Manually assembling boxes for large appliances is grueling work. One major appliance manufacturer needed a team of six employees to select the right box from the four size options, fold it, place it over the appliance, label it and strap it for shipment just to move a single unit down the line. Even at their best, the team averaged 30 seconds per unit.
The physical toll on workers was significant, and assigning six people to the packaging process was simply unsustainable.
Something had to change.
The manufacturer knew that modernizing this process meant more than a simple equipment swap – it meant rethinking the line altogether. That type of undertaking called for a partner with deep experience in complex automation; one who could design, build and support a fully integrated solution from the ground up.
“It would not make sense to continue to do this type of work manually when the technology and the know-how were there to make this an automated line,” said James Schwieterman, Account Manager at Machine Concepts. “The ROI and overall efficiency made too much sense to continue in the old ways.”
After learning about Machine Concepts’ track record in custom engineering and their hands-on approach before, during and after installation, the manufacturer brought them in.
A Line Built Around Intelligence and Precision
Machine Concepts engineers designed and built a fully automated robotic boxing and packaging line tailored to the appliance manufacturer’s exact needs.
The team started with a 7-axis robot that scans a code on each appliance to determine the correct box size. It then scans the selected box again to confirm the match before anything moves, eliminating costly mis-picks before they occur. An articulating arm retrieves the correct box and positions it on a plate, where a second robot arm with a stationary suction mechanism opens the box cleanly and consistently.
To ensure precise placement, crowding cylinders and scanners position each appliance exactly where it needs to be. The appliance itself ships on the same tray it was manufactured on, which serves as the box base. A team member manually applies the box top, and the appliance is then sent down the line to be banded and shipped to a distribution center. Custom conveyor, labeling and line tracking capabilities round out the solution.
Results That Go Beyond the Numbers
The new line processes one unit every 22 seconds — an eight-second improvement over the manual process — and now runs with two manual workers instead of six. Those team members, who no longer endure the physical demands of manual boxing, apply box tops and ensure line performance.
Thanks to the improvement in line speed, the company is now able to process more than 3,000 units per day, a number that was difficult, if not impossible, to achieve before the new line.
