CONTROL & AUTOMATION
AWARD-WINNING PLATFORM
BRILLOPAK
UniPAKer variations make Robotic crate packing as easy as 123
Brillopak has developed its award-winning
UniPAKer robotic crate packing platform
with the introduction of single and triplehead
versions of the system, following
the success of its dual robot cells in
fresh produce applications. The ability to
incorporate one, two or three parallel arm
delta robots into a single crate packing cell
enables the design of flexible systems that
strike the optimum balance between speed
and gentle handling.
“Whilst delta robot heads might boast
mechanical speeds in excess of 120 picks
per minute, such high speeds can only be
achieved in real life on very straightforward
crate/case packing applications such as
packs of biscuits. It is very unlikely that
any packaging automation supplier who
is handling delicate or awkward products
like flow-wrapped apples, bags of carrots
or tray-sealed meat would be able to
achieve anything close to those kinds of
speeds without damaging the product
in the process, it simply isn’t possible,”
says Peter Newman, Technical Director at
Brillopak.
He continues: “That is precisely the reason
why we have developed single, dual and
triple robot configurations for our UniPAKer
packing system – to help our customers
meet their performance and payback
objectives without making false promises.”
Working on the premise that most fresh
produce packs – whether punnets of soft
fruit, bags of sprouts or flow-wrapped
packs of peppers – can be packed into
crates using a single robot head at speeds
of 30-40 packs per minute, the UniPAKer
can double or triple those speeds to
achieve a customer’s target by adding a
second or third robot. Each robot takes it in
turn to take a pack off the infeed conveyor
and position it precisely in the crate, so
the desired crate presentation is achieved
twice or three times more quickly than
with a single robot. To maintain a compact
footprint, simplify operation and minimise
capital outlay, the entire system is centrally
controlled and the robots share a vision
system, infeed and outfeed, regardless of
whether it is a dual or triple configuration.
The 70-80 ppm speed capabilities of the
dual-head UniPAKer are the perfect match
for flow wrapping lines handling fruit and
veg such as apples, sprouts, tomatoes,
peppers and pears, with or without a
supporting tray.
WHEN THREE HEADS ARE BETTER
THAN TWO
The triple-head system has been
conceived with difficult-to-handle or bulky
products in mind.
Brillopak is currently building its first triplehead
UniPAKer cell for a supermarket
customer with the goal of packing bags of
carrots into plastic retailer crates at speeds
of 100 ppm.
Carrots are a difficult product to handle
as each bag of the same weight is a
different shape and size, therefore the
robot has to slow down to perform the
pick and position the pack in the crate;
too much speed will result in the bag
falling out of the gripper or an untidy crate
presentation. Using a single robot head in
conjunction with a flexible finger gripper,
the UniPAKer can handle carrots at speeds
of 37 ppm per head. A triple-head system
can achieve over 100 ppm, which should
enable the customer to meet its two-year
payback target.
Brillopak has added single and
triple robot configurations to its
popular UniPAKer packing system
Another potential application for the triplehead
UniPAKer is for placing products such
as peppers into the pocket of the flow
wrapper. Using three robots operating at 60
picks per minute, the UniPAKer would be
able to match typical flow wrapper speeds.
MULTI-PICK SPEEDS UP SINGLE
ROBOT SYSTEM
However, adding another robot is not
always the best approach for increasing
packing speeds. In applications where the
product is fairly straightforward to pick, a
single robot with a multi-pick head might be
a more cost-effective and space-efficient
option. In this configuration, the robot
performs two picks, then places the packs
in the crate, two at a time. This design
works well for tray-sealed meat packs,
which are uniform packs with flat surfaces,
but cannot be handled at very high speeds
as the film lid may tear. Speeds of 60-70
ppm can comfortably be achieved on this
application.
Brillopak’s UniPAKer robotic pick and place
cell was originally engineered for packing
bags of potatoes and apples into crates.
Designed to handle VFFS, tray-sealed or
flow-wrapped packs up to 1kg, the UniPAKer
has been proven over-and-over again to
improve productivity and improve pack
presentation on shelf.
For further information, please visit www.brillopak.co.uk
36 PECM Issue 46