Coffee, pasta, cheese – wherever primary-packaged products are precisely and quickly end-packed into cartons in large quantities, Somic machines are often used. The Bavarian specialist now also offers the possibility of automatically loading the carton magazine. The heart of the solution is a cobot from Yaskawa.
The Somic CoboLoad tirelessly ensures a continuous supply of cartons to the machine from an entire pallet – without any human intervention. This offers tangible benefits such as higher line availability, uniform carton feeding, improved ergonomics, reduced staffing needs, and less manual work.
The result is an efficient material flow throughout the entire packaging line – even during the complete night shift. At the same time, automation allows the operating personnel to concentrate on supervisory and other value-adding tasks.
Combination of robotics and intelligent sensor technology
The system links modern robotics with intelligent sensor technology. More specifically, it combines intelligent image processing and sensor-supported gripping technology. This allows for the safe handling of cardboard stacks oriented in different ways. The core element of CoboLoad is a cobot, a collaborative
Robot that can load cardboard magazines. The robots are equipped with a special gripper from Somic. This is generally available in two different versions: either as a standard internal gripper or as an external gripper for individual cardboard shapes.
Normally, several carton formats run on one machine. A quick-tool-change system ensures the necessary high flexibility. Using 3D vision technology, the robot automatically recognises the position of the stacks. It then precisely grips them, controlled by sensors, and places them safely and reliably in the magazine.
MRK-capable industrial robot
As the robot works in close proximity to operating personnel, it should be designed for safe human-robot.
However, there are other reasons why Somic specifically chose this model, as project manager Brigitte Stockenreiter explains: „The great thing about it is that the HC20DTP is a fully-fledged industrial robot with the corresponding high performance and speed, which can also be operated as a cobot. This means that a safety fence or other safety devices are not required during safe operation, so the robot can be easily integrated into existing environments whilst saving space. However, with appropriate safety measures – such as light barriers or contact-sensitive safety mats – faster applications are also possible.“
Full integration into the PLC
The robot should also meet special requirements on the control side. Yaskawa solves this requirement with the proven MotoLogix software interface. This allows the manufacturer's robots to be programmed quickly and easily via the PLC in the common IEC 61131 environment and
The spectrum of supported platforms includes all common standards. By integrating into the PLC, all genuine advantages of robot control are retained. The robot control calculates the motion kinematics and ensures high motion quality.
Source: Somic
