In the food processing industry, case packing is often a viable option for automation, especially as new innovations make the machines washdown capable and smaller.
Case packing involves putting packaged product into a box (case) for shipping purposes. The cases are moved directly onto a pallet. Cases are often opened before product can be stocked at the retail location. Carton loading, on the other hand, is when the actual product is put into a container (carton) that will be opened and placed directly onto a retail shelf or unpacked before product is shelved. Cartons are often packed into cases before shipping.
Automated case packing has been around for decades-more so in industrial processing applications versus food processing. In recent years, labor shortages, rising costs and new technologies have helped drive the rise of integrations in food processing.
Case Packing Solution Design
Case design is among the biggest influencers in a case-packing solution’s design.
Different processors use different cases to ship their product. They choose the style and size to match their specific product. For example, a meat processor might use heavier-weight clamshell boxes to prevent sagging or breaking when palletized. When packed, the processors what as little spare room in the case as possible. This allows them to pack more cases onto a pallet, which means more product per pallet.
How product goes into the case must also be considered. Products can be loaded into cases from the top, bottom or sides.
Pallet pattern is another factor the case-packer OEM will consider.
Processors create a pallet pattern to put as many crates as possible onto a pallet without it getting too heavy, too tall or too wide. If the case-packing solution also palletizes boxes, it will need to load cases onto the pallet into the correct formation. It must also pack them as tightly as possible for stability. And it needs to do it at high speeds.
Case packing is typically done in a separate area from the primary food handling area and therefore doesn’t need to be washdown capable. This type of automation has been in the food processing industry the longest as it didn’t have to wait for food-grade robots to catch up.
Some processors do need a washdown-capable case packer, and therefore couldn’t automate this process until Stäubli introduced the first food-grade robots. Unlike previous robots, these could be cleaned with chemicals and hit with hot, high-pressure sprays.
Case-packer designers and programmers will take the number of SKUs into account as well. In the design, the manufacturer will need to accommodate different case sizes for different SKUs. For example, rails may need to be movable depending on the current SKU’s case size. Because the changeover results in downtime, it must take place as quickly and smoothly as possible. The case-packer design takes this into account to mitigate that downtime.
Typically, there is no limit to the number of SKUs a case packer can process. The complexity of the SKUs and the difference in cases, which can increase the number of changeovers needed on a regular basis, are really the only limiting factors. In some cases, it would be more profitable for the processor to invest in multiple case packers to accommodate a wide variety of SKU types.
One of the key reasons many food processors consider an automated case-packing solution is speed.
Processors want to pack and palletize as many cases as possible in as little time as possible. If they can’t pack it for shipping, they can’t sell it. And if the case packer can’t keep up with production, it can create bottlenecks and lost revenue.
This typically means more robots are required to automate the process, which results in more room needed. This is part of why case packers have typically required a large footprint-more robots meant a longer line or multiple lines. Smaller case packers don’t take up as much room, but they also typically can’t hit the desired speeds.
If space couldn’t be allotted for an automated case packer, food processors rely on people.
Product orientation is another factor.
As mentioned earlier, processors lay out the packing design of the case to minimize unused space while protecting the product during shipping. This can include reorienting product before placing it in the case. In those cases, a camera will be needed to guide the robot’s actions.
In some cases, the way team members are packing cases isn’t replicable with a robot. For example, boxes have to be literally squeezed into the case by hand. Often, robots can’t do that at high speeds. In that case, the processor may rethink the case size and/or product quantity.
When designing the end of arm tooling (EOAT), the manufacturer will take a variety of the above into consideration. There are numerous styles available-gripper, vacuum, mechanical and combos. Each fits a different product/package style and speed requirements.
EnSight Case-Packing Solution
When working with food processors, the EnSight Solutions sales and engineering teams heard that footprint was a major issue. Food processors simply did not have the space to dedicate to an automated case-packing solution that could meet their needs and provide an optimal ROI.
The team used that input to set the main goal for an automated, wash-down capable case-packing solution-make it as small as possible.
The final solution contains all the components and quality craftsmanship customers expect from EnSight products.
The EnSight automated case-packing solution is ultimately the smallest in the industry. It is fully washdown capable and features Stäubli robotics. It can pack hundreds of parts per minute, depending on the product and number of robots.
When planning your case-packing solution, the EnSight team will work closely with you to understand your product, case and palletizing processes and style. They will discuss speeds, ROI and even visit your facility to see the process in person.
In the end, you’ll be able to reallocate team members to better positions and increase efficiency and safety. To learn more about how EnSight Solutions can help you with the industry’s smallest automated case packer, please contact our sales consultants.
