Oceania Dairy approached RML with the challenge of automating a manual case packing and palletising process. The process includes an operator picking and placing eight 1kg foil pouches of milk powder into RSC shipping cases, and then manually palletising these cases onto a pallet. Within the scope of the challenge, Oceania had requested the track and trace of all pouches from the filling room into the cases, and then onto the pallets, ensuring the traceability of the product throughout the process for quality purposes.
The solution included a customised Automated RSC Top Load Case Packer integrating automated product laning, RSC erecting, robotic loading (via the RML hawk robotic loading system) and tape closing system to load the foil milk powder pouches into the cases and close them for palletising.
During the packing process, the products and cases are tracked through the case packer. The products are scanned as they are loaded into the cases, moved through the closing section of the equipment, checked weighed, and applied with a label that contains the information of each pouch such as weight and other critical production information.
The closed cases are then conveyed to the palletising system where the cases are scanned and collated. An ABB Industrial Robot picks the collated cases from the conveyor and places them on a pallet in a pre-determined pattern. The robot layers the cases on top of one another until the pallet is full. Once full, the pallets are then conveyed to staging zones, collating full pallets that can be called for by the forklift operator if needed, or, collated until the conveyor is full of pallets of cases.
Pallets are fed into the palletising cell as stacks of 10. When a full pallet is completed and moves from the palletising conveyor, the ABB robot locates and picks a pallet from the stack and places it at the palletising conveyor. The ABB robot picks a slip sheet from a slip sheet magazine and places it over the pallet prior to palletising.
Once the pallets have been completed, the traceability data held by the equipment for pouches in cases and cases on pallets is pushed onto the Industrial Control System for quality purposes.
Our integrated, advanced operation ensures the best quality cream cheese is produced consistently.
It was an opportunity to increase the packing line automation, with labour savings offsetting the capital costs.
RML worked with us to understand our requirements and designed a solution to suit our needs. RML delivered an automated system to service two moulding machines producing the Gallagher Ring Top Posts.
We set RML a challenge, design and build a new butter packing machine for a challenging application. RML produced a smart and effective solution that exceeded our expectations.
Ongoing service and support is important to us. RML knew this and I am pleased to say we are not disappointed. I have and will continue to recommend RML to others in our industry based on our experience
We have found RML to be a professional automation solutions provider dedicated to developing, building and maintaining our sophisticated equipment. Their open and honest approach has resulted in very positive outcomes for us.
From the first day we sat down with the RML team, through to today, we’ve been so impressed by the level of service and quality of machinery that they have built for us.
Of all of the types of packers that we have on site (past and present) the RML packers have proven to be the most reliable, and easiest to maintain.
The design process went very smoothly, start up and commissioning went better than we anticipated. We have found the RML team to be professional, proactive and very responsive to questions and quick to resolve any problems for us.
IF YOU HAVE A PRODUCTION CHALLENGE,
WE’D LOVE TO SOLVE IT.
6 Chafer Place,
Burbush, Hamilton 3200
13-17 Hillwin St,
Reservoir VIC 3073
