we ’ d already committed to the order , they were open to change throughout the process . Following further analysis we decided to have two automated palletisation cells , one for each pick-to-light line .
“ To fit them into the available space Phil Taylor and the team designed the feed conveyors to run from the exit of the box closing machine via a 180 degree bend to come back up parallel to the line before taking a 90 degree turn into the palletisation cell .
“ We have three box sizes in the operation , small , large , and extralarge . The conveyor indexes boxes which are presented to the robot in pairs if they are small or large , or one extra-large box . The robot picks up two boxes at a time unless they are extra-large ( these are picked up one at a time ). The robot continues picking up the boxes and stacking them on the pallet using a preprogrammed pallet configuration with eight boxes on each layer .
“ It continues back and forth stacking the boxes until the pallet is full . It is very quick , extremely accurate and consistent . There are two pallet positions in each cell for the robot to load . The idea being that once a pallet is full , that pallet can make its way out of the palletiser via a powered pallet conveyor and the robot doesn ’ t have to stop , as it moves immediately onto loading the second pallet position .”
20 percent improvement in throughput
“ In terms throughput we ’ ve seen around a 20 percent improvement with the automated palletisation . On the weekends ; we ’ ve gone from 400 boxes an hour to nearly 500 an hour . Not only this , but we ’ ve also reduced operators at the end of the line from two on the weekend down to zero and midweek from one to zero . The removal of this manual handling element has boosted the team ’ s moral , they are happier and healthier thanks to the change .
“ The peak period for Mindful Chef is in the January window . During this period , when many people start New Year ’ s resolutions regarding improving their health , healthy eating is an important element . So when gyms are busy , we ’ re typically busy . The automated palletisation copes with these peak demand periods effortlessly , removing the stress of manual handling from our team .”
Fully operational from the outset
“ The installation of these automated palletisation cells was probably one of my most nervous times . We were expecting to have a period of at least two or three weeks of teething issues which could impact our throughput performance . In reality , however , everything ran smoothly . During peak the cells worked like a dream , stacking up to 12,000 boxes a day on pallets .
“ The pick-to-light system in phase one and the automated palletiser in phase two have not only allowed us to become more efficient , but also enabled us to gather more tracking data on customer orders around the site .
“ We can now track a customer ’ s box from the point of order through its journey on our production floor ; we know who packed the items in the box and when that box was shipped . Soon we ’ ll be installing a camera system that will take a photograph of each box prior to it being sealed . This will give us the evidence that what we ’ ve sent is what was ordered by the customer .”
A professional partnership built on trust
“ The work BS Handling Systems has done for Mindful Chef has delivered savings in the region of hundreds of thousands of pounds . As a consequence , we expect the automation project payback period to be within three years .
“ Rob , Phil and the BS Handling team have been superb partners over the last four years . They ’ re thoroughly professional , flexible and yet fun to work with . They listen to our ideas and are quick to react with solutions . The projects they have worked on have generally been completed in under
nine months which is testament to their proactive , friendly approach .
“ The last two or three years have seen a huge change in the way we process orders . This transition could have been an incredibly stressful time . The way BS Handling Systems has managed the process , however , has removed a great deal of this pressure giving us peace of mind and total confidence in their abilities to get the job done .
“ Now , it ’ s hard for our team to imagine the way we used to process orders . The pick-to-light and automated palletisation have been game changers for the business . With all the data that we ’ re getting from these improvements the future for Mindful Chef is looking extremely rosy ,” concludes Maxwell .
2025 looks to be an exciting year for BS Handling , as they begin work on a series of large projects with Oakland International . They also recently partnered with EAE Solutions to become the exclusive UK agent for the “ new-to-UK market ” E-Cross Belt Sorter .
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