Infinity expands product line to offer warehouse automation solutions
Throughout its 20-year history, Infinity Machine & Engineering Corp. has been a company committed to innovation, fine-tuning the design of automated tissue packaging machinery to best suit the needs of their customers. In its 20th year of operation, Infinity is embarking on another bold path, this time into warehouse automation.
Infinity’s line of warehouse automation solutions features a palletizer, a pallet conveyor, and seven different models of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). Combined with Infinity’s comprehensive line of tissue packaging solutions, Infinity customers can have every process after the log saw completed by integrated machinery from a single supplier.
The AGVs offered by Infinity can perform a range of warehouse operations, across a variety of industries. Infinity’s fleet includes a small, AMR-style AGV, four fork truck models, including an outrigger model with a small turning radius, a narrow-bodied model that can easily maneuver throughout a warehouse, a single double vehicle that can transport two pallet stacks at once, and a forklift designed specifically for Over the Road (OTR) trailer loading and unloading. Infinity also offers two AGVs designed for raw material transport, a cradle-style vehicle, capable of omnidirectional travel, and also a counterbalanced clamp vehicle.
Infinity pallet conveyor systems boast a wide range of conveyor sections that ensure that the pallet sorting process is streamlined. Each line of conveyor can be customized to the unique requirements of the customer’s operations. These conveyor sections include pallet squaring units, pallet destacking/restacking units, pop-up transfers, and pallet rotating conveyor.
Similar to the Infinity pallet conveyor, Infinity palletizers are made up of modular sections that can be arranged into countless layouts. The flexibility created by Infinity palletizers makes them perfect for a multitude of product lines, from single products to large-scale, multi-line operations. Infinity palletizers offer fully servo, fully automatic stretch wrapping, slip sheet placement, and an integrated labeler.
Infinity Releases Wrapper for Wide Diameter Rolls
International leader in automated tissue packaging machinery, Infinity Machine & Engineering Corp. has released the new VGXL multipack wrapper, a machine capable of producing multi-roll packs as wide as 720mm.
Based on the robust design of Infinity’s VISION G3 multipack wrapper, the VGXL shares attributes that have made the VISION G3 famous, like top and bottom infeed belts, and an accessible design that allows for simplified maintenance.
The VGXL is the result of Infinity recognizing consumer preferences shifting towards purchasing larger, wide-format rolls. As consumer trends continue to evolve, tissue packaging machinery must adapt to enable consistent, high-quality packaging of these wider rolls. The VGXL is the perfect machine to serve this growing sector of the market.
South Korean Tissue Manufacturer Increases Investment in Infinity Machinery
MSS Holdings of South Korea has purchased its third packaging line from international leader in automated tissue packaging machinery, Infinity Machine and Engineering Corp.
This most recent investment in Infinity equipment by MSS Holdings is the company’s second Infinity packaging line purchased for their brand Monalisa.
Infinity will be providing an EPXL poly bundler, VISION G3 multipack wrapper, and conveyor system for the project.
The EPXL poly bundler features a wide frame that allows the machine to create wide format packs, which are common in the South Korean market. Additionally, the EPXL also boasts an integrated diverter and flight bar for simplified product collation, and an automatic poly pull out cart for safe and convenient poly loading.
MSS Holdings selected the VISION G3 multipack wrapper for their new packaging line as Infinity’s most advanced wrapper. The VISION G3 Infinity will be supplying to MSS Holdings will feature an external handle applicator, giving MSS holdings the ability to differentiate their product with increased consumer convenience.
Infinity has steadily increased its influence in the Asian tissue market as Infinity packaging machinery is operated across South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Infinity releases R10SW Palletizer
It is no secret that in recent decades manufacturers have pivoted toward automating the production process at a rapid pace. And as the cost of labor has steadily increased, there is no indication this shift toward automation will slow down anytime soon.
Tissue converters have been especially proactive in implementing automation into their production process as nearly every step of the converting process can and has been automated.
In 2004, Infinity Machine & Engineering Corp. was founded in response to the surge in automated tissue converting lines and has led the charge in automating the tissue packaging process ever since.
Already boasting the most comprehensive roster of automated packaging machinery in the industry, Infinity is further expanding their roster of automated machinery to cover the end of the production line with the R10SW palletizer.
Responding to consumer demand, the R10SW palletizer can be integrated with Infinity packaging lines, enabling Infinity machinery to automate every step of the tissue production process after the log saw.
A key aspect of the R10SW palletizer is its modularity. The R10SW is made up of modular palletizer sections that can be arranged into countless different layouts to accommodate production requirements, as well as facility limitations. The flexibility created by these palletizer sections makes it perfect for a multitude of product lines, from single products to large-scale, multi-line operations.
The palletizer segments offered by Infinity include automatic slip sheet placement, integrated labeling, and fully automatic, fully servo stretch wrapping. All are designed to provide extreme efficiency and versatility in a minimal amount of space.
