subject: Optimized Manufacturing Includes Packaging and Material Handling [print this page] Optimized Manufacturing Includes Packaging and Material Handling
Packaging and material handling must be part of the overall optimization of product manufacturing. Even small manufacturers can realize the return-on-investment for capital outlay for packaging and material handling in a reasonable period of time. It is not unrealistic for such a capital expense to get paid back in as little as 18 months. This, by itself, should warrant a very serious look by all manufacturers who have to package their products before shipping to customers. Technology has moved packaging and material handling forward in that the equipment that you can purchase now to perform this task can be readily integrated with your existing production line.
The first level or primary packaging usually occurs right after a product has been manufactured. This process amounts to putting the product in its first level of packaging. This can be a plastic closed end wrapping like for a candy bar or a bar of soap. A second level or secondary wrapping most always will occur. This happens when the wrapped product is bundled in some way with several other units of the same product or the wrapped product is put into a box. This secondary packaging is sometimes added to products because they need security or tamper-resistant packaging. Both these levels of packaging can be administered by packaging and material handling. Secondary packaging can be warranted by the distribution method of the products. Sometimes products need more protection due to the handling that they may get during distribution.
Using Delta robotics to assist in the first level packaging of products in the production stream makes it easy to integrate packaging into the line using current equipment. There may be slight adjustments that have to be made in current production equipment to optimize the packaging capability into the line. In a lot of cases in food product packaging Delta robotics are the optimum selection for packaging delicate food items into their initial wrapping. The delicate touch of Delta robotics accomplish this task very readily. Usually products are loaded into packaging on the horizontal plane for this first level of wrapping. Adding vision capability to the robotics will allow the products that are to be packaged to enter the packaging work cell in random orientation. This packaging solution should not interrupt, but should help to optimize, the production flow.
Delta robotics can also be implemented as the second level of packaging and material handling. Top loading is the method that is used in some cases to put products into a second package. This is called top loading because the previously wrapped product is inserted into a carton or other substantial wrapper by being inserted from the top of the wrapper. Sometimes these products that have both first and second level packaging in place are collected into groups of products and inserted into a third level of stretch wrap, tray or carton.
There are different types of patterns of presentation that products with which products can be moved into the packaging area. The type of presentation will depend on how the packaging equipment is best included into the overall flow of the production line. The collation pattern brings the products to the packaging operation in a single stream. Products are grouped or collated into a given count so that this group of products can then be wrapped. This can be eight first or second level packaging. Delta robotics are often used for the "pick and place" of these products for packaging.
Perpendicular presentation occurs when the products are brought to the packaging area at right angle to the packaging process. This method can be effectively used for raw food products that are to be packaged by the first level of packaging. Delta robotics perform this operation very well. The robot can be joined with vision capability to get optimum results. The inline presentation can be used to get products to the packaging area either in multiple or single streams. Often the flow of products to be packaged opposes the flow of packages into which they are placed. This allows the robotics to have a full stream of products to pick from in order to effective packaging.
To get optimum results from packaging and material handling more than one robotic can be used to increase the speed to a higher production rate. A single controller can be programmed to control more that one robotic to do both first and second level packaging. Programming can be adjusted to fit exactly into the speed required by both upstream and downstream equipment. The speed of the production line is going to be influenced by the delicacy of the products being wrapped. Softer, more pliable products usually require a slower speed when being produced and packaged. The capability of the packaging robotic should, however, be able to handle any product consistency at any speed. It is very easy to vary the programming that controls robotics to get the optimum packaging result that is required.
