News & Knowledge

The Project: Help a Client Circumvent Labor Shortages with Robotics Automation 

A food manufacturing facility located in Greenville, SC was experiencing bouts of labor shortages, extremely high turnover and retention, workplace injuries, and impacted output that could all be traced back to the packaging and palletization area in their facility. This physically-demanding manual process was starting to threaten the company’s operations and employee safety.  

Before reaching out to E Tech Group, this palletizing process was one-hundred percent manual.  There were fourteen full-time employees that were able to pack and palletize enough product to produce 1.5-2 truckloads for shipment per day.  Unfortunately, there were a number of contributing factors that were severely limiting the desired output.   

The Challenges: Complications Inside & Outside the Facility

Because this facility was located in a warmer climate, temperatures could reach over one-hundred degrees in the hotter months. This, coupled with the facility being dedicated to food and beverage production, the workers on the floor couldn’t have beverages of any kind outside of their allocated breaks throughout the day. This could make it difficult to remain hydrated and contribute to work-related incidents.    

There were often too many employees attempting to navigate narrow walkways in increasingly-crowded spaces, adding to the already hot temperatures and exacerbating the possibility of potential injury.  In some cases, not just a possibility, but numerous violations and lax regulations allowed sub-par pallets to be handled and used in their palletization and shipping process, leading to 40% of the recordable OSHA incidents coming solely from this area.  

On top of all this, it was brought to our attention that the majority of individuals working in this area were contracted by a temp agency and would often only last a week, and on certain occasions, just until lunch. It was clear to our team that all of the aforementioned conditional issues were heavily influencing the incredibly high turnover this facility was experiencing, even before COVID, and continued to only get higher during.  

The environmental and physical working conditions were enough to truly drive the need for automation in an area that really wasn’t optimized for human labor. Implementing robotic processes and an integrated control system would allow personnel to deal with palletizing from the safety of an HMI instead of dealing with a taxing, risky and inconsistent physical process. 

The Process: Environmental Factors & Available Capital Push for a Creative Solution 

Understanding that this facility had a number of issues impacting retention and consistency in their workforce, and the ultimate goal being to automate those positions not suited for human labor, the applied solution would need to be designed taking into consideration the limited resources available to monitor and maintain this installation. This would allow the client to reallocate and retrain existing skilled labor to fill new positions without the need to rely on temp agencies for additional workers.  

Second to available manpower, the limited physical space continued to plague the design team. Knowing this already overcrowded space was susceptible to frequent workplace injuries, they would be forced to think outside of the box when positioning the equipment for an automation solution that would be erected in an area not conducive to added equipment.  

Not only was accommodating the lack of real estate a large undertaking, but addressing the dated infrastructure quickly moved to the top of the list. Realizing that any installed solution would require new and dedicated power to ensure reliability, it added a slightly complex layer to an already intricate project. 

The last and perhaps most critical challenge to address and overcome was stakeholder approval. Understanding this facility had been facing an output deficit impacting their profitability, getting them to spend more money was no easy task. Our team provided several iterations of the proposed solution, but it proved to be an exercise in futility.   

The Solution: Strategic Segmentation Provides a Budget-Friendly Design 

After all proposed solutions were rejected by the decision makers due to budgetary constraints, our team decided to position a phased approach. This would allow them to spread the large investment required to help realize their business goals across a number of installations. Satisfied with the first and second phase and proposed cost, the E Tech Group team began to execute! 

PHASE 1: Planning

Design a comprehensive automation solution that maximized use of space and minimized need for worker traffic.

PHASE 2: Application

Procure the necessary automated equipment, build the robotics control system, program, install, commission, and train employees on the new system.

Major Equipment: 

• Palletizing cells, safety fence and scanner system 
• Pallet conveyor 
• Pallet dispenser 
• Pallet wrapper 
• AGV system with stacked dual conveyor cart 
• Case conveyor 
• Mezzanine in filler room 
• Safety gate for existing mezzanine 

Electrical Equipment: 

• PLC control panel 
• Case conveyor 
• 800A bucket for MCC 
• 480VAC power distribution panels 
• Case conveyor motor disconnects 
• Distributed I/O sensors/solenoids/brackets 
• Pallet conveyor VFD panel  
• Pallet motor disconnects/brackets 
• HMI 

Once the initial challenge of running dedicated power for this control system installation was complete, these combined and installed components created a fully-automated solution that drops a box from an elevated mezzanine to a fill area below, shakes to level and then moves the full box through a taping station as it heads down a conveyor, where it is then diverted to the correct palletizing area. 

