F A C T O R Y
shapes without the need to change
the robot or the gripper. This
ultimately saves businesses money
and time in the long run, reducing
the need for regular upgrades.
An installation of ABB’s palletising
system has helped one of Australia’s
largest breweries keep up with
demand.
The Foster’s plant in Yatala is
using this new robotics system to
efficiently pack cartons of beer in
specific stable patterns with as
little noise as possible and gentle
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handling. The robots are flexible
and able to cope with different
products, packing arrangements
and packaging types. They also
don’t require much maintenance
and if one fails, production can still
go ahead.
ABB’s IRB 6640 robot features
upper end extenders and
different wrist modules which
can be customised and can bend
backwards to fit into tighter spaces
and crowded production lines.
Once the stacked pallets arrive on a
conventional stacker, the pallets are
isolated and moved to the unloading
station. The robot grasps each keg,
with a maximum payload of 235kg,
rotates it through 180 degrees and
places it on a conveyor belt. Another
robot then loads the kegs back on
to empty pallets for distribution.
These robots can be used with
ABB’s RobotStudio software, which
checks the residue in the keg,
capacity and pressure conditions
as well as the correct temperature
for cleaning and rinsing agents. The
system can be used while the robot
is operational and records data
relating to the life cycle of kegs.
Consumer preferences are
changing, and breweries must
change with them Milenovic says.
“Using technological innovations
such as robots help. While
inconsistencies add value to
artwork, automation solutions allow
beer that is crafted with 100 per
cent consistency.”
28 APRIL / MAY 2020