Automation Control for

Vertical Form, Fill and Seal (VFFS) Machines

Advantages
Reduced Machine Footprint
Leverage embedded safety
systems to reduce overall
machine footprint
Reduce the number of controllers
to program, mount and wire with
embedded safety control
Lower costs, accelerate start up
and boost reliability with
On-Machine offerings that can
locate I/O blocks along with
combination servo drive and
motor on the machine
Improve Machine Flexibility
Reduce downtime with servo
and actuator solutions that will
allow product changeovers without
the need for mechanical changes
Accelerate Development
& Start Up Time
Lower machine development
time and enhance operation with
proven human machine interface
solutions (HMIs)
Access PDF files and video
files to improve machine operation
Mechatronics Tools
Use software tools to optimize
motor sizing and reduce energy
usage. Reduce energy usage with
actuator and direct drive solutions

Photo Courtesy of Triangle

Package Machinery Company

Overview
Vertical Form, Fill, and Seal (VFFS) machines are used in the consumer
products industry for a wide variety of packaging applications. Various
products like salt, tea, sugar, spices, snack foods, wafers, detergent and
candies are placed into formed pouches and then sealed. The pouch
material is flexible and typically heat-sealable plastic. Paper is also
used and sealed by glue.
Fully automatic VFFS machines require limited operator intervention.
The operator need only replenish product by loading supply hoppers or
changing packaging film drums. For machines that are semi-automatic,
operators are required to perform part of the packaging operation.
VFFS machines can be intermittent or continuous motion. Intermittent
motion machines operate on the principle that vertical bag seals are
made when the film is moving and horizontal seals occur when
the film stops.
Continuous motion machines operate on the principle that both
vertical and horizontal bag seals are made when the film is in motion.
These machines operate at the highest attainable speeds and require
a reciprocating sealing jaw motion format.

Challenges
To avoid film breakage in the Film Unwind Process,
it is important to allow easy material splice and film
roll replacement along with accurate film tension
control and good gripping control of film in different
operating environments.
Maintaining good film tension is also a concern as slippage
can occur when corrections are made at different speeds,
with different film and product sizes.
The Forming Tube Area, requires unique mechanical
designs for different machines, films and products being
sealed requiring adequate sealing for different materials
at different speeds and efficient energy use.
The Cross (Sealing) Jaw section, requires proper and
accurate sealing of different materials at different speeds
and different product sizes requiring application of the
proper force to seal the product without wasting energy.

Solution
There are several good solutions from
Rockwell Automation that can be used for VFFS machine
applications. Rockwell Automation offers OEMs a full
range of machine control solutions, from cost-effective
component to highly integrated systems. Each of
these easily implemented solutions help you speed
time to market.
Our CompactLogix programmable automation
controllers (PACs) use a common control engine with a
common development environment to provide midrange
application control in an easy-to-use environment. Tight
integration between the programming software, controller
and I/O modules reduces development time and cost at
commissioning and during normal operation. This
commonality provides cost-effective integration of a
machine application into a plant-wide control system
because it integrates motion, discrete and drive
capabilities in a single controller.
Kinetix EtherNet/IP servo drives deliver high
performance motion control on EtherNet/IP, the worlds
leading industrial Ethernet network. Leveraging a single
network, EtherNet/IP simplifies the integration of the
entire system including HMI, programmable automation
controller, I/O, and motion.

The Kinteix drives can simplify the network

architecture by eliminating the need for a separate motion
network and lowering the cost to deploy integrated
motion on low-axis machine.
For continuous motion machines, Rockwell Automation
Integrated Architecture with integrated motion is an
ideal choice. The Logix Control Platform is a powerful
system of control, networking, visualization, and
information technologies that help you lower your
Total Cost to Design, Develop, and DeliverSM machinery.
Unlike conventional control architectures, it provides
fully integrated, scalable solutions using a single control
platform and a single development environment. This
enables OEMs to efficiently re-use engineering designs to
reduce development time and cost and greatly enhance
business performance.
In addition, Rockwell Automation has developed a
modular VFFS machine code template based on
industry standards that helps reduce development
time and leverage best practices.
Rockwell Automation solutions deliver improved
production capabilities and reduced total cost of
ownership by providing unparalleled functionality,
flexibility and scalability. Machine builders can respond
more quickly to customer or market demands, reduce
maintenance costs and downtime and easily gain access to
actionable plant and production information for improved
management and decision-making.

Standard Machinery
For customers looking for a cost-effective machine solution with basic functionality

Desktop Workstation

Stratix 5700

11 12 13 14

7
15

10

11 12 13 14

15

A0

B0

A1

B1

Z0
Z1

2 FUSE

IN

2
10

AC/DC OUT

DC
INPUT

OUT

0
8

HIGH SPEED
COUNTER

24VDC
SOURCE

24VDC
SINK\
SOURCE

CompactLogix 5370 L2
DC
OUTPUT

PanelView Plus 6

OK

115 VAC

00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07

08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15

COM COM
0
1

OUT OUT
0
2
OUT OUT
1
3

NC NC

COM COM

+V +V

Com
IN2
Ref
IN1

EtherNet/IP

DANGER

00:00:BC:66:0F:C7

00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07

08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15

COM COM
0
1

RELAY

A0+ AoB0+ B0Z0+ Z0A1+ A1B1+ B1Z1+ Z1+V -V

V V
OUT OUT
0+ 0+
V V
OUT OUT
0+ 0+
V V
OUT OUT
0+ 0+
V V
OUT OUT
0+ 0+
V

COM OUT
0+
V

COM OUT
0+
V V
OUT OUT
0+ 0+
V V
OUT OUT
0+ 0+
I I
OUT OUT
0+ 0+

COM COM

Kinetix 5500
LINK 1

LINK 2

MOD

NET

0
2
6

2 8

8
6

1
2

2
6

14
13

12

11

5
6

10
9

8
PWR

Film Feed Integrated

Motion Encoder

PowerFlex 525

X10

Blower

ArmorBlock I/O
Cross Jaw 1

Cross Jaw 2

Product Auger Feeder

Film Pull Belt

Custom Machinery
Designed and built for a specific purpose with customer specified functionality, throughput and/or footprint constraint

Desktop Workstation

PanelView Plus 6

CompactLogix 5370 L3

Stratix 5700

AC/DC OUT

L33ERM
RUN

NS

FORCE

LINK 1

I/O

LINK 2

OK

SD

115 VAC

RELAY

RUN
REM
PROG

Com
IN2
Ref
IN1

EtherNet/IP
00:00:BC:66:0F:C7

AC/DC OUT

1 (Front)
2 (Rear)

115 VAC

RELAY

1769-AENTR
LINK 1

LINK 2

MOD

NET

0
2
6

PowerFlex 525

Kinetix 5500

2 8

8
6

1
2

2
6

14
13

12

11

5
6

10
9

8
PWR

X10

Conveyor
Film Feed Integrated ArmorBlock I/O
Motion Encoder

Blower
Cross Jaw 1

Cross Jaw 2

Product Auger Feeder

Film Pull Belt

Outfeed Smart Belt

Allen-Bradley CompactLogix,GuardLogix, Kinetix, PoweFlex, Stratix2000, PanelView, On-Machine , ArmourPoint, Integrated Architecture,
Total Cost to Design, Develop & Deliver are Trademarks of Rockwell Automation Inc.
Trademarks not belonging to Rockwell Automation are property of their respective companies.

Publication OEM-AP011C-EN-P January 2014

Supersedes Publication OEM-BP011A-EN-P October 2012

Copyright 2014 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA.