Bring on the robots

Walk the floor of any equipment-focused packaging tradeshow and nine times out of ten, one sight will remain constant throughout, and that is the almost theatrical draw robotics have on the audience. The speed, precision and, often, size of such technology can enthral the attendee on a number of different levels.

What is encouraging then for such a sector is that innovation and product development for equipment designed for the food, drink and pharmaceutical markets continues at a pace, despite an admittedly sluggish uptake of the technology from certain markets such as the UK.

Mike Wilson, chairman of the British Automation and Robot Association (BARA), says that it is "a real concern" that sectors other than the automotive arena have yet to understand the potential implications of not automating their production process.

He was responding to recent figures that showed that 85% of robot sales in the first quarter of 2012 and 89% in the second quarter were attributed to automotive clients. "Countries such as China, Germany and most of the major European manufacturing nations are investing heavily in automation to sustain competitive advantage," says Wilson.

He adds: "Part of the problem in the UK is a short term approach and the perception that the payback period is longer than it often is."

However, a number of key manufacturers in the robotics sector have unveiled a raft of new machinery from entry-level to high-end kit that will hopefully catalyse greater investment in 2013 and beyond.

Low-mass robotics

One such manufacturer is TM Robotics (Europe), which has bolstered its THL range of Scara robots with the launch of the THL300 and THL400 machines, the latest additions to its portfolio of low-mass and energy efficient robots.

Complementing the company's existing THL500, 600 and 700 machines, the latest kit achieves a reduction in mass due to the use of lightweight cast aluminium mechanical components that, according to TM Robotics, have a series of ribbed sections to provide rigidity. Therefore, smaller servomotors have been fitted and the lightweight system generates substantially less inertia with a simplified gearbox that has been used.

The THL300 and 400 models are up to 50% lighter than other Toshiba Machine models and the robots consume 20% less electricity. Performance compares favourably with other models and the new robots feature easier maintenance than previously, it is claimed.

As their names imply, the two new machines are available with both 300mm and 400mm arm lengths that are pitched at the same price-point. The reason for this is that the only difference in their configuration is the length of the extruded aluminium tube, a negligible difference that forms the main beam of the machine's arm.

According to TM Robotics, each of its new robots has four axes of movement and a working envelope of ±125 degrees on the first axis and ±145 degrees on the second. Maximum composite speed across both machines using axes one and two is
5.1m/sec for the THL 300 and 6.3m/sec for the THL 400. The cycle time for the THL300 with a 2kg payload is 0.48sec and 0.47sec for the THL400 model, while the maximum payload is 5kg for both models.

Palletised production

In the automated packing systems space, UK-based Brillopak has recently introduced a versatile new robotic palletiser that is capable of placing a raft of container formats including crates, cases and trays onto pallets.

The Brillopak Compact C211 is claimed to be much smaller than conventional robot cells, which enables it to "fit easily" into compact factory spaces or equally, to be integrated with other packing equipment.

Operating at up to 10 cycles/min, the equivalent of between 10 and 120 containers/min can be handled, depending on the application required. The machine features a multi-purpose end effector that enables the C211 to handle multiple product sizes, and a touchscreen that is said to aid easy operation and fast changeovers.

Designed for use in a diverse range of applications, including fruit, vegetables, chilled and frozen food, the C211 robot has been constructed with minimal moving parts that, according to Brillopack, provide strong reliability for round-the-clock operation.

The robotic palletiser also features a bale arm closing unit for crates, crate de-stackers, auto barcode detection, vision systems and ethernet connection for remote access and support.

Another manufacturer that has been developing its palletising robot output is ABB, which used its recent trade show presence to showcase its pallet technology. Among those is the high speed, compact IRB 460, which features 4-axis, 110kg payload and a 2.4m reach.

Designed for end-of-line and bag palletising applications, the IRB 460 has recently been showcased with ABB's Flexgripper clamp end-of-arm tool that helps secure the handling for heavy cases that are not compatible with traditional vacuum handling methods.
Recent tradeshow demonstrations have coupled the IRB 460 robot, which picks cases from an infeed conveyor, placing them on a pallet, before an IRB 760 palletising robot that transfers full case layers onto a pallet. The process is completed when an IRB 660 machine picks the boxes, one row at a time, placing them back onto the conveyor.

According to ABB, the IRB 760, has been designed for "high throughput, full-layer" palletising and depalletising". Equipped with a Schmalz vacuum layer gripper and a payload capacity of 450kg, the 4-axis robot has a reach of 3.2m and features a high inertia wrist that enables it to handle heavy and large products such as beverages.

