Driving the Intelligent Packing of Aluminium Extrusions

This specially built machine was designed to pick and pack aluminium extrusions at the end of the production line. Our automatic extrusion packing machine has reduced labour costs for our client without the need for installing supplementary machinery. State of the art laser sensing technology maps 3D images of the product and identifies the most elegant way to handle it for picking and packing. Our user interfaces and control systems afford our client a high level of control over the presentation and arrangement of the product in its final pack.

Being implemented in an older factory where the product was not presented in a manner typically suitable for automation, our machine has filled a role that most in the industry would label as 'too difficult to automate'. Where our competition lists reasons as to why a project like this should not be attempted, Applied Robotics invents new design solutions to get the job done.

Advanced control and monitoring systems use parallel processing along multiple PC and PLC cores to analyse 3D laser scanned images, locate the target product and coordinate its handling by a pair of synchronised robots.

Key Machine Features

Extrusion Handling
Packs over 5000 different profile shapes of aluminium extrusion including a wide variety of complex shapes as well as the traditional tubes and RHS. Maintains a database of all the different extrusion types.

Data Logging
All operational data is logged. Scanned images are saved and can be retrieved. The contents, weight and length of each completed pack is logged and a report generated.

3D Laser Vision
Uses 3D laser sensing technology to build an image of the product, locate it and pick it up intelligently (avoiding collision with surrounding products)

Intelligent Pack Arrangement
The arrangement of the pack can be adjusted to provide the most stable, compact pattern. If the operator does not provide a preferred pack arrangement, the system automatically generates its own packing arrangement.

Lifting and Packing
Can lift and pack single extrusions or grouped bundles from 4 - 7 metres long.

Controllable Handling
Allows the operator to control the way the extrusions are handled to prevent damage to delicate features such as fins, hooks and exterior faces.

Destacking
Automatically indexes crates filled with the product along a conveyor to be destacked and packed for shipping.

Interchangeable Robot Grippers
Varying product types can be handled via specially designed interchangeable robot gripper plates.

Cardboard and Plastic Interleaving
Cardboard is placed between extrusion layers in the pack to protect the product. If required for long distance delivery, each piece can be separated in the pack by a woven layer of plastic of the suitable length for the extrusion.