Vacuum Technology Along the Logistics Process Chain

30.03.2010

From individual product packaging to the handling of complete product layers – innovative vacuum solutions provide for efficient and economic handling in all packaging and logistics processes.

Packaging affects our lives every day. The variety of packaged products and the different transportation types and methods have led to the development of a separate industry sector that is seen as a grow sector throughout the world. Approximately two-thirds of packaged goods are food items. The kind of packaging used is determined by various factors, including the different types of products and distribution methods. In fact, the function of packaging is no longer limited to simply protecting the goods during transport and storage. Packaging makes it easier to use a product, makes people aware of the product, advertises the product, and provides information about the product. It can also be viewed as an incentive to buy for the end consumer. However, there is a long way to go before the packaged product reaches the customer’s hands. Before that, a number of complex logistical processes occur – from acquisition, to storage, material flow, production, order picking, and distribution. If you track these processes, you will quickly recognize the challenges they present for product and package handling.

The diversity of packaging types and packaging materials is manageable

The aforementioned requirements result in the most varied of packaging types: cardboard boxes, bags, blister packs, trays, cans, bottles, and combinations of individual packages (multipacks). These cannot all be handled with one universal gripper. Each of them requires a special gripper, or at least a multifunctional gripping system which can be used in various ways. This is where mechanical, electrical or pneumatic grippers have distinct disadvantages (even in combination). They often are too expensive, and they are still too inflexible. You also have to get a handle on the different packaging materials, such as paper, cardboard boxes, wood, metal, glass, plastic/PET and composite materials, and work with them safely and flexibly. And you have to deal with more than just requirements: the logistical process chain from production to delivery to the end consumer is also affected by different packaging levels, especially in the consumer goods field. The primary packaging process is followed by one or more secondary packaging processes, which are in turn followed by palletizing/depalletizing processes. This results in different requirements for the type of handling, such as filling, repackaging, palletizing, depalletizing, order picking, consolidating, and repalletizing.

The practical solution to dealing with the variety of products, packaging, materials and handling tasks is always the same. The simple handling method of vacuum packing enables producers and distributors in all process steps to move products and packages safely, quickly, and economically. Vacuum specialist Schmalz offers suitable automation and handling solutions for each individual process step. Their comprehensive product range varies from individual suction pads for the handling of unpackaged products in packaging machines, to complete systems for the handling of product layers in the palletizing stations of larger picking centers, as indicated in the following examples.

Vacuum packaging can be used for products, packing material, packages, and outer packaging

In the primary packaging process, the bare product that comes from the production line is first packed into its casing. Because of the required cycle times, mechanical/electrical grippers soon reach their limits. In combination with fast SCARA or hexapod robots, vacuum suction pads from Schmalz provide for lightning-fast pick up, secure holding, swift transport to the drop position, and lightning-fast release of the products to be packaged. Schmalz has the largest selection of suction-pad shapes and materials on the market, offering the right solution for every type of user. Food-safe suction pads made of silicone allow for the safe, hygienic and uninterrupted filling of trays with pralines or cookies. The silicone material used by Schmalz conforms to all FDA and BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) regulations. Another example of initial packaging is the filling of blister packs with sensitive memory chips without damaging them.

The secondary packaging process is concerned with safe and reliable supplying, erecting, filling and closing of pre-cut cardboard boxes. Vacuum technology from Schmalz is also used here, for example, to fill and erect the pre-cut carton boxes in a fast running rotary carton erector (up to 100 cardboard boxes/minute). For this purpose, suction pads made of the extra wear-resistant material, ELASTODUR, are used. These suction pads were specially designed for the packaging industry. With their reinforced basic body and adaptable sealing lip, they are particularly suited for cardboard boxes and rigid products. The perfect choice for unstable products, such as foil packs, packs of fruit gums, shrink-wrapped chocolate bars or yoghurt drinks, is foil suction pads (made of natural rubber), which were specifically designed for this purpose.

Schmalz also supplies all of the components that are needed to implement complete vacuum gripping systems and to mount them on all sorts of handling equipment and robots. The powerful ejectors, pumps and blowers that provide the vacuum supply were consistently designed with energy efficiency and cost effectiveness in mind. Vacuum valves and switches are used to control and monitor the vacuum and ensure a maximum level of safety in the process. Filters, connection elements and attachment elements round out the product range.

Streamlined palletizing/depalletizing of packages during order picking

The handling of products and goods in the previous process steps always occurs automatically. Both manual and robot-assisted systems can be used for the subsequent stacking/re-stacking and palletizing/depalletizing of outer boxes, crates and containers. For manual palletizing/depalletizing, Schmalz offers vacuum-tube lifters from the JumboErgo and JumboFlex series. They allow for the ergonomic, safe and fast movement of many different types of goods. The user can choose between multiple gripper versions for all types of cardboard boxes, paper and plastic sacks, product layers, and pallets. In addition, the quick-change adapter can be used to quickly change the grippers (as needed) without the need for additional tools.

Multifunctional vacuum gripping systems from Schmalz are used in automated palletizing stations, which are mainly found in large storage and distribution centers. They are suitable for single-pick, row-pick and layer-pick applications. If necessary, the vacuum specialists at Schmalz will take charge of the entire project planning, thereby ensuring fast and trouble-free integration with the overall system.
Individual gripping systems can be cost-effectively implemented from the flexibly designed FXC large-area vacuum grippers and the rigidly built SSP vacuum spiders. On the other hand, the SPZ vacuum layer gripping system is the perfect choice for palletizing/depalletizing layers of products and packages. It is capable of picking various product layers on one single pallet. The different positioning of the products within a layer is not a problem.

Once it has been packaged and palletized, the product now continues its journey towards the end consumer. An examination of the preceding processes shows that intelligent automation and material flow configuration can produce appreciable gains in productivity throughout all packaging and logistics process flows. Extensive process know-how and a wide product range with many industry-specific developments make Schmalz the leading supplier of vacuum solutions for all processes.

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J. Schmalz GmbH Marketing Communications Aacher Strasse 29 D-72293 Glatten	Tel.: +49 (0)7443 2403-506 Fax: +49 (0)7443 2403-9506 presse@schmalz.de

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J. Schmalz GmbH Customer Centre Aacher Strasse 29 D-72293 Glatten	Tel.: +49 (0)7443 2403-105 Fax: +49 (0)7443 2403-9105 kundencenter@schmalz.de

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