The R10SW palletizer comes equipped with an articulated robot arm from FANUC, one of the world’s largest industrial robot manufacturers. The R10SW’s FANUC articulated robot arm is capable of quick cycle times and robust performance. The development of the R10SW palletizer has led to Infinity being an official “FANUC Authorized System Integrator”.
Extreme versatility is built into the design of the R10SW, either vacuum or servo gripper end effectors can be equipped on the palletizer, allowing for high-speed stacking capabilities on a wide range of products, including cases, bundles, and DRP.
The versatility of the R10SW is complemented by robust performance as the palletizer has a full unit load total height of 110 inches.
Infinity engineers prioritized operator convenience and safety in the design of the R10SW, resulting in a machine that is as safe as it is accessible. The palletizer features multiple safety zones, separated by access gates, allowing for safe up-close monitoring of production. Access to hard-to-reach areas of the machine has also been improved.
As tissue converters throughout the world continue to embrace automation, flexibility is as essential in the production’s end-of-line as it is in the converting and packaging process. The R10SW brings Infinity’s signature innovative engineering and robust build quality to the world of palletizing solutions, making the production end-of-line safer, smarter, and as flexible as the rest of your line.
Infinity Machine & Engineering Corp. to exhibit at Tissue World 2024
From January 31st to February 2nd, Infinity Machine & Engineering Corp. will return to the Miami Beach Convention Center to exhibit at Tissue World 2024.
The previous show, Tissue World 2023, took place in Dusseldorf and brought together tissue industry professionals across Europe. This year’s exhibition promises to draw representatives across the North American, Latin American, and South American tissue markets.
At this year’s exhibition, Infinity will officially launch their line of palletizing solutions, expanding the Infinity product line beyond primary and secondary tissue packaging.
Responding to consumer demand, Infinity palletizing solutions can be integrated with Infinity packaging lines, enabling Infinity machinery to automate every step of the tissue production process after the log saw.
A key aspect of Infinity’s palletizing solutions is their modularity. The unit is made up of modular palletizer sections that can be arranged into countless different layouts in order to accommodate production requirements, as well as facility limitations. The flexibility created by these palletizer sections make it perfect for a multitude of product lines, from single product, to large-scale, multi-line operations.
The palletizer segments offered by Infinity include automatic slip sheet placement, integrated labeling, and fully automatic, fully servo stretch wrapping. All designed to provide extreme efficiency and versatility in a minimal amount of space.
To learn more about the palletizing solutions offered by Infinity, as well as new developments among its existing roster of machinery, stop by the Infinity booth located at space B30.
Infinity Machine 20th Anniversary
In 2004, Scott Santaga, Jeffery Cogswell Thomas Wegner and Douglas Wegner founded Infinity Machine & Engineering Corp. with a simple guiding principle, to serve the customer. While a lot about Infinity has changed since 2004, the commitment to serve the customer never has.
Since the beginning, Infinity has been defined by the entrepreneurial spirit of its founders. What began as a company that operated out of a 9X15 square meter facility has grown to be the premier name in automated tissue packaging.
Originally, Infinity was founded as a company that would design and build poly bundlers, however plans changed when Infinity’s first order was for a casepacker. Infinity’s founders adapted to the needs of the customer and designed a casepacker that was flexible and operator friendly. The first Infinity casepacker is still in operation today, a testament to its design and build quality.
Throughout its 20-year history, Infinity has continuously pushed the boundaries of what tissue packaging machinery can be capable of. Debuting in 2005, Infinity’s signature Infusion modular system utilizes interchangeable packaging modules and a fixed, common infeed unit. This revolutionary design allows for casepacking, bundling and bagging to occur all in one place, providing unmatched flexibility for converting lines. The Infusion modular system has become a global success with systems installed across North America, Europe, and Asia.
In 2010 Infinity added the talents of Italian technical specialist and sales staff with the creation of Infinity Italia. With the addition, American and Italian engineers combined their expertise to develop Infinity’s first poly wrappers. Among these wrappers was the Solo 250, a single roll wrapper capable of running production speeds of 250 rolls a minute. Since expanding the product line, nearly 200 poly wrappers have been installed, making them an iconic part of Infinity’s product mix.
Infinity has not been limited to innovations in machinery, the company also responded to their customer’s desire for more environmentally conscious packaging solutions. In 2020 Infinity partnered with Little Rapids Corp. to develop and test Ecova, a 100% plastic-free paper overwrap made from recycled materials. Since the debut of Ecova, Infinity has continued to prioritize sustainability with continual investment in ecologically focused research and development.
With machinery installed in over 20 countries, across every continent except Antarctica, infinity has established itself as the international industry leader in automated tissue packaging machinery. From France to South Korea, Infinity customers know that Infinity provides quality machinery and unparalleled customer service.
