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Guide palletizing is a quite common drawback for producers. Integrator CRUM Manufacturing sees many firms struggling to manually palletize effectively.
One such firm got here to CRUM Manufacturing with an issue…
A buyer got here to CRUM Manufacturing with a palletizing drawback
CRUM Manufacturing is a Common Robots-Licensed integrator of automation options based mostly in Waterville, Ohio, USA. There are two divisions of the enterprise: a producing aspect for the automotive trade and their automation aspect.
Kyle Heitmeyer is a controls engineer at CRUM. He explains:
“For the automation aspect, we are able to automate no matter our buyer actually wants. Whether or not it’s palletizing, machine tending, or creating new high quality test fixtures, if an organization desires one thing automated, they arrive to us and we design, construct, and combine these methods.”
One buyer got here to CRUM with an issue. They wanted to automate the palletizing of their product containers.
Kyle says:
“Most firms haven’t got a devoted palletizer or individual to palletize. They’re operating one line and after they have a some downtime they attempt to hurry up and cargo just a few containers on the pallet. It is not environment friendly.
“Additionally, most firms battle to combine some form of guide or hydraulic flip/carry desk themselves for ergonomic causes. It is an issue that individuals are nonetheless attempting to unravel.”
The Activity: Palletizing and several other pre-processes
As an integrator, CRUM is usually referred to as in to deploy robotic functions which can be extra than simply “out-of-the-box.”
There are usually additional “pre-processes” that may add additional complexity to the duty. For this buyer particularly, the palletizing job concerned a number of processing and verification steps along with placing containers onto the pallets.
The pre-processes for this buyer’s job had been:
The containers got here down one in every of two conveyors.
The robotic wanted to select them up.
A weighing course of was used to validate every field and take a look at its weight.
Then, the field was positioned on a fixturing level.
A customized label was produced by a printing machine.
The robotic wanted to take the label and stick it to the field.
Then the robotic would palletize the field.
There was added complexity because the buyer was utilizing recycled pallets so the pallet heights weren’t at all times constant. The client wanted a strategy to simply deal with batches of various top pallets with out having to name CRUM to reprogram the system. This meant that the programming wanted to be quite simple.
How CRUM would have solved this drawback up to now
Earlier than the Robotiq Palletizing Answer got here available on the market, palletizing with a collaborative robotic wasn’t at all times simple.
Up to now, Kyle had built-in different palletizing functions utilizing a Common Robotic.
He defined how difficult it was earlier than:
“With one deployment, we had the pallet itself on a flip/carry desk. So we had been capable of place three layers of product at one top, however we had been solely capable of attain half the pallet.
“First, we would end one half of a layer, we would rotate the desk, after which do the opposite half of it. After the primary three layers, we would drop the pallet down and begin on the similar top the place we initially began for Layer 1. When rotating, it is advisable to contemplate the velocity and acceleration as a result of you don’t need the containers to fall over when the desk is in movement.
“The system did work however the mechanical engineering and design added much more time. Additionally, the programming was extra in-depth and never as user-friendly for the client.”
An thrilling new palletizing answer arrives available on the market
For this new buyer, Kyle had the chance to check out a brand new palletizing product that had simply come available on the market.
He describes how he got here throughout it:
“A distributor notified us that Robotiq had a brand new product popping out. That they had a demo unit at their facility. We had been capable of go down there throughout that point, test it out, and I might take a look at this system.
“The benefit of the setup was the promoting level for us. With Robotiq’s palletizer system, their built-in URCap for Common Robots actually made it simple to arrange. It additionally offers you some flexibility to tweak the system to suit your present situation as a result of not every thing will probably be an out-of-the-box situation.”
Professional-tip: Get your fingers on the robotic as quickly as attainable
Whether or not you might be an integrator your self otherwise you simply need to use robotic palletizing in your personal facility, Kyle has a pro-tip for you…
He explains:
“My recommendation is to do your analysis and see examples of it working. Ensure you really feel snug that this answer will give you the results you want.
