Langen Group of Holland make cartoning systems for high speed or difficult applications. These applications often require complex product handling and collation systems, and robotics are often used in this area to offer benefits over more conventional systems. However, a more recent development has seen the use of robots to automate the supply of carton blanks into the machines, and has proved particularly beneficial for those packaging spirit bottles into individual gift cartons, where the speeds are high, and the carton blanks are made of heavy weight board. This systems offers significant labour savings and removes the need for manual lifting of heavy trays.

A pallet containing trays of carton blanks is brought directly to the designated unloading area at the machine, and positioned according to a static vision system. A 6 axis ABB or Fanuc robot equipped with a laser photo eye can then locate the position and height of each tray on the pallet. The robot will then remove it from the pallet, and place it onto the twist conveyor of the cartoning machine, tipping it over so that the open area of the tray is then facing downwards. As the trays progress towards the machine the robot returns and lifts away the tray, leaving the carton blanks in position. The tray behind then acts as a bookend to keep the downstream carton blanks correctly positioned. Depending on the speed of the operation, the robot can also be used to deconstruct the empty trays, and stack them flat ready to be returned to the carton blank supplier.

Langen Group have supplied a number of robotic carton loading systems for both their side load and top load cartoning machines.

Langen Group are represented in the UK & Ireland by Springvale Equipment Ltd, who can be contacted on 01420 542505 or www.springvaleltd.co.uk