Each of the two PXT grippers picks up four of the pre-packaged and labeled trays and places them in large transport boxes.

Schmalz Solution Increases Pick Rate in Food Processing

Bizerba was commissioned to develop an end-of-line system for the automated picking of meat packaging for a Spanish meat processor. The German automation specialist Kilivations and Schmalz, the expert in vacuum end effectors, were brought in as project partners. The result is a smart and highly efficient picking system for meat packaging.

Products used in the application

Features of the success story

Industry	Mechanical engineering
Workpiece	Plastic trays
Product group	Gripper Construction Kit PXT
Type of handling	Automated handling

With Schmalz

per minute

picks

The customer: Bizerba SE & Co. KG

Bizerba SE & Co. KG is a major German manufacturer of scales with its headquarters in Balingen in Baden-Württemberg. The company also manufactures cutting machines, price labeling and marking systems, among other things. Bizerba has 40 subsidiaries worldwide and employs 4,500 employees worldwide.

The challenge

The Spanish client was looking for a solution for the automated picking of wrapped meat packaging. Previously, employees stacked the food trays in transport crates after packaging, weighing and labeling. However, the speed of the manual activity did not meet the requirements and therefore limited the power. Due to a shortage of skilled workers, the meat processor had no additional staff available. The customer wanted an automated solution with a high pick rate in 24-hour operation.

Our client is very satisfied. He is now running the system with a high throughput, saving on personnel costs and with maximum process reliability thanks to the automation.

∼ Oliver Deifel, Director Global Customer Solutions & Integration Business at Bizerba

The solution from Schmalz

The solution consists of two UR cobots and the vacuum gripping solution from Schmalz: A vacuum end effector PXT was configured for each cobot. These end effectors are modular and therefore particularly flexible. If the geometry of the food trays changes at a later date, the components can be recombined. The PXT end effectors have been specially developed for applications that require precise and gentle handling of food packaging. The PSPF bellows suction cups used are made of FDA-compliant silicone and have a particularly soft sealing lip. This prevents the formation of folds in the plastic film and ensures that the trays remain in perfect condition. Another important component of the gripping solution is the Compact Pump GCPi from Schmalz. This vacuum generator supplies the grippers on the robot arm with the required vacuum and, together with the electrical 3/2-way compact valves LQEi, forms a powerful system. The GCPi works with an efficient double-head membrane pump, which is equipped with an integrated energy-saving control. This control regulates the speed of the pump as required, resulting in efficient use of energy and a reduction in operating costs. Thanks to the decentralized installation of the LQEi compact valves on the gripper, Schmalz achieves extremely fast evacuation and placement times. A conveyor belt brings the packaged and labeled plastic trays to the pick-up point of the Schmalz end effectors. Each of the two PXT grippers picks up four food packs and places them in the waiting load boxes – every five seconds, one layer at a time, 96 picks per minute. A roller conveyor then transports these crates to the dispatch area. The entire system works purely electrical. Optimized flow cross-sections and cable lengths enable the gripped workpieces to be put down quickly and reliably without compressed air. This lowers operating costs.