To accommodate the company’s rapid growth, Infinity’s headquarters has been expanded twice since it opened in 2008. The most recent expansion, which took place in 2020, increased the size of the facility to 16,000 square meters. Infinity has also increased its staff to over 200 employees between its Italian and American operations, nearly doubling in size from the total five years ago. However, the success of Infinity cannot solely be measured in facility expansions, or employee growth, it is also measured in the pride Infinity employees have in building the best tissue packaging machinery on the planet.
Infinity has undergone a multitude of changes throughout its 20-year history. However, through multiple expansions to its roster of machinery, continuous increases in international sales, and breakthroughs in ecological packaging, one thing has remained constant, Infinity’s commitment to serve its customers.
Serbian Tissue Manufacturer Invest in Infinity Machinery
Drenik ND d.o.o. a Serbian manufacturer of hygienic paper products and one of the largest cellulose manufacturers in Southeast Europe, has purchased six machines from Infinity Machine & Engineering Corp. The sale was completed in collaboration with Impex Continental.
To keep up with their increased production demands and maintain their strict quality standards, Drenik selected Infinity’s most recent machine releases, the VISION G3 multipack wrapper and the Optic M1 poly bundler. The two VISION G3s and four Optic M1s will be installed at Drenik’s facility in Belgrade, Serbia. These machines will continue the trend of Infinity’s recent rapid growth in Europe. In the last six years, Infinity has more than quadrupled its machine presence in Europe, supplying nine European countries with automated tissue packaging machinery.
Infinity’s VISION G3 multipack wrapper boasts an array of new innovative features. A patent pending telescoping poly unwind enables faster production speeds while improving pack quality. The Vision G3 can also produce poly wrapped, paper wrapped, paper tucked and facial tissue packs, providing Drenik with unparallel packaging versatility.
The Optic M1 poly bundler is a perfect fit for Drenik’s line as it is designed to produce large format bundles, common in the European market. The unique interchangeable upender and flight bar units on the Optic also appealed to Drenik as they allow for the creation of both “core up” and “core down” pack configurations.
When looking for the right partner for their largest investment of the year, Drenik was drawn to Infinity in large part due to their shared enthusiasm for success and innovation. Founded in 1995, Drenik started as a company that solely manufactured diapers and sanitary pads, however, the company soon expanded into bathroom tissue and household towel rolls. Today, Drenik produces over 100,000 tons of tissue a year and employs over 800 people between its facilities in Serbia and Hungary.
Throughout Drenik’s growth, they have been a company driven by sustainable practices, this drive goes hand in hand with Infinity’s expansive sustainability initiatives. The Optic M1 and VISION G3 can be equipped with IE3 and IE4 rated motors, which operate at a higher efficiency while using less power. The VISION G3 can also wrap rolls in paper, reducing plastic consumption and promoting more ecological packaging.
Drenik’s investment in Infinity machinery ensures that they will have the flexibility to meet any possible market need, while promoting sustainable practices.
Infinity Debuts New Pivoting Servo Merge Diverter
Infinity Machine & Engineering Corp. is proud to release the newest addition to its line of servo diverters, the Pivoting Servo Merge.
Specifically designed for facial tissue converting lines, the PSM diverter merges two layers of product into one layer, or one layer of product into two, ensuring a balanced, precise output for production.
The PSM features fully automatic guardrails, ensuring changeovers between flat tissue packs and cube tissue packs are simple and quick.
Another aspect of the PSM that puts customer convenience at the forefront is the machine’s ability to operate with its own individual PLC, or to be integrated with an existing PLC. Whatever a converting line requires, the PSM can be incorporated with ease.
Infinity’s newest diverter also features electronic gearing, allowing the operator to have complete control over the gap size between packs, and in turn, control over product orientation. With the PSM, product is merged, distributed, and controlled all in one compact space.
The PSM diverter from Infinity is the perfect distributor to make facial tissue lines faster, smarter, and more versatile.
Infinity’s Optic M1 poly bundler offers unmatched versatility and unmatched performance.
Since our inception in 2003, Infinity Machine and Engineering Corp. has been committed to reshaping the Tissue packaging industry. With a focus on superior build quality, and devoted customer service, Infinity has become a trusted name in packaging machinery throughout the world. We have been privileged to install our machinery in over 20 countries across every continent except Antarctica. With our eye on the global community we serve, Infinity is proud to announce the release of our Optic M1 Bundler, designed from the ground up with the needs of the international market in mind.
The Optic M1 Bundler can produce a wide range of bundle configurations and reach speeds of over 20 bundles per minute, giving it the versatility and speed to disrupt the tissue bundler market. Other key advantages of the Optic M1 are its small footprint, robust steel frame, auto splice poly unwind, active vacuum lance, quick change knife and modular capability.
