[CASE STUDY] How to automate the packaging of pizzas with different formats and boxes?
Customer context
Our customer already had an automated line that it wanted to make more flexible in order to change format types and improve the production rates to gain in productivity. The equipment had to include the following functions: destacking, load the pizzas into the boxes and close them, then transfer the cases to the existing conveyor system.
Objectives to be achieved
- Optimise case height
- Facilitate case filling
- Reduce the risk of product blockings
- Reduce format changeover times
- Increase production rates
Desired technical features
- 55 pizzas / minute
- Easy adjustments
- Support for different format (round and square) ranging from 160 x 200 x 27 mm minimum to a maximum of 330 x 400 x 37
Our solution should take into account the specificities of the product and its packaging
- Product deforms
- Product with difficulties to accumulate
- Product sensitive to scratches and plastic tearing
- Topping that moves easily
- Case with printing and varnish
- Cardboard with display window
MG Tech solution
To meet the customer requirements, MG Tech designed and manufactured a multiformat cartoning machine, measuring 10 meters long and 2 meters wide, able to handle up to 6 different box formats. Being proactive, MG Tech proposed cardboard plans perfectly adapted to customer products.
The cartoning machine can handle different types of products: pizza in shrink-wrapped film with base, quiche in aluminum tray in shrink-wrapped film, pizza in non-shrinked film without base, etc.
This all-in-one machine can package up to 60 pizzas / min instead of the 55 pizzas initially requested, guaranteing a gain in productivity. It is composed of:
- Conveying systems which fit perfectly into the existing factory footprint. They ensure the transfer of products leaving production and the plastic film wrapping process until closed boxes are released. Our conveyors are designed to streamline the product arrival, especially in the areas of tracking and pizza loading.
- An XY vision system for gripping ensuring the quality of product handling and the control of spacing between pizzas
- A box blank magazine gathering ergonomy and safety
- A continuous kinematics for the production rate and the fluidity for case shaping
- 5 axis Delta robots with unitary gripping
The major advantage of our pizza cartoning machine: supporting several box formats in one single machine
One of the main benefits is that with one signle machine, our customer is able to manage different types of pizzas and boxes. Through simple and easy adjustments, he can modify its formats according to his production without losing time.