Automated Materials Handling

Materials handling is the cornerstone of industrial automation. Real competitive advantage comes not from automating simple, repetitive tasks, but from deploying adaptable solutions that overcome the limits of conventional dead-reckoning methods.

We focus on material handling challenges that standard systems are unable to solve. From complex depalletising loads to managing high-mix parts, our solutions combine advanced 2D/3D vision and laser sensing to scan in real-time. This flexibility ensures precise and reliable handling, even in challenging conditions.

Depalletising: the hardest job in materials handling

Palletising is a relatively straightforward process to automate, as components start in uniform and predictable positions. It’s significantly more challenging when you reverse the process. During transport, boxes and materials often shift, tilt or lose their perfect alignment, making them far more difficult to handle with traditional systems. To solve this, our solutions utilise advanced 2D/3D vision and laser sensors to scan each pallet layer in real-time, providing precise coordinates for every item and ensuring accurate picking even when products or parts are out of place.

When materials change, automation adapts

Real-world materials introduce another layer of complexity. We have extensive experience in handling items that are geometrically variable and sensitive to environmental factors, such as humidity. Porous materials such as carton blanks and timber gluts often swell or warp, making dead-reckoning approaches unreliable. Our sensor-guided approach overcomes this by providing the robot with new data for every pick, allowing the system to adapt to the actual, current shape and size of each item, regardless of material variations.

Precision handling with sensors and vision

The majority of our materials handling solutions are guided by advanced sensor technology. We integrate laser sensors and 2D/3D vision systems to provide our robots with accurate, real-time coordinates for every pick-and-place function. This sensor-driven approach ensures items are precisely located and handled, even if they have shifted, warped, or fallen out of position. By combining robust robotics with intelligent vision and sensing technology, our solutions are not just powerful and fast, but innovative and adaptable.

Proven solutions for industry leaders

We’ve engineered robotic handling automation solutions that deliver measurable results for some of the region’s most recognised manufacturers.

  • Unilever’s plastic bottle depalletising system flips, empties, doses and transfers bottles with precision while seamlessly handling cartons, eliminating spillage and streamlining packaging flow.
  • CSR Cemintel’s dual-gripper robotic cell automates pallet and timber glut placement, replacing two separate systems with one and delivering over 18 years of reliable operation.
  • Capral’s extrusion solution utilises a custom 500 kg heat-resistant gripper to load 300 kg billets into presses at 500 °C, achieving near-perfect alignment accuracy.We specialise in materials handling automation where precision and flexibility matter most, delivering systems that adapt to shifting loads and complex workflows.

Interested in Materials Handling Automation? Get in touch and speak with one of our specialists.

Our work with BHP

Increase in operational efficiency
10 %
Savings achieved and counting
$ m
Client retention rate
%
Projects successfully completed
+

We are industry agnostic and design and deploy materials handling solutions for all sectors.

FAQs

ROI comes not only from labour savings but also from higher efficiency and uptime. By automating a frequent bottleneck, we increase throughput, reduce product damage and minimise stoppages. With 24/7 operation, systems deliver faster ROI by maximising output.

Our systems are built for adaptability. The same sensor-guided technology that manages shifted or warped materials also recognises different product shapes and sizes. This flexibility makes them ideal for operations with diverse product mixes and fast changeovers.

We use industrial-grade robots built for 24/7 operation and sensor-driven methods that eliminate manual fixes or alignment delays, ensuring fast, reliable material flow.

Simply complete and submit our contact form. Our solutions team will get in touch to set up a discovery call.

Learn from our team about how they work together with our clients to build automated solutions and solve complex technical problems.

Case studies