“From the design to the implementation of the project, the great experience of the company Theodorou Automation SAICT is obvious. They showed consistency and professionalism, observing all the agreed criteria, delivering a complex project of high requirements and specifications on time. The company's support was also immediate and effective.”

Leonidas Koustibis
Technical & Safety Director, APIVITA SA

APIVITA SA is a pioneering multinational company that has been producing innovative natural cosmetics since 1979 that promote a balanced and harmonious lifestyle, based on Greek nature and the unique bee community. Since 2017 it belongs to the PUIG group and now operates in more than 50 countries. Participates in pioneering research projects, promotes sustainability and biodiversity and is a member of the global B CORP movement for its environmental and social commitments.

The Need

APIVITA SA was looking for a solution for automation of the case packing and palletizing processes of products produced in the line of cosmetic face masks.

More specifically, they was looking for a solution that would control the boxes to be case packed, to automatically dispose of defects, would automate the process of shaping of cases, boxes grouping and case packing for multiple product codes, would support the possibility of sampling boxes, within the framework of the sample control carried out at the factory and would automate the process of closing of cases and building the cases on a pallet. And all this, in a limited available space that they had in the factory for the installation of this solution.

The Solution

Theodorou Automation SAICT, member of the Theodorou Group, responding to this need, designed and installed an innovative and compact system, the CobotMAT CP-41, which includes a collaborative robot (cobot) and performs the following tasks:

• Case forming
• Box grouping and case packing
• Case closure with tape
• Laying a case on a pallet (palletizing)

The CobotMAT CP-41 is a standard robotic case packing and palletizing system that takes products directly from the production line, case packing and palletizing them according to predefined patterns. Using a robotic arm from the recognized manufacturer OMRON, it ensures high speed and accurate product handling, while its compact design makes it ideal for locations with limited available space. It is designed to provide increased autonomy to the operators, as it integrates a case feeder. The case feeder can hold a large amount of cases and allow the robot to perform many cycles autonomously, thus achieving even higher productivity.

The "Plug & Play" capabilities of the CobotMAT CP-41 make its installation on the line extremely easy (within a few days), reducing to a minimum the time that the production line becomes inactive.

Due to its inherent flexibility, very small footprint and fast ROI (Return Of Investment), the CobotMAT CP-41 is ideal for small to medium-sized production and industrial facilities with high demands but limited space available.

Extensions

An automatic control system with a SICK industrial optical sensor has been installed at the entrance of the boxes for boxing, which monitors the boxes and rejects those that do not meet the required specifications. However, in addition to the automatic quality control, the system allows the box to be discarded at the request of the operator, without stopping the line, in order to take a sample during the sampling carried out by the factory.

In addition, the system provides remote access for control and technical support, whenever needed.

The Benefits

With the installation of the system the factory had the following benefits:

• Increase of line productivity
• Reduction of line operating costs
• Standardization of the packaging process achieving stable and high quality
• Elimination of errors during the packaging process
• Autonomous operation of the line 24/7 without the need for an operator to be present
• Space saving with its compact design (Dimensions: 2.5 x 2m)
• High safety standards
• Fast ROI

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