How can we develop an automated solution that can un-box a product, label and place it back into the packaging? The proposed solution is to be applicable for products in different shapes and sizes (jar, tube, bottle, box, cylindrical etc.).

BACKGROUND

Labels need to be pasted on cosmetic products following the rules and regulations of the countries they are being exported to. This is a laborious and repetitive task, especially for large volumes of products.

Currently, factory workers need to manually un-box, place the label onto the product, and put the product back in the box and close it - which is time-consuming and tiring, so productivity decreases as time goes by.

By automating this process, it would be possible to ensure that the quality of the labelling is consistent, while ensuring that large volumes can be managed with the same level of productivity throughout the day.

REQUIREMENTS

The Robotics & Automation solution should address the below statements:

1. Boxes of different shapes and sizes can be placed into the solution
2. The flaps of the boxes should not interfere during picking and placing of products from and back into the boxes respectively
3. The solution should be capable of labelling the product at different positions based on product requirements (X, Y, Z datum, vertical or horizontal placement of labels etc.)
4. The solution should store multiple recipes/functions so that change over time between different products is minimized
5. The solution needs to capture cycle time and count, and extract it in flat file format for analysis purposes

DESIRED OUTCOME

A solution that can efficiently, accurately and cost-effectively execute the work autonomously with minimum human intervention.

Contact / source: EnterpriseSG Trade and Connectivity - Trade and Connectivity Challenge – 4th Edition (innovation-challenge.sg)