The company's IRB 660 machine couples a 3.15m reach with handling up to a maximum 250kg payload, allowing it to palletise multiple boxes, crates and trays in a single cycle.

Another manufacturer busy in the trade show space has been Endoline, which specialises in bespoke end of line systems, offering sealing, loading and palletising equipment.

The company, which is still in the relative infancy of its partnership with ABB, has launched systems that marry ABB robotics and Endoline conveyor, sealing and erecting systems.

"We offer a comprehensive equipment range to both small and large scale manufacturers, which is a major benefit in a market where many customers are running low production volumes and require semi-automatic machinery, but also where there are multi-nationals who need fully automated lines," says Simon Taylor, sales and marketing director at Endoline.

Second-user robotics

Pacepacker Services, the manufacturer of pick and place systems, sack placers, weighing machines and bagging systems, has taken a slightly different tack by bringing more than 20 Blu Robot systems to market.

The company is pitching the second-user pick and place machines at cost-conscious suppliers, as the cost is generally half that of a new robot. According to Dennis Allison, Pacepacker Services managing director, new automation systems can be "cost prohibitive", especially for low volume packers or seasonal producers.

He adds: "Pick and place is an area of automation which has historically been widely overlooked due to the complexity of packing irregular products. "However, it is also a labour-intensive operation which can lead to product wastage due to human error.

"To address this," Allison goes on, "the second-user Blu-Robot pick and place system presents an affordable option for smaller packers looking to benefit from automation and still achieve a realistic return on investment."

The machines incorporate a second-user robotic arm with more than 20 different end effectors available, which Pacepacker aims at bespoke pick and place applications including tubs, trays, pots and bulk bags, with a maximum pick-up speed of 30 cycles per minute.

Weighing and placing

In the weighing sector, Ishida Europe has recently unveiled two new systems designed to automate food production and packing lines. The manufacturer's CCW-SE-214 is pitched as an entry-level multihead weigher designed for dry food applications that include confectionery, pasta and biscuits.

Capable of top speeds of 90 packs/min for the company's 14-head configuration, the system features a "simple operation" remote control unit and interchangeable hoppers that the manufacturer claims help to minimise cleaning downtime.

Another new machine, showcased at the March Propak Africa event, is the iTPS Ishida Total Packaging System, which is claimed to be the "world's fastest and most accurate" snack food packing system.

Demonstrated with the company's Atlas snack food bagmaker, Ishida multihead weigher and DACS-W checkweigher, the iTPS offers variable seal time, seal pressure and product giveaway speeds up to a maximum 250bpm.

Elsewhere, robotics proponent Gerhard Schubert used its presence at ProSweets 2013 in Cologne to demonstrate its equipment's flexibility when running a picker line for chocolate bar processing. Six TLM-F4 robots were used to pick up 600 bars each minute from a product belt and then place them onto the transmodules, all in non-stop operation.

Schubert TLM servodriven transmodules enable the picker line to carry bars and all packages, from bottles to sachets and cans. These are equipped with a path control and can be used for both continuous operation and for a combination of cyclical and continuous movement.

According to Schubert, this flexibility makes them suitable for use in transport systems for picker lines.

Pick and place
Elsewhere, robotic packaging line manufacturer Tekpak has bolstered its pick and place case packer offering. The new case packer is pitched as a "flexible high-speed system" designed for the vertical case packing of quad bags, pouches and doy packs.

The new precision robot leverages a Elau/Schneider control system, which has a diverse range of applications for snack packs and bags, sweets and coffee. According to Tekpak, the system features a "unique product transfer system" that collates the products beneath the gripper that enables the pick and place to handle a complete case formation, helping to improve the throughput on the line.

The manufacturer has designed the system for vertical case packing in to display cases and other shelf-ready formats. The robot can also pack bags straight from the bagger, which helps maintain a continuous packing.

Tekpak business development director Imelda Kehoe says: "Automating the off-line/WIP (work in progress) operation is a major benefit for our customers because it reduces product lead time and can have a big impact on line efficiency."

The system can include, if required, an integrated case erector and closer for shelf ready display cases which carries an 8m² footprint. Product operation is carried out with bags/pouches arriving into the collator pocket on edge direct from a VFFS machine or bagger. These are then rotated to an upright position and collated in the pick position in the required matrix to fill the case - normally in two rows of 4, 5 or 6.

Stäubli Robotics is another manufacturer active in the pick and place sector. Given a UK debut at the PPMA show in September last year, its TP80 Fast Picker is an "ultrafast four-axis" new configuration of high speed robot for standard pick and place applications.

According to Stäubli, the machine can deliver speeds of more than 200 picks per minute, a maximum load capacity of 1kg and an 800mm reach.