
Capable of processing 2,000 pieces per hour, it picks up the products and places them into the cosmetic cases arriving via a conveyor belt, thanks to the tracking function integrated as standard within the robot controller. The system also incorporates two vision sensors that verify, prior to placement, the correct dispensing and distribution of adhesive and, downstream, perform a quality check to ensure the presence and correct positioning of the wafer. If the camera detects any discrepancies during the final inspection, the cosmetic case is automatically rejected. At the final station, another automated system seals the cosmetic case.
The system can be customized to meet specific needs: for example, with different types of end-effectors to choose from. One of these, equipped with a vacuum system featuring a cloth that does not mark the wafer, allows for the processing of kits with oriented and multicolored wafers, as there is no need to clean the end-effector, thereby eliminating the risk of mixing different colors.
To learn more about Bellerofonte ’s capabilities and Zetapunto’s partnership with Mitsubishi Electric, read the full article.
