how a pizza dough producer tackled palletizing challenges

Palletizing could seem easy—till you’re lifting 43-pound packing containers all day, stacking them six ft excessive, and struggling to seek out employees keen to tackle the grueling activity. For one pizza dough producer, this bottleneck wasn’t simply slowing manufacturing—it was making staffing a relentless headache. The answer? Automation. See how Robotiq’s PE20 palletizer helped them overcome area constraints, cut back reliance on temp labor, and maintain manufacturing shifting. 

The corporate

This explicit buyer has a singular focus: they make and distribute pizza dough. With only a handful of SKUs, their course of is streamlined—however not with out its challenges. Their dough balls are packed into packing containers and shipped to distributors serving eating places, retail, and meals service companies.

The problem: a job nobody wished

Palletizing may seem easy, however for this producer, it turned a significant bottleneck. The packing containers weighed as much as 43 kilos every (20 kg), and stacks reached as much as six ft excessive (1.8m). The repetitive lifting and overhead work made it an extremely strenuous job—one which was nearly inconceivable to employees.

The corporate relied closely on temp labor to fill their two 10-hour shifts, which got here at a excessive value and with fixed turnover. In some instances, manufacturing needed to decelerate simply to shift employees to cowl the palletizing activity. It was clear: this job wanted automation.

Why Robotiq’s answer was the right match (actually)  

A number of elements made Robotiq’s palletizing answer the precise alternative:

1. Dealing with Heavy Containers – The corporate was initially contemplating a heavier-duty industrial robotic, however the timing was good: Common Robots had simply elevated the payload capability of the UR20 from 20 kg to 25 kg. This meant that as a substitute of going with a bigger system, they may deploy the compact and environment friendly PE20 cobot palletizer, which was cheaper and higher fitted to their wants.
2. A Compact Footprint – Area was tight. Conventional industrial palletizers had been removed from ultimate because of their giant footprint. Robotiq’s answer, with its versatile and compact design, was capable of match into the shopper’s accessible area with simply inches to spare. With the assistance of Robotiq’s utility staff, the setup was optimized to operate seamlessly inside these constraints.
3. Sensible Path Planning – In a cluttered atmosphere, motion issues. Robotiq’s software program permits customers to outline restricted zones, guaranteeing the robotic can function effectively even in shut quarters. This was vital in making the system work inside the buyer’s workspace.

Recommendation for producers contemplating automation

For those who suppose automation isn’t potential on your facility, suppose once more. This buyer initially assumed their constraints—field weight, restricted area, and the character of their operation—would make robotic palletizing inconceivable. However by bringing the problem to Robotiq, they discovered an answer tailor-made to their wants.

For any producer dealing with labor shortages, excessive turnover, or bodily demanding duties, the important thing takeaway is that this: don’t rule out automation earlier than exploring the probabilities. With the precise expertise and the precise staff, even the hardest challenges will be solved.

For those who’re battling the same bottleneck, attain out. We’ll make it easier to discover a option to make automation be just right for you.