Previously an entirely manual operation, one skilled operative now oversees the robotic lines, resulting in a significant reduction in headcount.
Brillopak’s UniPaker handles 66 million
kilos of spuds a year for Morrisons
M
orrisons fresh produce depot
in Rushden, Northamptonshire
has installed two automated
Brillopak crate loading potato cells,
UniPaker, taking productivity and
efficiency to a whole new level. Capable
of orientating packs quicker than any
human being, the robot arms “never miss
a beat,” exclaims site manager Andy Day.
Believed to be Europe’s first single pick
potato packing cell, the UniPaker robotic
pick and place cell was engineered
by Brillopak in collaboration with the
Rushden team. Designed to improve
product handling, minimise waste and
enhance the presentation of pre-packed
potatoes for the 11 million consumers
that shop weekly at Morrisons, the clever
robot adopts a brand new automated
technique for gently loading vertical form
fill and seal (VFFS) and flow wrap bags
into retail crates.
At speeds of at least 75 packs per minute
for each cell, the two UniPaker systems
cradle bags of potatoes, each weighing
from 0.5kg up to 2.5kg, loading one at a
time into crates, following multiple sets
32
of presentation formats. The installation,
which forms part of a warehouse-wide
efficiency improvement investment, has
resulted in a 90% reduction of labour.
Both UniPaker case loading cells house
two high-payload Omron Delta robots.
Working simultaneously alongside each
other, the robotic spider arms deftly
loads potato packs individually into
crates in set patterns at the programmed
orientation. The robots do this with a
degree of dexterity and rotation that
would not be feasible with a layer-based
automated handling system.
Clean, empty crates are fed automatically
into both cells at a constant pace by
two Brillopak Crate DeStaker systems.
Once filled, the crates are stacked and
palletised by an end-of-line robotic
system.
MECHATRONIC HAND THAT
PROTECTS THE PACk
Because of the design of the end
effector it can be used to load Morrisons
entire potato product range. Likened
to a glove, the end effector works by
enveloping each potato pack. By doing
this it can accommodate the different
sizes, weights and pack lumps for
Morrisons’ extensive range - exceeding
14 SKUs in a typical season - without
having to swap the tooling over.
For site manager Andy, the new glove
concept has more than proved its
capability. “With the level of air that’s in
potato bags it was hard to conceive that
a robot hand could load crates at such
speed without popping or piercing the
bag and damaging product.”
“Previously, pierced bags has been one
of the downsides to using grippers
on automated case loading systems,”
says Brillopak director David Jahn.
“Additionally, when layer picking
grippers or bomb bay doors release
potatoes into trays, they are typically
dropped in a haphazard way above
each tray in order for the tooling to
have space to open. Not only does this
damage the product, the presentation is
quite hit and miss.”