Thermoforming Courses

Advanced MULTIVAC Thermoformers

Who should attend?

This course is designed for experienced maintenance technicians, plant engineers, and supervisors responsible for maintaining MULTIVAC thermoformers. Completion of the Fundamentals course is highly recommended before enrolling in the Advanced course.

Benefits
Participants will receive comprehensive training on the electrical, pneumatic, and vacuum systems of MULTIVAC thermoformers. The course emphasizes understanding machine processes and their connection to technical drawings. By mastering diagnostic tools and troubleshooting techniques, students will enhance machine reliability and performance. They will also learn best practices for maintenance, helping to reduce downtime and improve overall efficiency.

Additional Content

• Tracing electronic safety circuit
• Tracing power supply
• Pneumatics and electronics for die lifting/advance
• Relating machine sequence to machine schematics
• Troubleshooting pneumatics and electronics

Preventive Maintenance for MULTIVAC Thermoformers

Who should attend?

This course is ideal for maintenance technicians and supervisors responsible for the upkeep of MULTIVAC thermoformers.

Benefits
Participants will gain the skills and knowledge needed to perform safe and effective machine maintenance. The course covers recommended maintenance tasks and schedules to ensure optimal machine reliability and performance. By applying these best practices, students will help reduce machine downtime, contributing to increased operational efficiency.

Course Content

• Pneumatic systems maintenance
• Cooling water system maintenance
• Machine safety
• Maintenance of the film unwind systems
• Maintenance of fi lm transport systems
• Maintenance of die lift systems
• Vacuum system maintenance
• Forming and sealing die maintenance

Vacuum and Safety Systems Troubleshooting for MULTIVAC thermoformers

Who should attend?

This course is designed for experienced maintenance technicians, plant engineers, and supervisors responsible for maintaining MULTIVAC thermoformers. Participants must have completed the Advanced MULTIVAC thermoformers course within the past three years or obtain approval from the Training Manager.

Benefits

Participants will gain in-depth knowledge of troubleshooting procedures for the vacuum and safety systems used in MULTIVAC thermoformers. The course focuses on understanding the key components of these systems, how they interact, and best practices for isolating and resolving issues. Students will learn to interpret technical drawings, improving their ability to diagnose system faults. By mastering these diagnostic tools and techniques, participants will be equipped to enhance machine reliability and performance, conduct effective maintenance, and ultimately reduce downtime.

MULTIVAC Certified Technician Program for Thermoformers

Join our industry-leading thermoform packaging course, previously exclusive to MULTIVAC Field Service Technicians, now available to equip your technicians with the expertise needed to diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair MULTIVAC thermoform packaging equipment. This comprehensive program is designed to minimize downtime by providing a deep understanding and hands-on training with our machines.

Program Overview

This five-week intensive program takes place at our newly renovated, state-of-the-art MULTIVAC Group Training Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Tailored for preventive maintenance, electro-mechanical, and troubleshooting technicians, the Certified Technician Program combines hands-on learning with rigorous knowledge and skills testing. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a MULTIVAC Group endorsement certification, verifying that they have met all program requirements.

Certification Requirements

To achieve certification, participants must:

• Complete the full course syllabus within one calendar year.
• Demonstrate proficiency in weekly knowledge and skills assessments.
• Exhibit effective hands-on skills, diagnostics, and troubleshooting during the final week of testing.

Please note: Attendees are required to bring a Windows-based laptop for use throughout the program. MULTIVAC Group will provide all necessary software.

Course Schedule

• Monday 1:00pm – 4:30pm
• Tuesday 8:30am – 4:30pm
• Wednesday 8:30am – 4:30pm
• Thursday 8:30am – 4:30pm
• Friday 8:30am – 12:00pm

Week 1: Components and Vacuum

Focus on the pneumatic and electrical components in MULTIVAC thermoform packaging machines, including vacuum theory and processes.

Topics Covered:

• Identification and understanding of pneumatic components and diagrams.
• Processes of forming and sealing, pneumatics, and electrical components.
• Navigation and comprehension of MULTIVAC electrical diagrams.
• Vacuum theory, gas pressure, and pressure units, including their application in thermoforming.

Vacuum

• Understanding vacuum theory
• Vacuum and the connection with distance
• Biometric formula
• Gas pressure
• Negative pressure
• Common pressure units
• Characterization of vacuum ranges
• Areas of application

Week 2: Advanced Thermoformers

Delve deeper into the electrical, pneumatic, and vacuum systems, emphasizing proactive maintenance.

Topics Covered:

• Machine reliability, performance, and safety through regular maintenance.
• Diagnostic tools, troubleshooting tips, and the role of technical drawings.
• Maintenance of critical systems: film transport, die lift, cutting systems, and more.

Machine Maintenance

• Machine safety and circuit
• Pneumatic system maintenance
• Cooling water system maintenance
• Film unwind system maintenance
• Film transport system maintenance
• Die lift system maintenance
• Vacuum system maintenance
• Forming and sealing die maintenance

Week 3: Motors and Drives

Advanced diagnostic techniques for VFDs, feedback devices, and servo motor systems.

Topics Covered:

• Fundamentals of volts, amps, ohms, watts, and magnetism.
• DC and AC motors, including wiring, motor starters, and applications.
• Stepper and servo motors, drives, and feedback devices.
• VFD wiring, parameter management, and fault diagnostics.

Course Content

• Understanding volts, amps, ohms, and watts
• Introduction to magnetism
• Building a D.C. motor, understanding back EMF, torque characteristics, and applications
• Brushless D.C. motors and Hall Effect transducers
• A.C. 3 phase motors, wiring Delta vs. Wye, motor starters, and how they work
• A.C. since phase motors, introduction motors, and capacitors
• Stepper motors, stepper drives, and micro stepping
• Servo motors and drives
• Feedback devices – Optical shaft encoders and resolvers
• Inside VFD
• Overview of varistors
• How MULTIVAC VFDs are wired to the machines
• Running major motors and drives, A.K.D, Kollmorgan, and Servostar
• Downloading and uploading parameters to drives
• Fault diagnostics with internal scope of software

Week 4: MULTIVAC Control Systems

Comprehensive training on control PLC and hardware diagnostic tools.

Topics Covered:

• Overview and maintenance of IPC machine control systems.
• Network technology, remote control, and software updates.
• EtherCAT system structure, bus topologies, and troubleshooting.

Week 5: Troubleshooting

Implement a 5-step troubleshooting method on a live MULTIVAC machine.

Topics Covered:

• Fault finding in IPC0X systems.
• Troubleshooting safety systems, forming and sealing systems, and vacuum leaks.
• Final assessment and certification.

Course Content

• Fault finding in an IPC0X system
• Troubleshooting faults in the safety system, including TwinSAFE
• Troubleshooting faults in the forming and sealing systems
• Troubleshooting vacuum leaks
• Final test and graduation/certification