Efficiency improvements at a carpet yarn manufacturer
Automation of production processes is essential for increasing efficiency and reducing operational costs. At a carpet yarn manufacturer, we installed an advanced automatic palletiser to stack spools of 10 lines in wire bar containers. This case study describes the challenges, solutions and benefits of this project.Efficiency improvements at a carpet yarn manufacturer
The challenge in coil palletising in containers
The long reach of the robot palletiser posed a considerable challenge. Namely, the robot had to be able to fill two containers per line, which required a total walking distance of the stacking robots of 80 metres. In addition, the spools had to be stacked in containers with high walls, which necessitated a long Z-axis. Another aspect was creating sufficient passage between the lines.
Specifications of the coils
The coils themselves vary in diameter, which affects the stacking pattern in the containers. This meant that the robots had to be flexible enough to palletise the coils according to various stacking patterns, depending on the specific diameters of the coils.
Solution for stacking spools in containers
The solution to these challenges was to install robots on an 80-metre-long guide axis. To achieve the required speed, two palletising robots were deployed. These robots take the spools in threes from the infeed conveyors and palletise them into the containers according to the desired pattern.
Robots and guide axis
The 80-metre-long guide axis (X-axis of the robot), on which the robots were mounted, was mounted at height. This made it possible to provide the robots with a long Z-axis that could reach deep into the tall containers to lay down the coils. The supply tracks of the coils were also mounted at height, which allowed a passage between the containers and the lines and improved the overall efficiency of the system.Robots and guide axis
Stacking patterns
The stacking pattern of the coils depends on their diameter. This requires sophisticated programming of the robots to ensure optimal filling of each container without damaging the bobbins. The flexibility of the system allows the manufacturer to handle different types of yarn without any hardware modifications.Stacking patterns
Advantages of the automatic palletising system
The implementation of this automatic palletising system offers several advantages:
Conclusion
The installation of an automatic palletiser for palletising spools at a carpet yarn manufacturer led to significant improvements in efficiency, cost savings, and product quality. By mounting the robots on an 80-metre long guide axis and using a long Z-axis, the system could be used flexibly and effectively. This case study illustrates how advanced automation can provide solutions to complex industrial challenges and have a significant impact on production processes.