PROJECT SUMMARY
BHS Robotics provided a low-cost packaging and palletizing solution for a manufacturer of electronics components.
THE CHALLENGE
A manufacturer of industrial electronics was challenged to maintain enough labor to process the picking, packing and palletizing of their customer orders. Product volumes were relatively low which meant that labor requirements were intermittent which further complicated scheduling of the orders. For this same reason the return-on-investment model indicated a low-cost solution was needed.
THE SOLUTION
BHS Robotics developed a workflow which significantly reduced the labor requirement for the process but maintained human inputs on the more cognitive tasks such as product sorting and kitting. The more repetitive tasks were automated with low-cost automation strategies.
Boxes are automatically erected and aligned on the conveyor for filling.
Products are staged in the kitting area which is arranged with ergonomic tables and shelving systems to make identification and selection easy for the operators. Boxes are manually filled and released by the operators when complete.
Boxes travel along the conveyor through the closing, taping and labelling process. At the end of the line a collaborative robot removes the boxes from the conveyor and palletizes them based on a pre-programmed pattern for the product being packed.
The overall arrangement takes a minimalist approach to the automation including the collaborative robot which was chosen in lieu of traditional guarding and safety interlocks which take up additional floor space and add complexity to the integration.
IMPACT TO THE CUSTOMER
With a modest investment in automation this customer is now able to package these products in a semi-controlled process while liberating the production team from their labor challenges. The system is safe and easy to use for this facility.
BHS Robotics are experts at developing customized process solutions to solve automation challenges for both high volume and low volume environments.
Contact us today for a no cost review of your operations and learn how low-volume automation solutions can add value to your business!