The system incorporates three robot palletising cells, each comprising an ABB IRB660 robot with a vacuum gripper together with a pallet handling system including pallet dispensers and high speed stretch wrappers.
The robots also have the ability to handle three separate pallet sizes with weights of up to 250kg each, resulting in multiple box pick-up to reduce cycle times and maximise throughput.
By increasing stacking heights to 1.7m, more products can be stacked on a single pallet. Adding more pallets means a greater volume of stock is delivered using fewer vehicles and better utilising warehouse space.
CKF was also contracted to improve the versatility of Cadbury’s plant and increase line speeds. The project’s objective was to deliver its current 11 production lines, housed in two separate factories, into a centralised palletising system, capable of handling the full range of pallet types and stacking patterns.
The handling of over 30 different products was a particular challenge as these included a wide variety of light weight, delicate product types, packed in an equally diverse range of cardboard outers, sleeves and trays.
Contact CKF Systems for more information.