Hudson-Sharpe (formerly known as Amplas, Inc.), of Green Bay, WI, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of high technology film converting machinery. Established in 1979, Hudson-Sharpe has an international network of business agents and customers that literally stretches around the globe. Markets for Hudson-Sharpe built machinery have expanded over the years to include products such as retail merchandise bags, grocery carry out bags, heavy wall fertilizer bags, re-closable sandwich bags, and priority mail envelopes.

Of the several different machine families produced by Hudson-Sharpe, one of the more popular lines is the Hudson-Sharpe Sideweld bag making machine. Sideweld style machines typically fold a single layer of layflat film approximately in half prior to reaching the sealing section. Once at the sealing section, a heated knife cuts and seals the trailing sidewall of one bag while sealing the leading edge of the next bag. The original foldover forms the bottom of the bag and the top remains open for product insertion. Applications for this type of machine include re-closable food storage bags, lip-sealed sandwich bags, bubble pack shipping bags, handle-top disposable diaper bags, and priority mail envelopes.

Productivity and profitability form the bottom line in any manufacturing business. Film converting is not immune to this concept. In fact, much of the success Hudson-Sharpe enjoys matured from focusing on the number one profit enemy: downtime. The idea of increasing productivity through downtime reduction drove Hudson-Sharpe to design the following attributes into the 1400 sideweld machine:

• Quick and easy product set-up
• Built in durability and parts accessibility to minimize maintenance
• "On-the-Fly" mechanical adjustments and parameter settings to eliminate unnecessary machine shutdowns

Replacing many of the mechanical linkages in the drive train with AC Brushless Servomotors has proven to be one of the greatest maintenance reducing assets provided on Hudson-Sharpe machinery. While eliminating many of the moving parts and delivering far more torque to the drive train, servomotors also afforded increased machine speeds due to higher levels of accuracy and augmented durability.

The use of Servomotors presented new challenges to the Hudson-Sharpe electrical engineers. The necessity to synchronize the continuous sealing and cutting motion of the main machine with the intermittent film draw controlled by the servomotor, while still delivering satisfactory product at higher than normal speeds, was thought provoking to say the least. In addition to servo regulation and control, the CPU would also coordinate numerous analog and digital Input/Output signals, regulating various intermittent auxiliary machine attachments, with the continuous sealing action of the machine.

Hudson-Sharpe sought out and found the control they needed in Control Technology Corporation's Programmable Automation Controller. With plenty of extra headroom for future expansion, this control readily integrates and coordinates all the various types of Inputs/Outputs (e.g. photo sensors, pulsed outputs, tension feedback) with numerous servo drive axes at speeds required by Hudson-Sharpe. The Programmable Limit Switch (PLS) module is especially crucial to providing the synchronized operation that Hudson-Sharpe needs for high-speed reliable production. The Model 1400 Sideweld also incorporates a CTC HMI panel to provide dynamic operator interaction for centralized efficient parameter setup and machine operation.

Brian Woodke, Electrical Engineer Supervisor, programs the units himself with Quickstep™, CTC's State Language. A Quickstep user for about eight years, Brian learned the Quickstep programming language quickly. "I have not yet found an impossible application with CTC controls," he reports. When challenges arise, Brian has been very pleased with the support offered by CTC. "I call CTC and they always come through," says Brian. In the field, Hudson-Sharpe has found CTC equipment flexible and easy to work with: Brian continues, "Each system built is unique, and we thoroughly test them before shipping to the customer. Nevertheless, when customers request changes after installation, it's easy to email the new files to the on site service rep, who can quickly download them into the control." The CTC controller provides a Total Control System while remaining surprisingly cost-effective for the high tech Hudson-Sharpe plastic converting equipment: CTC satisfies all data processing for motion control, logic, and speed regulation in a single, modular package that enables Hudson-Sharpe to purchase only the necessary features.

In addition to the Sideweld family, CTC controls are used on many other lines of Hudson-Sharpe bag making machinery. One advantage that Brian likes is the compatibility of the different CTC automation controllers. Brian plans to enhance the already famous Hudson-Sharpe' service support by incorporating modem technology in the near future. This will enable Hudson-Sharpe engineers to connect to machine diagnostics and other information via remote connection for faster resolution of customer issues.