A palletizing robot picks and places the sealed box in its designated spot on the pallet, and once full is secured by a pallet wrapper. When the pallet is ready to move to the shipping area, an AGV removes the full pallet, then adds more empty pallets to hopper that will repeat this process.    

By automating the client’s palletizing processes in this way, E Tech Group helped them remedy the multivariable dilemma that this manual process caused the company – namely, high turnover, an unsafe environment, and the output limitations symptomatic of the first two.

PHASE 3: Future Work 

Add automated case erectors on mezzanine to automatically provide empty cases.

The Results: Tangible Results on an Immediate Scale

The benefits this custom automation system provides this client made the challenges we encountered throughout the project worth it. The roboticized pallet system bore several positive results:

Decreased Safety Incidents and Increased Production

Our E Tech Group team took this from a completely manual process to an automated one. This facility redeployed two-thirds of their twelve full-time employees from this area to other areas in need, helping eliminate overcrowding and decrease the number of safety-related incidents. This left only three employees to monitor this new system which almost doubled the production and output rate; from 1.5-2 to 2.5-3 truckloads per day. 

Long-Term ROI Considerations

The implementation of a solution designed to automate a once manual process, replacing 12 manual labor positions, has exponential ROI potential. When positioning this solution, it was critical to understand the facility’s challenges and goals. E Tech Group believes the continued completion of the next phases will only compound the ROI considerations first identified when taking on this project. 

Reduction in Accidents/Lost Time Accidents

The new automation system anticipated a reduction of as much as 40% of the OSHA recordable incidents that occur in and around pallet handling.  This, in turn, improved their safety record, reducing claim impact and insurance premiums, as well as lost time resulting from work-related incidents. 

Reduced Administrative Burden for Labor Acquisition

Automating the palletizing process enabled the management team to increase efficiency, as they would no longer be tasked with perpetual recruiting, onboarding, supervision and scheduling of a constantly-changing labor pool. This allowed these departments to be more effective, adding even more return to the facility.  

Ability to Accommodate Future Capacity Increases

These phased upgrades will allow for easier future optimization, increasing throughput and allowing the client to stay competitive.  

Risk Mitigation/Predictability 

Because the human being represents a fairly uncontrollable variable, susceptible to injury, illness or unpredictability, the transition to automation largely eliminates those risks. The client would now be able to more accurately predict and complete throughput benchmarks; ensuring order consistency and packaging quality. 

Competitive Advantage/Enterprise Value 

While automation provides an increased level of predictability to the business, it also provides the image of a state-of-the-art industry leader to a prospective customer or buyer that is visiting several potential vendors. Setting yourself apart as a company that continues to invest in their business can be invaluable.    In all, this complete manual-to-robotics switch helped the client in several ways. While it was challenging to design and implement a cutting-edge system in an outdated and cramped facility, the benefits outweighed the cost immediately, and will continue to offer the client long-term returns. And E Tech Group will be there to support their automation endeavors every step of the way.

The Project: Remedy the Output Bottleneck Caused by Missed Bottles

An internationally-distributed beverage production company wanted to upgrade their facility’s inspection station to check for missing body, back and neck labels on their bottles before shipping. Quality control was a growing concern and ensuring consistency in each shipment was a must. 

Their current label inspecting system wasn’t meeting expectations; imperfectly applied or missing labels were making their way through. This cost the client in time, waste and slowed-output, not to mention threatened consistency assurance in their packaging.

The Challenge: Integrating Three Systems into One on a Tight Timeline 

Our team started with a site visit to walk through the customer’s existing control system solution, helping them better understand current challenges and working to define the desired end result and deliverables. 

This exploratory review would uncover that we would not be implementing a single system, as was originally outlined in the proposal, but the integration of a new system while simultaneously supplementing the existing system and upgrading the PLC to tie everything together.    

The rigid production schedule standard in food and beverage automation would only allow for two days of downtime, each only 12 hours. This required all panels and hardware to be prefabricated before installation and perfect execution on a very truncated timetable. 

The numerous moving pieces would dictate the need for strict project management, frequent and open communication, and detailed documentation for any changes in schedule or equipment that might happen throughout the project. Without effective coordination between our automation team and the client, implementation of the new control systems could end up problematic.

