We, "TRUE OKURA", provide the most advanced logistics technology of our parent company, Okura Yusoki Co., Ltd., in Thailand. Labor saving and automation are challenges for many Thai companies, but in factories for ice cream, frozen food, bread dough, and medical supplies, labor intensive operation by replacing a large number of workers by shifts in a severe frozen environment are the mainstream.
In this article, we will introduce the achievement of installing the first robot palletizing and transfer equipment in a frozen environment in Thailand. This is an example of attaining operation with the minimum number of workers in a frozen environment.
Robot palletizer system in frozen environment
Labor saving for an ice cream factory operating at -10 to -30℃ !
Customer: F&N United Limited
The company, known for the "Magnolia" brand, has established a new ice cream factory this year. The biggest objective is to increase manufacturing capacity, including expanding of OEM production.
【Before】Challenges faced by customer
At the existing factory, palletizing and transportation of boxed ice cream was carried out manually in a harsh frozen warehouse of -10 to -30℃ .
・A worker can work for only 2 hours in the frozen warehouse
・Each line required 18 workers: 6 workers (3 workers x 2 hours working time) x 3 shifts, which was very labor costly.
-The new factory required more workers due to the increase in production volume (6 workers x 6 lines x 3 shifts = 108 workers)
・It was difficult to ensure the quality of the ice cream due to poor efficiency of manual work for completing certain work volumes in a certain time period.
【Solution】
Installed the latest robot palletizing equipment and the corresponding material handling system of Okura Yusoki.Realized palletizing and transport work by a minimum number of workers in a frozen environment.
1.Automatic palletizing at -10℃! Robot palletizer
Installed 3 sets of robot palletizer equipment manufactured by us for the environment of -10°C as a system consisting of various devices and equipment. The palletized ice cream boxes are wrapped by an automatic stretch wrapping machine and automatically transported to a -30°C frozen warehouse.
Frozen environment specifications (optional)
Refrigeration environment specifications (optional)
It solves problems such as poor insulation caused by dew condensation, icing, and failures and cracks due to the extremely shortened life of parts and materials.
・Equipped with a heater and a jacket in the servomotor section, a special support for maintaining a constant temperature
・Uses frozen environment specifications for robot cables and air equipment
2.Transport work at -30℃! Pallet dispenser
A pallet dispenser that automatically supplies empty pallets to the robot system smoothly even in a harsh environment of -30°C. Conveyor motors, cylinders, sensors, cables, lifters in dispensers, etc., are all compatible with -30°C.
【After】 Effect of installation One operator can now manage palletizing and transport work
・Reduced the number of workers per day from 108 to 1 (reduction of 107 workers)
・Work efficiency improved and production capacity increased due to full automation
・It became easy to secure stable quality.
Voice of customer
Thorough temperature control is necessary to ensure the quality of our products. In the past, enormous cost was required to balance the safety of employees and the quality of ice cream. With the new automated factory, we can deliver delicious and quality ice cream to more customers in the future.
F&N United Limited If you are interested in a palletizing system, logistics (conveyor) equipment or various transport systems in Thailand, please contact us using the form below.