At the Infeed of the machine, the Optic M1 features an integrated two-stage choke belt diverter, with hand wheel adjustment for pack width. The Optic also features the same Infeed as our Infinity casepackers, creating the added benefit of common parts and common machine knowledge for maintenance technicians. Also, the only wear part on the infeed of the machine are the infeed belts, further reducing machine maintenance.
The Optic M1 features Flight Bars that are synchronized with the indexer, enabling maximum take over speed. The additional flight bar on the Optic M1 is the perfect tool for stacked, “core up” roll configurations. However, to allow for maximum versatility, the second flight bar can be removed and an upender can be swapped in. The upender enables the machine to bundle rolls stacked on ends, so that the Optic M1 can bundle a vast array of configurations between the two roll stack orientations. Furthermore, both the second flight bar and the upender units are on casters allowing for quick and easy swaps between the two.
The Unwind of the Optic M1 is servo driven to ensure easy poly position adjustment. Poly can also be wound from the front or back of the reel, simplifying the loading process. A Poly pullout cart is also featured on the Optic M1, simplifying the process of poly loading and unloading.
A ubiquitous feature on Infinity bundlers is our standard vacuum lance. On the seal jaw of the bundler, the vacuum lance sucks out excess air from the bundle, creating crisp, tight bundles every time. The Seal Jaw also offers a quick-change knife and seal jaw replacement, reducing machine down time.
Infinity engineers have prioritized reducing the time and cost of machine maintenance in the design of the Optic M1, resulting in a machine with very few wear parts and many automatic adjustment features. The only manual lubrication axes are the top/bottom seal jaw, cassette width adjustment and the cassette raise/lower, all bearing are lubed for life. The only wear parts of the machine are the indexer belts, Cassette/Flight bar timing belts and seal wire. The Optic M1 also features only one valve bank with ethernet feedback, and only three manual adjustments. Most adjustments on the Optic are done automatically by utilizing adjustment motors. Celling height, exit guides and cassette backstop are all adjusted automatically.
A defining feature of the Optic M1, that truly sets it apart from other bundlers on the market is its modular capability. Since 2005, Infinity has manufactured bundlers with its industry original Infusion modular system. Designed to overcome the limitations of fixed linear machines, the Infusion modular system allows for different machine units, such as a bundler, bagger or casepacker to be attached to a common infeed module via fixed docking stations. This process can be completed in a half hour and gives our customers the ability to reduce their capital investment and more efficiently utilize floor space.
Accessibility was at the forefront of our engineer’s minds while designing the Optic M1. The pusher on the machine is on a vertical adjustment, which keeps the working height of the machine low, while also increasing the number of pack configurations the machine is capable of. The vertical adjustment also allows for a simplified change to a casepacker module if desired. The modules on the machine feature a French door design, which increases ease of access to machine components. And the discharge of the Optic M1 features a tip down exit gate, improving worker mobility around the machine.
Featuring a more accessible design, versatile performance, and Infinity’s signature robust steel framing, the optic M1 poly bundler is our most advanced poly bundler yet. Look no further because the future of packaging is staring you in the face.
Infinity Servo Diverters Enable Ultimate Line Optimization
As the tissue-converting industry continues to experience increased growth, flexibility is no longer a goal of converting lines, it is a necessity.
Converters need to offer lines with optimized speed and diverse products to keep up with consumer preferences and demand. Infinity’s line of servo diverters meets and surpasses this need for flexibility.
All four models of Infinity servo diverter can act as the central brain of a converting line, efficiently balancing incoming product to the required downstream machinery while ensuring a steady, even flow of product.
Infinity diverters also help reduce the need for excess conveyors and additional floor space by utilizing precise, variable control. The diverter’s ability to merge, distribute and control makes them the smartest, most flexible diverters on the market.
Each of Infinity’s diverters can accommodate unique needs for different converting lines. The Telescopic Servo Merge diverter, or TSM, is specifically designed to balance converting lines from four lanes to three or two lanes.
The Quick Switch diverter is similar to the infeed indexers that appear on most of Infinity’s casepackers and bundlers. It is offered as a one, two, or three-arm diverter that usually takes packs or roll products and distributes them to the necessary lanes.
Infinity designed its Single Roll Laner diverter to be the perfect fit for lines with a multipack wrapper and single roll wrappers. The SRL diverter sets the industry standard for diverters that distribute four lanes to five, six, or even seven lanes.
Featuring a unique servo-controlled pivoting system, Infinity’s C2L diverter is a great fit for lines with dual packaging legs and one log saw. The C2L diverter can take four lanes and distribute to two layers of four-lane conveyor.
Some additional key features that make Infinity diverters the best on the market are a discharge lane selection on the HMI as well as a toolless changeover.
With four unique models of diverter, Infinity Machine & Engineering can provide the perfect solution to make your line faster, smarter, and more flexible.
