Wraparound Case Packer

Challenge

Schulz Organic Dairy had transitioned from packing their 1L and 2L plastic bottles, as well as their 1L glass bottles from plastic crates to cardboard boxes. In doing so they required an automated solution to pack the bottles into cases and place the cases onto a pallet. An additional challenge was helping Schulz create a wraparound box that allowed the glass bottles to make the return trip (in the same box) back to the farm for reuse. Schulz also wanted to remove manual palletising from the business which was tiresome and cumbersome for operators.

Solution

The case packing solution that we provided for Schulz was a Wraparound Case Packer and a Palletiser. The wraparound case packer which is the most commonly produced machine at RML, is a robust flexible reliable machine capable of packing a wide range of products and formats into wraparound-style cases. For Schulz bottles are received in a single file from the filling line, collated into 3 x 2 and 4 x 2 formats, swept into the preerected cases, glued closed and conveyed out to the palletiser. RML integrated inkjet coding inside the wraparound case packer to allow Schulz to apply batch and BBF information onto each case.

The Palletiser is a simple two-position palletising cell, ideal for slower lines and has the benefit of a smaller footprint. The heart of the palletising system is an ABB IRB 460-110 industrial robot, with the robot being fitted with an RML-designed and built grip head style effector. The cases are supported under the bottom of the box by a shelf, and the opposite edge of the case is clamped. This type of head was used as the recyclable glass box has a large perforated window on the top which meant vacuum lifting was not an option. The boxes are picked off the supply conveyor and palletised in various formats depending on the SKU being run at the time. Line operators then feed empty pallets into the cell and remove them fully through a managed safety light curtain.