The Solution: Build a Robust, Integrated Label Detection System

Coordination between teams translated to coordination between automation products as we pivoted from the original plan of single-system implementation. Instead, we brought together the existing Allen Bradley PLC (existing main panel), repurposed the Teledyne Taptone system that wasn’t providing the results they would like, and integrated the new Keyence label detection system to create one cohesive solution was a large undertaking.   

Once the decision was made to implement a Keyence label detection system, the E Tech Group team designed, built and oversaw the installation of the two control system panels that would house the Keyence systems. Both panels were installed close to the reject area after the automated labelers.    

Our team actively troubleshot the installation as they went because nothing like this had ever been attempted with the Teledyne product, and between the client and component manufacturers, there were differing opinions on how this should be set up. 

E Tech’s automation specialists were able to get the cameras working quickly, but getting them to interface with the Teledyne system wasn’t as easy. A missing trigger signal that would initiate a bottle with a bad label to be diverted was the culprit. Our team moved and reordered some components while repurposing Teledyne photo eyes that weren’t being used, tying them back into the Teledyne system at the same point the Keyence system was being tied in, providing the supplementary signal needed to get the desired results.  

Once the system was functioning properly, it was a matter of fine tuning. Our team would be on site, making sure any adjustments were made during planned downtime to not disrupt the client’s production schedule.  

Understanding the Scope of Work on this Process Integration Project 

The nature of this project required multiple efforts:

ELECTRICAL DESIGN  

One generic drawing package was created that detailed the vision systems. An Engineering Information (EI) document package was provided, sufficient to allow for review of the proposed updates, installation by a qualified electrical contractor, and continued maintenance and support, by plant personnel, of the updated equipment, hardware, electrical panels, or controls.    

PLC ENGINEERING  

E Tech Group integrated the Taptone divert into the Keyence solution and the available PLC control system. The installation of the specified Keyence cameras and configuration was performed and tested. HMI screens were housed in one of the two panels that were supplied. This was the primary access point for the reject solution. 

INTERNAL READINESS TESTING  

One day for virtual readiness testing was included. A full test of the PLC and HMI was completed. Client and supplier representative(s) thoroughly reviewed the design, programming and commissioning schedule for the system being considered. A checklist was developed and used to identify the key aspects for each system that had been determined to be critical to the success of the installation and assessed the overall readiness. For programming updates, where possible, basic simulation was provided to show that the functionality of the updated system was unchanged. 

ON SITE SAT  

During commissioning, E Tech Group assisted in on site testing to prove the functionality of the reject system. The testing protocol matched the testing effort from the internal readiness testing. All test scenarios were communicated by Boston Beer prior to start of development. This testing was expected to be performed within one single downtime window. 

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION   

Electrical installation will be provided by a third party. The internal controller of the Taptone system and Keyence system controller will get tied back into the pre-existing PLC. Wiring for IO and power is included. 

ENGINEERING SUPPORT    

One engineer was on site for installation and commissioning, which took one day for setup and commissioning took multiple part-days over the span of a week during planned downtime.  

• Infrastructure/communication checks (PLC, HMI)  
• Checking of all equipment IO (equipment level check only)  
• Parameter/timing adjustments  
• Operational checks of all system functions      
• Keyence configurations  
• Verify any old programs for each updated system are properly archived per site standards 

The Results: Adaptation and Communication Made for Smooth Execution 

Our team quickly adapted to the change in project parameters and developed, tested and implemented a prototype solution utilizing the selected technology.   

Originally planning to implement and test over two twelve-hour days, the team once again pivoted, this time to accommodate the facility’s bottling schedule. Our control system integrators were able to complete the implementation over several days while stopping the line for only brief periods. 

The onsite team ensured proper operation while the line was running, confirming the Keyence cameras rendered the correct decision and then had the reject signal sent to the Taptone system, verifying both systems were working properly together.   

Through open and clear communication, changes in equipment and time frame were received well by the client and the overall project was a good experience for all involved. The relationship between E Tech Group and the client was strengthened, providing future opportunities to work together.  

E Tech Group is a leading control system integrator serving clients across North America with customized automation systems that optimize the vital processes of their facility. Our engineers utilize their expertise, cutting-edge automation products, and a client-centered approach to help them optimize their operations now and in the future.