Robotics in packaging took a good three decades to develop. Industrial robots were introduced in the early 1960's and grew into wide use in Japan in the 70's.
What the on-line encyclopedia Wikipedia refers to as "American industry's myopic vision" delayed use of robots here and allowed the Japanese to control the market. Eventually robotic applications were justified in packaging, and over the past 15 years, applications have moved from the end of packaging lines where big, awkward robots stacked cartons or cases onto pallets, to the front of packaging lines where high-speed agile robots place product into the infeed lugs of primary packaging machines. These applications have been widely applied in Europe and to a lesser degree here in North America.
According to Miyares' research, the 1980 listing of vendors at Pack Expo included no suppliers of robotic packaging equipment. In 1986 the Pack Expo directory included 18 robotic entries, growing to 29 over the subsequent 11 years. The 2007 directory for Pack Expo shows substantial growth to 243 robotic listings. This hockey stick growth curve may have real meaning to the industry. PMMI is in the midst of a study of robotics in packaging, and early indications include the prediction that the penetration of robotics in new packaging lines will double between now and 2012.
As a subset of general-purpose motion control, robotic functionality can be integrated into packaging machinery without the need of buying a stand-alone robot. Controls suppliers are ready to accommodate those who want to take on the task of building their own robot functionality. Most, if not all, of the major motion control suppliers have robot personalities ready to be dropped into their controllers. Third-party partners have the mechanical gantries and arms at the ready, and as patents expire, high-speed picker components will also become available to the machinery builder.
As I see it, packaging machinery builders have at least four options for building robotic functionality into their machines.
One: They can purchase a complete packaged robot from a supplier and interface it to their packaging machine either on their own or with the help of an integrator.
Two: They can develop their own robot functionality (mechanical, electrical, and software) from scratch. This has been done by a few well-known European packaging machinery manufacturers.
Three: They can purchase mechanical arms from a specialty supplier of such systems and purchase the remainder of the functionality from their favorite controls supplier. This would include purchase of servos, drives, a general-purpose motion controller, canned robotic software, and perhaps a vision system. These mechanical and controls components would be integrated along with other motion functionality on the machine for a complete solution.
Four: They can develop the mechanical arms specific to their particular machine's needs and purchase the control package as described in option three. This creates a fully integrated machine with robotic functions customized to the particular application.
Time will tell how these various options play out in reality. My guess is that options one and four will be the winners. What is your guess? Contact Keith Campbell at www.ontheedgeblog.com.
--By Keith Campbell, consultant and OnTheEdge.com blogger
What the on-line encyclopedia Wikipedia refers to as "American industry's myopic vision" delayed use of robots here and allowed the Japanese to control the market. Eventually robotic applications were justified in packaging, and over the past 15 years, applications have moved from the end of packaging lines where big, awkward robots stacked cartons or cases onto pallets, to the front of packaging lines where high-speed agile robots place product into the infeed lugs of primary packaging machines. These applications have been widely applied in Europe and to a lesser degree here in North America.
According to Miyares' research, the 1980 listing of vendors at Pack Expo included no suppliers of robotic packaging equipment. In 1986 the Pack Expo directory included 18 robotic entries, growing to 29 over the subsequent 11 years. The 2007 directory for Pack Expo shows substantial growth to 243 robotic listings. This hockey stick growth curve may have real meaning to the industry. PMMI is in the midst of a study of robotics in packaging, and early indications include the prediction that the penetration of robotics in new packaging lines will double between now and 2012.
As a subset of general-purpose motion control, robotic functionality can be integrated into packaging machinery without the need of buying a stand-alone robot. Controls suppliers are ready to accommodate those who want to take on the task of building their own robot functionality. Most, if not all, of the major motion control suppliers have robot personalities ready to be dropped into their controllers. Third-party partners have the mechanical gantries and arms at the ready, and as patents expire, high-speed picker components will also become available to the machinery builder.
As I see it, packaging machinery builders have at least four options for building robotic functionality into their machines.
One: They can purchase a complete packaged robot from a supplier and interface it to their packaging machine either on their own or with the help of an integrator.
Two: They can develop their own robot functionality (mechanical, electrical, and software) from scratch. This has been done by a few well-known European packaging machinery manufacturers.
Three: They can purchase mechanical arms from a specialty supplier of such systems and purchase the remainder of the functionality from their favorite controls supplier. This would include purchase of servos, drives, a general-purpose motion controller, canned robotic software, and perhaps a vision system. These mechanical and controls components would be integrated along with other motion functionality on the machine for a complete solution.
Four: They can develop the mechanical arms specific to their particular machine's needs and purchase the control package as described in option three. This creates a fully integrated machine with robotic functions customized to the particular application.
Time will tell how these various options play out in reality. My guess is that options one and four will be the winners. What is your guess? Contact Keith Campbell at www.ontheedgeblog.com.
--By Keith Campbell, consultant and OnTheEdge.com blogger
![Alison Bryant, senior consultant at Antea Group and communications director for the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC), addressed the crowd at the[PACK]out.](https://img.healthcarepackaging.com/files/base/pmmi/all/image/2024/05/Alison_Bryant.6644005a513b0.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
