Keywords
Citation
(1999), "'Totally reliable' lights-out operation from two ATM de-mould robots and an integrated, down-stream palletiser", Industrial Robot, Vol. 26 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1999.04926daf.007
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited
'Totally reliable' lights-out operation from two ATM de-mould robots and an integrated, down-stream palletiser
"Totally reliable" lights-out operation from two ATM de-mould robots and an integrated, down-stream palletiser
Keywords Injection moulding, Robots
ATM Automation Ltd has delivered yet another turnkey design to its extensive portfolio.
The latest design project to be completed by the Leicester based firm was for school tray storage equipment manufacturer, Gratnells Ltd (see Plate 6).
Plate 6 The latest design project to be completed by
the Leicester based firm was for school tray storage equipment manufacturers,
Gratnells Ltd.
Following the installation of two state of the art robots from their ES2000 range, ATM has supplied Gratnells with downstream bin loading and palletising system, able to function as an independent night shift operation.
Sharon Burrows, Work Director of Gratnells, explained: "In order to keep up with growing demand for our product it became clear that we would have to expand production. Factory space restrictions dictated that a night shift operation would be the only feasible way of achieving increased productivity. The only economical viable solution was to install the ATM ES2000 range. This however, created two key areas of concern, stacking and lid distortion".
ATM overcame the Gratnells stacking problems with the installation of a fully integrated palletiser, but there were still concerns over possible lid distortion caused by the storage of warm lids.
Peter Alliston of ATM, explained: "Our design team modified the existing robots, enabling them to stack enough lids for a whole night shift by placing them at 90 degrees to each other thus preventing warpage. The conveyor indexes the containers away once they have been filled".
Gratnells can now run 350 days a year and produces £1.3 million trays annually, supplying over 26 countries.
For further information please contact: Robert Hopper, ATM Automation Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 3607.