Consumer goods industries pick a winner in packing technology

Citation

(2001), "Consumer goods industries pick a winner in packing technology", Industrial Robot, Vol. 28 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2001.04928eaf.001

Consumer goods industries pick a winner in packing technology

Consumer goods industries pick a winner in packing technology

Keywords: ABB Automation, Robots, Packaging

ABB Automation has launched a fully sealed "wash-down" version of its IRB340 FlexPicker™ robot (Plate 1).

The IRB 340SA "wash-down" is especially for use in packaging applications with open food, such as meat, dairy products and ready-made meals, and purpose-designed for easy cleaning using detergent and water at low pressure. Features include an IP67 enclosure with fully sealed components, 1kg payload, special paint finish, corrosion-resistant material, and a specially designed axis four with slide bearings.

Plate 1 IRB350 FlexPicker™ robot

Said to provide maximum competitive advantage to the customer, the IRB 340 FlexPicker is described as an ideal solution for applications where objects need to be moved quickly and precisely, one at a time, from one location to another.

The IRB 340 can reportedly handle up to 150 picks per minute, a performance (speed 10m/s-acceleration 100m/s2) made possible by the manipulator's light, stiff parallel arm structure and motion control by its dedicated controller, the S$4C.

The S4Cplus controller is an integral part of the FlexPicker, its TrueMove and QuickMove functions said to ensure the highest speed and path-following accuracy.

The FlexPicker is guided by Pickmastertm, a PC application software which integrates the S4Cplus controller, IRB 340 robot, conveyor tracking and vision recognition into a pre-engineered solution.

In 1999, a famous cheese maker became the owner of the world's first FlexPickers. Used for packing its cheeses and other dairy produce, the FlexPicker complements two IRB 140 robots and an IRB 640 FlexPalletizer operating in other departments.

The company's Chief Executive says: "We have invested in automation for ergonomic reasons. During the night, the temperature of our dairy drops to only 3°C, which rises to 5°C during the working day. There is therefore good reason to invest in robots that work non-stop in low temperatures and at the same time release staff from other duties. This makes us more efficient and improves' quality."

The FlexPicker's vision system identifies individual products as they progress along the conveyor belt, determining both position and direction. The robot adapts to the speed of the conveyor belt and lifts the product to the next position. The products, usually blocks of the company's famous cheeses weighing up to 1kg, are transferred at the rate of two per second to vacuum packs within the dairy's clean room. A second robot places the vacuum packs in shop packs of eight. The system is said to guarantee that only faultless, complete blocks of cheese are packed.

The FlexPicker is also making a name for itself in the coffee industry. A leading coffee producer, with one of the most modern production plants in Europe, has recently invested in an integrated FlexPicker/FlexWrapper system for a new coffee production line.

The company's head of maintenance says: "We started a new line so that we can meet new requirements in the marketplace. We want to offer our customers greater options, such as new roasts and blends in different pack sizes. With FlexWrapper and the new line, we have increased cost-effectiveness, even in smaller production volumes, and it is becoming easier to test new products".

The new line produces standing bags in 125g, 250g, 500g and 1,000g sizes and can also produce flat bags for restaurant use. The FlexPicker picks the 500g bags in threes and places them upright in cases, with nine bags in each. The 250g bags are picked in twos and placed upright in cases holding ten bags.

The head of maintenance adds: "ABB represented new technology, and in comparison with traditional bag pickers, ABB's robots have a flexible format, which is important as we are cramped for space".

For further information contact: David Marshall, ABB Automation, Auriga House, Precendent Drive, Rooksley, Milton Keynes MK13 8PQ, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1908 350300; Fax: +44 (0) 1908 350301; e-mail: david.marshall@gb.abb.com