Pack Expo hits Las Vegas in September

year, so Pack Expo hits Vegas. Sponsored and produced by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), Pack Expo Las Vegas, which alternates years with the larger Chicago-based Pack Expo International, will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, September 26-28.

Event sponsors say more than 1,200 companies will be exhibiting, and predict attendance at more than 19,000 purchasing decision-makers from more than 60 countries.

The Conference Program plans a broad range of presentations, most of which will in some way, shape or form impact the design and performance of tomorrow’s packaging machinery. Topics include RFID technology, the latest FDA packaging regulation initiatives under the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act, and trends in food cans, closures, meat and poultry trays, and glass packaging.

The table identifies key sessions that seem worthy of consideration by attending machine builders and system integrators.

Five on the Floor
The exhibit hall is organized into five pavilions. The new Contract Packaging pavilion recognizes the prominence of contract packaging services in today’s partnering-centric marketplace.  

The Packaging Security Pavilion debuts with a focus on packaging initiatives and technologies to guard against bioterrorism, package tampering, counterfeiting and product adulteration.

Sooner or later, machine builders will find themselves supplying RFID systems, just the way they now provide bar code scanning and vision system capabilities on their machines. The RFID Pavilion’s focus will be on technologies that can help packaging professionals upgrade conventional lines into RFID-enabled packaging lines capable of applying multi-pack, case and pallet tags online.

The Showcase of Packaging Innovations might introduce you to the next generation of packages your machines will be handling. The showcase features 75 award-winning packaging innovations.

The Containers & Materials Pavilion encloses you in materials, containers and converting machinery innovations. Sponsors say you’ll see the latest in paperboard, glass, metal, plastic, flexible packaging and package producing equipment.

The Food Processing Machinery Expo will co-locate with Pack Expo. Exhibitors will spotlight equipment in the fruit and vegetable, beverage, canning/freezing, environmental, instrumentation, prepared foods, can-making, meat, dairy and snack food industries.


IT'S AN ODD

• What is this Obsession with Speed? Slow Down and Improve Your Performance
  ATS Automation Tooling Systems describes the basics of dynamic simulation and total cost of ownership models for analyzing equipment-related process optimization.
• Troubleshooting Molson-Coors' Packaging Equipment
  Molson-Coors Brewing Co. and Monitoring Technology Corp. discuss the tech advances that led to the development of today’s new generation of high-speed machine vision cameras.
• Robotic Packaging Automation Opportunities
  GSMA division of SWF compares system reliability and benefits between robotics and traditional packaging systems.

Tuesday, Sept. 27

• RFID and the Future of Packaging
  RFID Journal covers the current and future factors that will drive RFID adoption over the next few years.
• Maximizing Performance on Your Existing Line
  Garvey Corp. presents tools to analyze the current performance of packaging lines and change variables to simulate the effect of the change.
• Engineer Flexibility Into Your Packaging Operations
  Foster-Miller Inc. presents a strategy to maximize production line efficiency and incorporate flexibility into packaging systems.
• Using Robots to Improve Your Pharmaceutical Packaging Line Flexibility
  AutoPak Engineering, Motoman, and Baxter Healthcare tout the advantages robotic automation brings to production.

Wednesday, Sept. 28

• Using System Improvement Techniques to Increase Your Packaging Throughput
  ockwood Greene Engineering examines methods and techniques to increase the throughputs of packaging lines.
• Utilizing OEE to Maximize Packaging Line Productivity
  Parsec Automation shows how manufacturers of packaging equipment can leverage their existing automation infrastructure and real-time data-collection tools with web-based delivery of critical manufacturing information related to downtime and efficiency.
• Valuing Ergonomic Packaging Machine Design
  Radius Product Development Inc. and SCA Packaging argue that ergonomics provides significant benefits to employers that re-evaluate machine designs and packaging workcell configurations.
• Maxed Out on Productivity? Take Operational Efficiencies to the Next Level With Make2Pack
  Elau, Procter & Gamble, Markem, and Douglas Machines present Make2Pack solutions that will help engineering leaders contribute to their companies’ bottom lines.
• Servo Motion Control: The Heart and Soul of Packaging
  Parker Hannifin explores technology trends and industry needs, including servo controls, standardization, and the Internet.
• Real-Time Ethernet: Assuring Accurate, Efficient and Timely Packaging Operations Data Transfer
  B&R Industrial Automation discusses real-time Ethernet and its deployment in a 19-axis packaging machine.
• Calculating and Cutting Changeover's High Cost
  Changeover.com examines the high costs of changeover and their sources.