To meet the demands of customers wanting smaller, more efficient machines that also meet the sanitary and hygienic design requirements of the food packaging industry, Triangle Package Machinery Company required two solutions in one. The manufacturer of vertical form fill seal machines found that solution in IO-Link controls architecture and sensors from Balluff.

By using Balluff’s IP69K stainless steel IO-Link master device block that meets USDA/3A requirements, they were able to move some components out of the control box and onto their Compact Sanitary Bagger machine. The incorporation of IO-Link that also met sanitary and hygienic design requirements allowed them to significantly reduce the machine footprint, reduce cabling, reduce panel size, improve sanitary features, and enable ease of maintenance in their latest modular machine design.