Automated Decasing System Uses Six FANUC Robots to Decase Bottles - StrongPoint Automation
FANUC America Authorized System Integrator StrongPoint Automation
developed this automated beverage decasing system
to utilize six FANUC M710iC 50H robots to remove cases of beverage bottles
from a pallet and place them onto a conveyor.
The system process starts as each of the six lines is loaded by a forklift
with six pallets of different flavored beverage bottles.
This particular industry called for glass bottles
with beer and wine cooler products. Each of the six FANUC robots in the system
is synchronized to grab a single case at a time
and move all cases onto the main line at the same time.
Six different flavored cases enter the system
one after the other as the FANUC robots unload them.
The purpose for this lies in a downstream system
that takes bottles from the cases and makes mixed packs.
A FANUC IR vision equipped camera is mounted to the head of each of the six
FANUC robots allowing the robots to see the case
pattern before starting. Once each FANUC robot knows the pattern
they begin to depalletize using the correct pattern.
Three lasers are also mounted on each robot in order to triangulate a rotation
position of the case so that the robot head rotates correctly
to pick each case. Additionally each robot head contains
pneumatic plates to grip the case as well as vacuum cups to grip the tray
for a 2x12 format. Once empty the pallets are transferred to
a pallet stacker to be stacked and taken away by a forklift.
This fully automated system was previously a manual process
that was very labor intensive involving repetitive
heavy lifting. Now this robotic system can handle
24 packs as well as 2x12 packs in a tray. Each FANUC robot can handle
approximately five cases per minute for a total throughput of 30 cases per
minute and over 10,000 cases in one shift
between the six FANUC robots. To learn more about FANUC America
authorized system integrator StrongPoint Automation
and their full range of world-class robotic solutions
please visit strongpointautomation.com