PACKAGING C


onceptualising the bigger picture when re-designing the automation of a large packing hall is quite an art. As the project manager overseeing the Morrisons Thrapston


fresh produce Centre of Excellence automation program will testify, success comes down to one thing: a sound strategy underpinned by detailed planning. Having project managed countless food


factory packing halls, Morrisons engineering manager and project engineer, Craig Savage, shares the benefit of his wisdom. Including how the phased investment approach, managed in total collaboration with British automation specialist Brillopak, helped the fresh produce site to successfully realise its five-year automation ambition. Although somewhat smaller than other


projects Savage has masterminded over his four-decade career, the complete restructuring of 11 packing lines, including 180-degree rotation of all equipment at Thrapston tops the list of one of the most complex he has overseen. “Switching from manual packing to automated lines in this instance was an even greater undertaking as we had to work around and maintain packing operations while minimising the upheaval of taking lines out of action,” recaps Savage. Rather than do it in one big hit, which the


now-retired project manager implies is virtually impossible unless you have a green field site, Thrapston introduced Brillopak’s modular packing and crate-handling technology in three phases, spread over 2016, 2018, and 2021. From the start, former site manager of


Thrapston, Matthew Peczek, was resolute that linear production lines – from the chillers through flow wrap packaging, weighing, crate filling and on to palletising – were the best approach to improve efficiency and product quality. It meant flipping the entire layout, which Savage recalls was the greatest logistical


Brillopak’s Automation Architecture in situ at Morrisons Thrapston packing hall.


challenge. Drawing upon Brillopak’s design, AutoCad and engineering expertise, Savage and the Kent-based automation team started to map out their phased plan. Savage expands: “There were numerous design iterations. With projects of this magnitude, the devil is always in the detail. So we worked collaboratively with Brillopak constantly revising the 3D AutoCad drawings until we were assured that every potential stumbling block to fully-automated integration had been considered and addressed.” Savage equates it to running a military operation. He explains: “There are so many processes and factors to consider at the outset when reconfiguring the layout. You are having to balance lots of competing issues. Once you press go and commence deployment of equipment, you need to feel confident that every abstract and potential curveball has been considered and addressed.” In Thrapston’s case, with multiple packing


workstations, Brillopak and the Morrisons Project team had to pre-consider the entire logistics of changing every workflow. This


included examining access points, where power feeds needed to be added or repositioned, the conveyor layouts and the precise locations of every single communication sensor, of which there were dozens, and all the programming software required to circumvent bottlenecks.


EVERY PIECE OF THE PUZZLE Brillopak produced the initial architectural drawings for the Morrisons, Thrapston phased automation concept. Its consulting service started with a 3D model to insert and remove machinery until every facet had been considered and a workable plan was realised. The automation specialist now has a 3D printed version of this template to assist customers physically manoeuvre and visualise how they might build up their factory floor. This helps to ensure critical factors are not overlooked that could potentially jeopardise automation transitions. Defining these requirements commences with Brillopak performing a full plant due diligence exercise, capturing the exact requirements and determining the


DEFINING THE DETAILS:


26 Spring 2023 UKManufacturing


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