Custom Automatic Bag Palletizer Cell

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Customer Requirement & Project Info

Customer Requirement: This customer requested an automatic bag palletizer cell that would receive product from two filling lines, and one robot to pick up and place the bags into a pallet sleeve in seven different specified configurations based on the size of the bag.

Solution: MESH designed, manufactured, integrated, and started up a custom-engineered bag palletizing system. Learn more about MESH’s bag palletizing automation capabilities.

Unique Challenges: Due to the customer’s tall pallet sleeve, MESH chose a vacuum end-of-arm tool instead of a traditional claw-style tool. Using vacuum on a bag of this type required bag conditioning to remove wrinkles and provide a level picking surface for the robot. To accomplish this, MESH used its unique square roll conveyor as part of the bag infeed system. Their bag conditioning system worked very well with the powdery material that was inside the bag.

Additionally, MESH worked with the vacuum pickup supplier to develop a foam seal that would hold up to the abrasion and provide an adequate seal.

Using a vacuum to pick up both paper and plastic bags at a high cycle rate resulted in MESH optimizing the bag presentation to the robot to reduce robot moves to a minimum. This was achieved through a side push on the bag conveyor and a double bag pickup side by side.

Components

  • Two conveyors to receive bags from two filling lines
  • A push device at the infeed conveyors to change the orientation of the bag
  • A bag conditioning system with lift tables and MESH’s unique square roller conveyors
  • ABB IRB460 Robot with 110 kg handling capacity and 2.4-meter reach
  • PAB vacuum gripper end-of-arm tool to lift two bags ranging in size from 25 to 50 lbs. at one time

User-Friendly Operator Interface Features

  • Cell overview with status of robot, safeties, and mode
  • Alarm banner at the top of every screen
  • Screen navigation and fault reset at the bottom of every screen
  • Manual control screen for output devices
  • Input status screen for all sensors
  • Active alarms screen and alarm history screen
  • Product selection screen
  • Product parameters edit screen
  • Production counters – total parts processed and cycle time

Productivity

  • OEE: 90%
  • Cycle Rate: Up to 10 bags per minute, based on the weight of the bag