Clearpack Palletizing Solution

Story

Leading provider of packaging automation solutions, Clearpack is established in Singapore and has clients in Southeast Asia, China, India, the Middle East, and Africa. As soon as Clearpack learned about cobot manufacturer Universal Robots+ (UR+), a global product platform offering third party certified plug and play solutions for Universal Robots (UR) cobots, it was able to quickly design a safe, small, and simple-to-use palletizing solution using a UR10 cobot and the LIFTKIT by SKF Motion Technologies, a leading global supplier of linear motion components. This has aided a large number of Clearpack clients in the FMCG industry in optimizing their warehouse space and experiencing a quick return on investment (ROI).

Challenge

Many times, while planning the layout of the manufacturing floor, manufacturers fail to account for a place for auto palletizing, an automated method of stacking cases of products onto a pallet. They face a space issue as a result. Clearpack, which is dedicated to creating clever and innovative solutions, set out to design an effective palletizing system for its customers that is secure, small, adaptable, and simple to use, allowing businesses to make the best use of their warehouse storage space.

Solution

As a result of using UR cobots to create a case erecting and packing solution for its clients in the past, Clearpack was already familiar with Universal Robots (UR). As a result of the partnership’s success, the team returned to UR to develop a palletizing solution, this time with the aid of the UR+ ecosystem and LIFTKIT from SKF Motions Technologies.

Flexibility

One of the primary factors that led Clearpack to select UR was its open platform, which gave the user the freedom to program the application themselves.

Ease of Use

In order for its customers in the FMCG sector to swiftly adapt to the solution, Clearpack had to make sure that it was simple to execute. This was made easier by the cobot’s collaborative nature and the user-friendly human-machine interface provided by UR.

Safe

As they collaborate with numerous top global corporations that have strict safety standards, risk assessment is an essential component of any project feasibility study for Clearpack. The team was able to put together a system without the requirement for a safety guard with the suitable application and a well designed set of accessories. When using large traditional industrial robots, safety guards are frequently needed, which raises the cost of installation and requires rearranging the factory’s layout.

“Most of our customers, while building their manufacturing facility, will not have considered space for auto palletization. UR’s compact foot print and ease-of-use has made auto palletization feasible. The cobot also enables a more ergonomic and safe way for handling repetitive tasks such as palletizing.

“When it comes to cobots, our choice is very clear, the best solution in the market is Universal Robots. UR, the market leader in this segment, provides uncompromised flexibility with a very good cost to quality ratio. The cobot integrates easily into the production line with minimum accessories. Its lightweight nature also enables it to be transferred from one production line to the other with just castor wheels. These factors help recover the investment spend faster,” said Vishnu Puranik, General Manager, Clearpack.

Optimizing Warehouse Storage Space

After deciding on a cobot, the team searched for the right accessory to improve the palletizing solution and allow the cobot to stack objects higher, maximizing the amount of storage space in the manufacturing facility.

The team came across the LIFTKIT while browsing the UR+ online showroom. This robotic add-on can be mounted to the base of a cobot and allows it to be raised vertically by up to 900mm with a small retracted height. The group immediately contacted SKF Motion Technologies to place an order.

“We were pleased to hear from Clearpack who were interested to integrate the LIFTKIT and the UR10 for a palletizing solution. The LIFTKIT complements the UR cobot very well, by adding an additional linear axis to extend its range. A UR system is an investment for the customer, and the LIFTKIT is an accessory that can help maximize this investment in terms of productivity and return on investment.

“The UR+ platform offers a fantastic opportunity to showcase our products for this booming market of cobots. It is a very targeted way to promote our products specifically designed for Universal Robots. The response has been overwhelming since joining UR+. We have never had such an immediate impact and market response with a new product launch,” said Thomas Lotz, Business Support Manager, SKF Motion Technologies.

“Since the LIFTKIT was designed based on UR requirements, it was pretty easy for us to integrate and put the whole system together, taking not more than a day. We looked at different options but with the LIFTKIT we were able to get the required stack heights with the linear speed that we wanted. So, it was an easy decision for us. SKF Motion Technologies is also a trusted name in the market that gave us the assurance to go ahead with the LIFTKIT,” added Vishnu.

Through its cobots and the UR+ platform working with the LIFTKIT, UR provided Clearpack with a great way to satisfy its clients’ needs. Due to this, orders for the palletizing solution have increased.