PRINTING, PACKAGING & LOGISTICS PRODUCTS & APPLICATIONS
TRIPLE HEAD SYSTEM SPEEDS UP CRATE PACKING The triple-head system has been
Following the success of its dual robot cells in fresh produce applications, Brillopak has developed the UniPAKer robotic crate packing platform with the introduction of single and triple-head versions of the system. Being able to incorporate one, two or three parallel arm delta robots into a single crate packing cell enables the design of flexible systems that strike the optimum balance between speed and gentle handling, the company explains. Working on the premise
that most fresh produce packs – whether punnets of soft fruit, bags of sprouts or flow-wrapped packs of peppers – can be packed into crates using a single robot head at speeds of 30-40 packs per minute, the UniPAKer can double or triple those speeds to achieve a customer’s target by adding a second or third robot. Each robot takes it in turn to take a pack off the infeed conveyor and position it precisely in the crate, so the desired crate presentation is achieved twice or three times more quickly than with a single robot. To maintain a compact footprint, simplify operation and minimise capital outlay, the entire system is centrally controlled and the robots share a vision system, infeed and outfeed, regardless of whether it is a dual or triple configuration. The 70- 80 ppm speed capabilities of the dual-head UniPAKer are said to be ideal for flow wrapping lines handling a wide range of fruit and vegetables.
conceived with difficult-to-handle or bulky products in mind; and the company is currently building its first triple-head UniPAKer
cell for a supermarket customer with the goal of packing bags of carrots into plastic retailer crates
at speeds of 100 ppm. Carrots are a difficult product to
handle as each bag of the same weight is a different shape and size, therefore the robot
has to slow down to perform the pick and position the pack in the crate; too much speed will result in the bag falling out of the gripper or an untidy crate presentation. Using a single robot head in conjunction with a flexible finger gripper, the UniPAKer can handle carrots at speeds of 37 ppm per head. A triple-head system can achieve over 100 ppm, which should enable the customer to meet its two-year payback target. Another potential application for the triple-head
UniPAKer is for placing products such as peppers into the pocket of the flow wrapper. Using three robots operating at 60 picks per minute, the UniPAKer would be able to match typical flow wrapper speeds. In applications where the product is fairly
straightforward to pick, however, a single robot with a multi-pick head might be a more cost-effective and space-efficient option, the company adds
Brillopak
www.brillopak.co.uk
GEARS FOR PICK AND PLACE
In the food industry, pick and place applications require high performance gears. So, to meet the stringent hygiene requirements in the production, processing and packaging of foods, the RH-N series servo gearboxes from Nabtesco are said to be ideal. The fully enclosed gear units
have smooth surfaces and optimised seals, which also makes them easy to clean. On request, the company can deliver the gears with special coatings or filled with food-compliant H1 lubricants. Since a drive pinion and motor flange for all standard motor types are already included, integration in the drive train is fast and easy. The Nabtesco portfolio also includes
the RF-P series of high-performance robotic gears for high-speed handling and robot-assisted positioning.
Nabtesco
https://en.nabtesco.de/en
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