Robot proves best feeder for seasonal chocolate

Swiss chocolate manufacturer recently installed a robot to form a simple and economical automation system that could be implemented to feed wrapping machines.

Swiss chocolate manufacturer, Chocolats Halba, recently installed a new Sigpack Systems robotic system - an investment which has already been justified.

Swiss company, Chocolats Halba is renowned for the quality and taste of its seasonal products such as Christmas decorations and treats.

The company decided to compliment the state-of-the-art equipment used for chocolate making at its Hinwil based factory, to increase its packaging automation and further improve product quality and increase output.

Chocolats Halba's chocolate products used to be supplied to the packaging line in plastic boxes and brought to the wrapping machines manually.

An operator would remove the products from the boxes and feed each chocolate to the wrapping machine at a rate of about 70 - 80 pieces per minute.

Speeds of these machines were limited to the rate at which operators could keep up with them.

The wrapping machines also had to be switched off during meals and rest breaks.

The use of a robot for its chocolate packaging was a logical progression for Chocolats Halba.

"The use of robots certainly makes sense where speed is concerned, but it is difficult to depreciate the investment over a reasonable period," explained Bernard Fenner of Sigpack Systems.

"In order to ensure the payback is as short as possible, it is advisable to automate supplies to two or more machines." Chocolats Halba decided to test a Sigpack Systems Delta Robot and consider the possibility that a simple and economical automation system could be implemented to feed wrapping machines.

The challenge for Sigpack Systems was to develop a solution that would both transport the products and feed them into the wrapping machine.

Sigpack Systems was able to integrate a new Delta Robot and feeding system into Chocolats Halba's existing line.

The products are now fed into a hopper and a vibratory system is used to gently place them one by one into a ribbed conveyer belt, which prevents the products from rolling away.

Different vibratory systems and conveyer belt speeds ensure that the product is spaced along the belt.

The accurately aligned chocolate products are recognised on the conveyer system by a vision system, with LED lighting integrated into the conveyer body and a camera positioned above the belt.

Image processing software transmits relevant information, such as product position and orientation, to the robot's motion controller.

The robot is then able to pick up the products, one by one, and place them into the wrapping machine at a rate of over 100 items per minute.

All the different hollow chocolate products have very similar dimensions and shapes.

For a change of product, the changes to both the product feed and the robot can therefore be kept to a minimum, with the robot simply being reprogrammed at a touch of a button.

Thanks to the use of this new technology, operators can perform several, varied tasks, rather than simply feeding to the wrapper.

The Sigpack Systems Delta Robot has vastly reduced manual handling, improved product quality and increased output.

Its use has proved an ideal way to automate the feed of Chocolats Halba's existing machines and to increase the productivity of the entire plant.

Marcel Bigler, technical manager at Chocolats Halba, was one of the managers involved in the decision making process of this project.

At final evaluation, he has described the robot installation as a success and a clear investment justification.

"This approach will be of great interest to many chocolate or confectionary manufacturers, as automation is both simple to install and also opens up further possibilities," stated Fenner.

"The larger the number of wrapping machines that are supplied in parallel by a robot, the easier it is to justify the robot technology in economic terms.".

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