ABB (Hall 6, B74) and B&R (Hall 6, E62), a member of the ABB Group and ABB’s global center for machine and factory automation, will showcase a comprehensive range of solutions for packaging automation at interpack 2023, highlighting how automation can help companies tackle the production and logistical challenges posed by omnichannel retailing. Solutions will include automated package handling and intelligent track systems, machine vision, robotic picking solutions, autonomous mobile robots (AMR), as well as digital programming and simulation software.
The growth of omnichannel retailing has challenged manufacturers, distribution centers and logistics warehouses to transform their systems to handle both pallets and packaging destined for retail shelves. At the same time, manufacturers and distributors need to pick and pack highly varied items for shipping direct to individual consumers. ABB and B&R’s highly flexible and reconfigurable robotic and automation solutions meet these needs, ensuring companies can continue to respond to consumer demands.
Several packaging solutions will be showcased, including:
- ABB’s IRB FlexPacker series (360, 390) which offers a step change in flexibility, speed and precision. The compact IRB 460, the fastest palletizing robot in the world, will also be on display as part of a demonstration cell, showing sequencing-palletizing for logistics warehouses and depalletizing with 3D vision for pallets with multiformat boxes and with AMR integration.
- B&R’s range of track-based and planar product transport systems, including the ACOPOStrak, SuperTrak and ACOPOS 6D, which have been engineered to support new production concepts, such as adaptive manufacturing. At the show, 18 adaptive machines incorporating the ACOPOS 6D, will be on various stands throughout the exhibition.
- ABB’s portfolio of software solutions will be on show, including the latest version of PickMaster® Twin, ABB’s market leading robotic software for vision-guided random flow picking and packing applications. ABB’s RobotStudio® Palletizing PowerPac will also be on show, which allows users to configure, simulate and program ABB robots and grippers for palletizing solutions, with little or no robot programming experience required. Both software solutions make programming robot palletizing systems easier than ever before.
The automated packaging solutions on show support the growth in demand for personalized packaging, which is set to hit USD 36 billion this year[1], demanding new levels of flexibility in handling and picking applications and full adaptability for automated machines.