TRANSFORMATION OF INTER-OPERATIONAL PALLET LOGISTICS
Situation in the company before the implementation of the solution
The customer was facing problems associated with inefficient inter-operation transfer and pallet packing in the production hall. Finished products were being created at the individual production sites and then placed on pallets. These pallets were manually transported by electric trolleys from the production lines to a separate packing station, where they were packed by semi-automatic foiling machines. The whole process of inter-plant transport and packaging was time-consuming, required significant operator effort and was also financially unsustainable in the long term. Due to rising costs and the need to optimise processes, the customer decided to modernise this area and invest in automation using autonomous mobile robots (AMR).
Customer problem
In production, finished products placed on pallets were manually transported by electric trolleys to the packaging workplace, where semi-automatic packaging and preparation for dispatch took place.
The customer faced the following problems in particular:
- Alignment of production and logistics operator - The logistics operator was performing multiple activities at once, causing delayed responses to production requests. These delays had a direct impact on the efficiency of the production equipment.
- The need for an operator during packaging - Although the packaging process was semi-automatic, it required the presence of an operator. This factor was particularly critical in the context of the labour shortage facing not only the company but also the labour market as a whole.
These bottlenecks were limiting the efficiency, reliability and flexibility of production processes and therefore the need for a systematic solution arose.
Solutions
A pilot project (POC – Proof of Concept) was carried out to verify the functionality of the autonomous system in real customer conditions. After its successful completion, a complex solution consisting of several fully integrated elements was deployed:
- Inter-operational transport via AMR model CBD15 - completely eliminating the need for a logistics operator. The production worker enters a request for pallet removal via a call-out system that generates transport jobs directly in the dispatching system.
- Automatic filming - the packaging line operates without the need for operator intervention, reducing staff effort and increasing packaging consistency.
- Automatic picking of empty pallets - Palomat ensures autonomous pallet feeding, with communication being done systemically (Machine to Machine), without human intervention.
- Ease of operation through integration with existing infrastructure - process control and monitoring is integrated into the customer's existing imaging equipment, allowing for flexibility and intuitive operation without the need for major changes.
Benefits for the customer
The deployed solution has delivered multiple benefits to the customer in terms of productivity, efficiency and operational reliability:
By deploying the solution, the customer achieved noticeable improvements in production areas. Productivity was significantly increased by eliminating the need for human operators when transporting, packing or handling empty pallets. At the same time, the overall efficiency of the production facilities was increased – by automating inter-operational transfers, delays caused by the delayed response of logistics operators were eliminated.
Another benefit was cost savings – thanks to the use of 4G communication, there was no need to build additional WiFi infrastructure. The combination of AMR, automatic packaging and empty pallet supply provided a comprehensive solution that significantly reduced the number of manual interventions. The result is a flexible system capable of responding quickly to changing production needs without the need for human intervention.
Unique elements of the solution
The solution included a number of innovative and specific features that were key to successful automation:
- Pre-installation pilot project (POC): before the actual deployment of the solution, a pilot project was carried out to confirm the technical and operational functionality of the proposed system in real customer conditions.
- Communication via 4G mobile data: Instead of using WiFi, the AMR robots' communication was provided over a 4G network, eliminating the cost of building infrastructure and ensuring higher transmission reliability.
- Implementation of a special summoning system: this system allows the production operator to easily enter requests for pallet removal. The requests are automatically transformed into transport jobs in the dispatching system.
- Direct connection of the AMR robot to the Palomat: the AMR robot autonomously picks up empty pallets from the automatic tray without human intervention.
- Unloading onto the packing line conveyor: the AMR robot accurately and autonomously places full pallets onto the infeed conveyor of the packing line.
- Integration into the customer's display devices: the system control was adapted to the existing infrastructure, which simplified operation and increased management flexibility.
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