Special Cement - Sack palletising

Concretemix_

pic0072

robotpic1

MHW 156

Powdersteambyrobot

Client

Fosroc is a leading international manufacturer and supplier of high performance chemicals for the construction industry, with a focus on concrete and cement. Their products help to build better quality construction assets, faster and their solutions reduce the cost of construction whilst increasing the speed of application.

Webster Griffin received the order from Fosroc to install a high speed palletising system for their cementious grout product to help them respond to increasing demand.

Challenge

Fosroc's project presented Webster Griffin with the following challenges:

To achieve a fully automatic palletising bagging system allowing for increased throughput and reduced labour requirements for the production line
To successfully integrate an Okura robot into Fosroc’s existing palletising system to receive filled bags from the two bagging lines and automatically stack them onto two pallets on the two existing powered roller conveyors. The system also allowed for the robot to operate continuously provided that it was not starved of a supply of filled bags and empty pallets
Spare capacity to present capability to meet increasing demand in the future
To achieve new production level targets through significantly increased output

Solution

After analysing Fosroc’s requirements, Webster Griffin recommended the following solution:

Okura A1800 High speed robot palletiser.
Control console with user friendly touch screen control panel and OXPA ‘Easy Teach’ software allowing palletising patterns to be downloaded directly from a laptop to the control panel.
A control system can provide a signal each time a bag is placed onto the pallet.
Stacking of any combination of two different palletising patterns in parallel onto the two different pallet loading positions.
Okura bag pick up hand, adjustable, with independently actuated bag guide plates and top clamping plate for high speed operation.
A heat sealed bag closure to ensure a perfect seal every time.
Modification of the bagging machine to keep up with the faster robot.
An intensive 12 day operator training program giving operators a high level of control over the system

We also recommended that we provide one electrical and mechanical engineer to supervise the off-loading and positioning of the system, after they would undertake mechanical and electrical installation of the equipment and to finish our robot technician will then remain on site to test and complete the installation.

Result

Increased throughput consistently reaching 50 pallets per shift. Throughput of 12 – 16 bags/min with spare capacity to increase this if needed.
The OXPA software removes the need to teach the robot new palletising software.
Faster changeovers and the simultaneous use of both conveyors (with automatic priority) minimises lost palletising time and therefore allows for increased packing rates in the future if necessary.
Reduction in the shift rota from 3-shifts to 2-shifts.
Significant increase in production to improved customer service levels.
Compact, stable pallets produced by the highly accurate Okura robot.