Case Sortation
Case sortation creates benefits for end of line production:
- Productivity
- Accuracy
- Flexibility
- Cost
Sortation is used in a variety of areas to move materials throughout a facility:
Induction: Introducing a variety of products or numerous cases into a warehouse storage system to be recalled at a later time for order fulfillment
Order Picking: Moving ordered products from storage to picking areas, and completed orders to trailer-loading area for distribution
Sorting: Organizing products to deliver them to their final destination
Staging: Routing and holding items for further processing or packaging
Transportation: Moving pallets, cases and totes throughout a facility
Warehousing: Moving products from receiving to storage
EXAMPLE APPLICATION
Automated Case Handling - Robotic Tray Unload
This video shows a FANUC M710iC/70 robot handling cases picked from tray patterns and loaded to an outgoing conveyor. FANUC 3DV vision equipment identifies box locations and the robot calculates the desired pick grouping to maximize cases handled but also avoid interferences. The robot vacuum EOAT can accommodate cases in a range of sizes and orientations.
- Decant system with two parallel lanes of incoming product increases automation efficiency
- FANUC 3DV vision system identifies case locations to analyze best group for pick selection
- FANUC M710iC arm with vacuum pad gripper decants cases to an outbound conveyor
- System is capable of handling cases within a large range of size and color
EXAMPLE APPLICATION
Robotic Layer Form Automated Case Handling
This video shows a FANUC M710iC/50 robot handling cases to form layers at downstream conveyor operations. Cases manipulated at less than 1.5 seconds per case, shifted and rotated as the line transfers with robot line tracking. Upstream 2D iRvision equipment identifies the infeed case condition and the robot calculates the desired layer form position. The robot servo EOAT can accommodate a range of case sizes.
- Vision system identifies case locations for robot to track and manipulate
- Servo gripper dynamically adjusts to handle variation in case size
- Cases are shifted into positions that will build patterns at the downstream conveyor