Affordable automated end-of-line packaging
Brillopak used the 2023 Robotics and Automation show in March to highlight how its technology and ‘Automation Architecture’ approach can help companies weather the perfect storm caused by labour issues and compounded by an increased focus on faster return on investment.
David Jahn, director at Brillopak, explains: “For the last few years companies have been looking at automation to address issues relating to skill levels and labour shortages, and we have been able to help many to successfully address this issue. But these labour pressures have abated a little, and what we are now seeing is a return to a more traditional focus on return on investment.”
ROI has always been an important pillar of Brillopak’s offering, which, when coupled to the company’s fastidious approach to design, installation and ongoing support, has seen payback periods of less than 36 months. “Costs can be offset and spread in other ways too,” Jahn explains, “as we offer leasing and rental services, which reduce the need for initial capital outlay and can be tax deductible too.”
Two machine solutions from Brillopak’s extensive range have proven to be excellent initial installations for companies looking to take their first steps on their automation journey. A new version of the company’s BR2 PunnetPAKer offers a small-footprint installation with big-machine capabilities, for automated single-pick packing of top-sealed punnets, VFFS and flow wrap products with gentle and accurate packing into crates or lipped boxes at high speed.
The BR2 delivers high-speed and efficiency (50 to 140 packs a minute) dependent on product, accurate control of the product through the packing process, accurate product placement in the crate/box and highly flexible operation in a simple, robust and hygienic design.
Its single-cell UniPAKer is another proven packaging solution offering high speed and efficiency (50 to 150 packs/minute) dependent on the product, precise product placement and multiple-product capabilities, with multiple layer patterns. Simple to operate and maintain, it delivers very fast changeover within a simple, robust and hygienic design.
Both machines have benefited from the company’s ongoing research and development into robot dynamics, motion profiles, end-effector/gripper designs and product-handling physics. These developments have resulted in greater performance and throughput, even though both are comparatively small.
Visitors to the show – especially those from companies planning to integrate new packing lines – were able to learn how Brillopak uses its Automation Architecture approach to de-risk installations, protecting them from sunk costs, line interruptions and disgruntled staff. Jahn and his colleagues showed how Brillopak scopes out projects and creates architectural plans based on the ‘big picture’, before highlighting ways that phased installation of robotics/automation can spread and offset costs. It’s a process that Brillopak has perfected over the last 20 years – with over 200 automation system installs.
Visit the Brillopak website for more information
