Robot Arms: Efficient Packaging and Material Handling

Manufacturers across industries are facing rising labor costs and severe challenges in filling roles for common shop floor tasks such as pick-and-place operations. Collaborative robots, or ‘Cobot robot arms,’ can now more efficiently take over many of these operations, allowing businesses to reallocate their best workers to more strategic tasks.

Read on to learn more about the most beneficial application of robot arms across multiple processes.

Cobot Robots in End-of-Line Packaging Automation

Whether pick and place operations or automated palletizing, cobot robots offer multiple advantages. Robot arms have a much smaller footprint and offer a safer alternative to complex traditional automation - making it more accessible for human operators. SMEs with limited real estate on the shop floor, can benefit from the more efficient and lean robot arm instead of bulkier traditional automation. Additionally, lower robot arm costs and shorter deployment timelines offer the fastest way to boost productivity with end-of-line packaging automation.

Continue reading to learn more about how companies already use robot arms to effectively automate palletizing and pick and place operations.

Pick and Place Cobots for Case Packing Applications

Pick-and-place applications in case packing represent a significant area where cobot robots excel. Sorting through and placing objects in various containers can be repetitive, and physically straining - making it a challenging role to hire and retain employees for. Using traditional automation for these tasks can often be counter-productive with their high costs and higher ROI cycles. In contrast, a collaborative robot arm offers an adaptable solution, ready-to-deploy in weeks. Most businesses also get faster payback on Robot arm costs. Paired with Vention’s intuitive platform, manufacturers now have access to a simpler and flexible way to automate.

A great example of this is McAlpine & Co., a UK-based plumbing manufacturer who successfully deployed a robot arm cell to overcome the complexities of case packing. While McAlpine had already automated various other areas on their shop floor, their case packing relied on a manual operator. With the 24/5 operation, this slowed down their production, increased costs, and created bottlenecks. McAlpine partnered with Vention, to design and implement a cobot robot cell with Universal Robots UR10e robot arm.

The automated case packing system uses a UR10e cobot robot to pick and place products into cartons, adjusting automatically based on the selected SKU. It can handle six products across four box sizes, with each setup customized for the specific item. Once packed, the cartons move onto a conveyor where they’re sealed and labeled—no human input needed.

McAlpine was proven right in their decision to automate this key process. Post-deployment, the robot arm solution yielded significant benefits for McAlpine & Co., including:

• Consistent Throughput: The cobot robot cell ensured a reliable and predictable rate of case packing, maintaining consistent throughput across different work shifts and eliminating bottlenecks often associated with manual processes.
• Liberated Workforce: Robotic arm took over the repetitive and physically demanding task of case packing, freeing up skilled operators to more strategically important tasks.
• Streamlined Integration and Setup: Pre-engineered cobot robot solution with Vention’s powerful platform made the deployment process faster and easier compared to traditional alternatives.
  
  

Robot Arm Cost Breakdown for Pick and Place Cobots

The biggest advantage of deploying a cobot robot cell for pick and place operations is the investment threshold. Over the years, robot arm costs have consistently decreased, making them an attractive choice for manufacturing.

• UR5e Robot Arm Cost: The Universal Robots UR5e, a popular and versatile cobot model suitable for a range of pick-and-place tasks. While specific features, and shipping can impact the final robot arm costs, UR5e is available in the range of $35,000 to $40,000 USD on Vention’s marketplace.
• UR10e Robot Arm Cost: Robot arm costs are typically a function of their reach and operational capacity. UR10e used by McAlpine is a medium sized cobot robot arm with a payload capacity of 12.5 kg. It’s generally available for around $50,000 on Vention’s marketplace.
• Complete Pick & Place Cell: Unlike individual robot arm costs, a complete robot pick and place cell can be harder to budget for. Features, specifications and components used such as grippers, conveyors, or safety enclosures can effectively change the final price. Trying to estimate a cobot robot cell for pick and place? Talk to the Vention team to discuss available options.

How Palletizer Robots Are Changing End-of-Line Operations

Palletizer robots are turning what was traditionally a very manual and repetitive task into a smooth and efficient operation. Palletizers robots provide simplified programming, allowing operators to set up or adjust palletizing patterns without specialized expertise easily. Their modular design enables rapid deployment and integration into existing production lines with minimal disruption. By taking over palletizing tasks, collaborative robots (colloquially referred to as cobot robots) increase consistency and efficiency, minimize downtime, and can lead to a return on investment within a short timeframe.

Polykar, a leading manufacturer of compostable bags and film products, faced multiple challenges as production volumes increased. To reduce physical strain on their staff and increase efficiency, Polykar partnered with Vention to develop a customized robot palletizer system. This cobot robot solution utilized a Universal Robots UR10e robot arm equipped with a specialized gripper to pick and place cases of finished products directly from the end of their conveyor line onto pallets.

Post-deployment, Polykar saw a significant increase in efficiency and consistency in their palletizing operations. The intuitive programming interface helped minimize downtime and the need for extensive operator training.

Key Benefits of Automated Palletizer for Polykar:

• Employee satisfaction: Leaving the risk-prone, heavy lifting to a cobot robot cell helped Polykar’s employees shift to more strategically important tasks, improving engagement and satisfaction.
• 30% Improved Productivity: The automated palletizer solution increased productivity by 30%, helping them gain a competitive edge.
• Streamlined Output: The cobot palletizer system improved predictability of production for Polykar, by eliminating hazards involved in the manual process. With reduced risk of injuries, production could continue at a more predictable pace.
  
  

Robot Arm Cost Breakdown for Palletizers

For businesses searching for an automated palletizer solution, understanding the robot arm costs as well as costs of other add-ons is crucial to allocate budget. Here are the main palletizer costs to consider:

• UR10e Robot Arm Cost: Best suited for pick-and-place applications requiring greater reach and payload, the UR10e robot arm costs around $50,000 USD. Learn more and order it seamlessly from Vention’s marketplace.
• Complete Palletizer Cost: Generally a custom palletizer cost, depends on the choice of the robot arm and other components, with added costs for design. However, with Vention, it’s possible to get a ‘ready-to-deploy’ palletizer system. The Rapid Series Palletizer costs start at around $97,500 USD, making it easy to estimate the automation investment for manufacturing businesses.
• Timeline to Recover Palletizer Costs: Most Vention clients recover their palletizer costs between 9 and 18 months after purchase. The payback period generally varies based on the number of labor resources reallocated, hours of operations, and other factors. You can also estimate your payback period on palletizer costs with Vention’s easy to use ROI Calculation tool.

The integration of robot arms into end-of-line packaging and material handling processes presents a compelling value proposition for manufacturers of all sizes. Whether the primary goal is to find a lasting solution to labor shortages, reduce the physical demands of repetitive tasks, or scale operations to meet growing market demands, cobot robots offer a versatile and cost-effective solution. Lower robot arms costs compared to traditional automation and the light footprint of cobot robots, combined with simple integration and easy programming makes them the best choice for a wide range of industrial applications.

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Want to learn more about how robot arms can help automate your operations? Get in touch with our team to explore costs, deployment options, and start your automation journey today!