Automation of the palletizing process at Danish manufacturing company
In today’s competitive world it’s critical for businesses to find ways to improve productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness. One area where there is still significant potential for automation is the packing of items and goods. The potential is particularly significant for small and medium-sized enterprises that have not yet automated palletizing and similar tasks.
We would like to share a success story of how a Danish manufacturing company managed to optimize its palletizing process through automation. The story also demonstrates that automation does not have to be a big, complicated, or expensive project.
The company approached PPS because they wanted to automate the process of packing boxes onto pallets. At that time, palletizing was done manually, which was both time-consuming and monotonous repetitive work. They wanted to streamline the process and reduce the strain on employees. These types of tasks are generally not attractive to employees as they are strenuous and detract them from more value-added tasks.
If Danish companies are to succeed in the global market, it is important for them to be adaptable and able to produce efficiently and competitively. Automation can be a solution to achieve this.
How was the palletizing process automated?
In this case, PPS offered a flexible standard solution for the company’s palletizing process. The solution consists of a collaborative robot arm from Universal Robot, mounted on a lift. This allows it to be adapted to different conveyor belts in the production. The robot arm is equipped with a gripper at the end of the arm. By using vacuum technology the robot can lift and move boxes weighing up to 10 kg. There is also the option to switch between two pallets, so while the robot is packing boxes on one pallet, the filled pallet can be removed and replaced with a new one.
The solution is supported by an intuitive software program that allows the operator himself to design different pallet patterns. The software program is designed to be user-friendly and requires minimal technical expertise. The pallet pattern is designed on a regular PC, and then the program is sent directly to the robot’s computer. This allows for the company’s own operator to easily program the desired setup of boxes on the pallet, which would otherwise require programming by an external specialized robotics technician. Moreover, it is easy to switch between the created patterns without stopping or reprogramming the robot.
What were the results for the company?
The result for this Danish manufacturing company was an optimized palletizing process that increased productivity, improved quality, created a better working environment, and made production more flexible. All of these factors contribute to increased competitiveness and growth.
Here are some of the experienced improvements:
- Increased productivity: The automated palletizing process boosts productivity as the robot can work nonstop without any breaks. On top it frees up employees’ time for more value-adding tasks.
- Higher quality: The robot performs the work with precision, ensuring consistency and accuracy in the palletizing process. This reduces errors and improves product quality.
- Scalability and flexibility: The robotic cell is a flexible and scalable solution that can be adapted to the company’s needs. It can easily be physically moved to different locations in the production area, and the pallet pattern can be easily changed as needed.
- Improved working environment: Automating heavy lifting and repetitive motions minimizes the risk of work-related injuries and enhances the overall working environment.
Do you have challenges in your production?
If your company is also facing challenges in the palletizing process, it is worth considering automation as an option. However, it is important to conduct a thorough analysis of your company’s specific needs as there are various automation solutions available.
We encourage you to contact our experts specialized in automation to discuss how you can optimize your palletizing processes and take your company to new heights.
Automation is an investment that requires careful consideration and meticulous planning. Our goal is to inspire companies to take the step towards automation and improve their production processes to achieve similar results as the Danish manufacturing company in this case.