Frequent machine downtime, obsolete electrical equipment and components, deteriorated machine body. These were some of the issues plaguing the palletizing line of a company, one of the leaders in the dairy industry in Italy. The company urgently needed to restart the line and simultaneously relocate it to another area of the production facility. As part of the relocation, a project for restructuring and refurbishing the plant was requested, with the following objectives:
- To extend its lifecycle.
- productivity
- efficiency
Replacement of technology and modernization
Based on the available material, a revamping project has been arranged. This involves the replacement of the technological part. Specifically, cutting-edge solutions have been adopted to allow for higher quality and efficiency of the plant while maintaining the original structure. Even this structure, in all mechanical and electrical parts, has been revised. The intervention, in fact, has meant:
- the replacement of worn-out components and
- the recovery of material that has been given a new life.
The technological core, namely the two robots used for transporting the product destined for palletization, underwent a further restructuring intervention. The electronic part of one of the two robots was unusable; it was completely replaced, while the mechanical parts were recovered. Thus, the robot was able to resume operation. The restructuring project lasted 4 weeks: it involved the dismantling of all parts, which were then cleaned, and damaged components were replaced. Furthermore, with all parts of the line, a new layout scheme was created in the areas of reused material, including protective cages.
New layout of the line and implementation of the machine body.
The layout of the palletizing line has been completely redesigned. During the drafting of the new project, the need to increase the length of the conveyor belts by approximately 35 meters emerged. The conveyor belts were entirely recovered from the decommissioned machine park. The plant has been rethought and brought up to standard. The management software has also been completely reprogrammed to make it simpler and more intuitive for the operator. Thanks to this massive revamping intervention, performance and operation have been optimized, providing another 10 years of operability. Aesthetically, the palletizing line looks brand new. Furthermore, even data management, thanks to easier-to-handle software, can be integrated into the company's management system, providing greater precision and punctuality regarding the operation of the line itself.
The advantages of revamping
Revamping allows for extending the life of a production plant and specifically enables:
- The development of a customized project based on the actual needs of the client.
- The recovery of all available hardware material.
- The refurbishment of each component.
- The recycling of material destined for disposal.
- The recovery of over 70% of the robotic part.
- The operator's safety assurance.
- Improved process management performance thanks to more efficient software.
- Significant cost savings