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No midsummer daydreaming for the robot |
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| Starting point / Task definition |
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 | | No midsummer daydreaming for the robot |  |
The seasonally fluctuating “fast mover” products are produced in far higher numbers than the standard products. At Gilde they run on five production lines. In order to get them to the customer as fast as possible, an order-picking system able to handle the product diversity and also the increased capacity was required. |
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| Implementation / Solution |
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The KUKA palletizing robot, a KR 180 PA, has two jobs to do at Gilde. It is integrated into a system concept from KUKA Norway. A fork lift truck fetches pallets of crates, each containing large quantities of unmixed products. According to the customer order, the robot is told by the warehouse’s central computer which product to pick up next.
The robot checks for itself whether it has grasped the correct product by holding the crate against a scanner. A new code is then stuck onto the crate to specify the customer for delivery. The KR 180 PA robot then sets it down on a conveyor which transfers it to the next storeroom.
The gripper of the KUKA robot is designed to be able to recognize and grip the plastic boxes in their various different positions. It is fitted with an ultrasound sensor system for monitoring distances. This allows the robot to be guided at the fastest possible speed to the first pick position. Once it has reached the crate, the clamping gripper initially remains loosely closed until it has found the ideal gripping position. Only then does it tighten its grip. Using vacuum gripper technology, the robot can move empty pallets aside. This task only exploits about 65 percent of the KR 180 PA’s utilization capacity. During the remaining time, it order-picks goods that have been put together by company employees. |
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| System components / Scope of supply |
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- Robots: KR 180 PA
- Controllers: KR C2
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| Results / Success |
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| In midsummer, 500 to 900 tonnes of meat products leave the order-picking area in Tonsberg every week. The robot handles ten tonnes a day. It works 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Five different products are order-picked on the robotic system. The flexibility of the system enables it to be adapted appropriately when the products change. As its gripper is both sensitive and stable, the KUKA robot is able to handle very lightweight crates as well as ones weighing up to 25 kg. |
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| Industry |
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| Food and beverages |
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| Application |
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Handling, loading and unloading
Palletizing
Packaging and order picking
Other handling operations |
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