“If in case you have a possibility, get your fingers on the robotic or view a video demonstration. For me, as a controls engineer, that was an enormous factor. Any time we usher in a brand new product, we have now the weigh the advantages it might present with the training curve that it would deliver to us.
“With this answer, I might see how simple it actually could possibly be to arrange. And it let our mechanical engineer see how a lot he would not have to fret about. Simply with the ability to get our fingers on it helped us rather a lot to make the choice to maneuver ahead with the Robotiq answer.”
The little steps that make a robotic deployment difficult
For this software, the little tweaks that Kyle wanted to make had been important for the success of the duty. These had been the steps referring to these pre-processes we talked about above.
Kyle says:
“The palletizing portion was the best a part of it. The toughest half was weighing and labeling the containers. However, the palletizing was easy.”
“With the accessible seventh axis in Robotiq’s system, we had been in a position so as to add the pre-processes in addition to the palletizing itself.”
One impediment he encountered was that the purchasers’ containers wanted to hold over the pallet about half an inch on either side. This isn’t an out-of-the-box characteristic of the palletizing answer.
Kyle explains that Robotiq assist was instrumental in serving to him to get previous this problem:
“Robotiq had been very useful. They appear very caring about ensuring their product does work for the corporate and so they’re there to help you right through.
“Once I had questions on programming, I bought placed on with one in every of their tech assist. He was very attentive with all of my questions and answered them in a short time. Kendra, our account supervisor, would additionally attain out to me and ensure nothing else popped up.”
The answer to dealing with the field overhang?
Kyle explains how they overcame the problem:
“We added a spacer to robotically offset the pallet. So we had been capable of make the pallet just a bit bit wider to cheat the system. However, the flexibleness of the programming is what made that attainable.
“Kendra from Robotiq had one other buyer with the identical drawback and so they had been looking for the answer for it. I shared what we did along with her, which helped them. It undoubtedly helps that we’re an integrator as a result of we see much more out within the discipline than the common individual.”
How lengthy does it take to deploy robotic palletizing?
A priority that many firms have after they begin utilizing automation is that the deployment will take a very long time.
This is likely one of the benefits of utilizing an out-of-the-box answer. Deployment can take simply days or even weeks as a substitute of months.
Kyle explains how lengthy a easy deployment of the palletizing answer would soak up a buyer’s facility.
“Often with tasks like this, we are able to order the palletizer instantly after receiving a purchase order order from our buyer. Upon receiving the unit, we might most likely deploy it in 2 weeks if it is only a palletizing course of with no pre-processes.
“I might say that we might most likely have it up and operating in a few days, however we wish to run the system arduous to debug it previous to giving it to the client. You kind of need to attempt to “break it” earlier than you give it to a buyer, is how we normally describe it.”
The outcome: Saving 20 hours every week for only one job
What has been the influence of the palletizing answer on the client’s line?
Kyle says:
“I believe it is saving them about 20 hours every week, of two operator’s time: for a primary and second shift.
“Additionally, it is only one much less factor they’ve to fret about. Earlier than, it was one of many line leads that needed to maintain it. As an alternative of with the ability to watch one thing else, they needed to stroll away and maintain the palletizing.
“It actually permits a buyer to take possession of their system, which is our aim. They really feel snug sufficient that when small adjustments occur, they’ll program the adjustments themselves.”
And what does the client consider the Robotiq Palletizing Answer now that it has been in manufacturing for a while?
Kyle provides:
“I’ve reached out to the client a few instances, simply to test up. They mentioned it is most likely among the finest automation methods they’ve of their facility. They usually have already got at the very least 8 methods there — 4 cobots and 4 industrial.
If you want to see what the Robotiq Palletizing answer might do for your enterprise, try our product web page or get involved immediately.
What questions do you may have about robotic palletizing? Inform us within the feedback beneath or be a part of the dialogue on LinkedIn, Twitter, Fb, or the DoF skilled robotics neighborhood.
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