A manufacturer of outdoor furniture and plastic pottery uses a palletizing machine in their plastic flowerpot production process. Freshly made flowerpots are placed on pallets, and when full, the palletizing machine is used to place the next pallet for loading.
Previously, operators had to press a button to activate the palletizer for each new pallet. Additionally, when the pallets ran out, an operator had to use a forklift to manually load a new stack into the machine. This process posed several safety risks, including pinch points and crushing hazards. Operators had to open a hard gate to add new pallets, which required exiting the forklift, further increasing safety hazards.
FrommConnect’s team evaluated the application and implemented a safer and more efficient solution by replacing the hard gate with a light guard. Now, when the forklift breaks the light guard beam, the machine stops automatically. This allows operators to remain on the forklift and load pallets directly into the machine, eliminating the need to exit the forklift and reducing safety risks. This change also makes the process more efficient, as it reduces downtime when loading pallets.
Additionally, our team identified an opportunity for further improvement. In phase two, we will install sensors on the palletizer to automatically detect when a new pallet is needed. This will eliminate the need for operators to manually press a button, further increasing efficiency.
Author:
Kim Phung
Automation Engineer
kphung@frommconnect.com