HMPS - News
Dy-Mark Goes Robotic |
Oct 22 2008 |
Many companies are adopting robotic technology systems in their production processes to gain a competitive advantage. This includes Dy-Mark, an Australian owned and operated company which manufactures specialised aerosol products, and also supplies a range of labelling and coding equipment through its Identification Solutions Division. They are a key supplier of aerosol coatings products to the Timber, Steel, Surveying, Mining and Rural industries.
Prior to purchasing a robot cell, Dy-Mark used a semi automated system. Cartons were erected by hand and aerosol cans were packed into cartons using a semi-automatic case-over packer. The machine required the operator to form the carton over a group of cans. “This procedure was very labour intensive and our staff were working long hours”, says Dy-Mark’s Operations Manager, Gary Nuss. “We wanted an alternative to manual operation and after conducting some research, installing a fully automated system seemed like the right way to go. The HMPS6000 Robotic Cell has reduced our operating costs, and reduced fatigue for our factory staff.”
After talking to many automated machine manufacturers, Dy-Mark chose to purchase a robotic system through Hot Melt Packaging Systems (HMPS) because of their high quality products, extensive experience and innovation, and because they are an Australian company.
The HMPS6000 Robotic Case Packing Cell was designed and manufactured to suit Dy-Mark’s requirements. Research and development was done in house by HMPS. The robot cell is a fully automatic case-packer, designed to cope with continuous production, with integration of an ABB pick and place robot. “The HMPS6000 reduces the amount of labour in the packaging process, particularly removing repetitive operator movements which can lead to fatigue”, says HMPS Managing Director, Mark Emmett.
The robot works by having a single line of cans fed into the packing cell. A product pusher creates the 3 x 4 pack configuration. At the same time, an IRB2400 Robot erects a regular slotted carton into the carton hold station, then picks and places the 12 cans using a mechanical gripping mechanism. This mechanism consists of a number of bellows inflated in between cans and held within external retaining pins to achieve a positive pick and place movement. Once loaded, the carton is pushed into the top and bottom taper. The system is capable of packing 50 - 60 cans per minute.
The design features include proven equipment which offers reliability and flexibility, compact machine footprint, electrically interlocked safety doors and guarding to Australian standards. Also, a graphical operator panel is used to assist in the machines start up, operation and fault finding.
HMPS invited Mark Luft, the National Sales Manager for Dy-Mark’s Identification Solutions Division to view the system during manufacture, and prior to shipment. “It is important to us to have excellent business relationships with our customers” says Mark. “The adherence to delivery schedules and optimal customer service are constant factors in our company's direction”.
The HMPS Robot project took just 4 months from conception to installation. “We needed to keep the time frame, from conception to installation, to a minimum”, Luft says, having managed the installation of several new labelling systems into Dy-Mark’s production line to complement the new HMPS Robot.
The robotic cell received thousands of viewers when it was displayed at the Royal Adelaide Show this year in the Technology section.
For further information contact Hot Melt Packaging Systems, Mark Emmett (08) 8150 1000, website: www.hmps.com.au.
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