World's fastest pick robot creates new possibilities in the consumer goods industry

Citation

(1999), "World's fastest pick robot creates new possibilities in the consumer goods industry", Industrial Robot, Vol. 26 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1999.04926baf.003

World's fastest pick robot creates new possibilities in the consumer goods industry

World's fastest pick robot creates new possibilities in the consumer goods industry

Keyword Robots

A superfast yet flexible robot with a payback period of one year. The new FlexPicker can pick and place more than 120 items per minute from a moving belt, claims ABB, the Swedish owned company. It is based on the "single pick and place" principle and has the ability to halve picking costs compared to previous solutions (see Plate 1).

The flexibility of the new IRB 340 robot enables it to operate a variety of applications including products such as electronic and mechanical components, medicines, chocolates, cakes and other food products. It will also increase efficiency and hygiene, for example in packaging ready-to-eat foods and portion packs for airlines (see Plate 2).

"Up to now, it's been quicker and cheaper to have product packaging operations done by humans", explains Lars Bergstrom, Managing Director of ABB Robotics Products of Vasteras, Sweden. "But now, for the first time, these monotonous and often laborious tasks can be carried out at lower cost without loss of flexibility, allowing people to be offered more interesting and varied work".

Plate 1 World's fastest pick robot creates new possibilities in the consumer goods industry

Plate 2 The new IRB 340 robot

The company's venture into the consumer goods industry is explained by a technical breakthrough that more than halves the cost of using robots while, for the first time, retaining the flexibility of manual workers. On a two-shift system, it is estimated that investment would be recovered in a single year.

"FlexPicker offers a unique combination of price and performance" claims Mats Skoglund, the company's Marketing Manager for the consumer goods sector. "This is because of a fast design solution that allows products to be packed one at a time. This solution gives the customer flexible production plus profitability in applications that used to be too expensive to automate".

Wide range of applications

As a first stage, FlexPicker the IRB 340 robot is to be introduced into the food industry for sorting and packing chocolates and cakes.

"Examples of future applications are packaging of ready-to-eat foods and portion packaging for airlines", says Mats Skoglund.

Interest is also expected in picking of electronic components such as mobile telephones and personal computers, as well as packaging in the light industrial and pharmaceutical sectors.

The current market for robotics in the consumer goods industry is estimated at around USD 3 billion annually.

The robot comes in both three and four axis versions, with the latter featuring rotation of the gripper. A vacuum system built into the gripper allows the robot to lift a weight of up to 1 kg. Cycle time is claimed to be 0.5 sec, with a working volume of 250 mm in height by 1,130 mm diameter. The robot is fitted with a full cover which makes is easy to keep clean.

FlexPicker is controlled by ABB's tried and tested S4C software, and is provided with a user-friendly vision system developed by Cognex. Each vision system can be provided with up to four cameras and can serve one or more robots in series.

For further information please contact: Jane Attwood, Flexible Automation Division, ABB Industrial Systems Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 1908-350-357; Fax: +44 (0) 1908-350-301; E-mail: jane.attwood@gbfac.mail.abb.com