The Challenge
Scalable Packing Without Labor Constraints or Errors
Manual packing of bagged consumer goods proved labor-intensive, inconsistent, and couldn’t keep up with growing throughput needs. Their objectives were to:
- Achieve consistent pack speeds up to 80 bags per minute
- Minimize packing errors and avoid product drops
- Handle a variety of bag sizes and product topologies
- Plug into existing conveyor lines with little footprint
MWES was selected to deliver a turnkey, fully automated case packing solution using robotic vision and vacuum-based grippers.
The Solution
Two‑Robot Vision-Guided Cell with Vacuum EOAT & Recipe-Driven Changeover
MWES implemented a robust system featuring:
- Two Kawasaki RS07 series robots (730 mm reach, 7 kg payload) mounted overhead
- Proprietary vacuum grippers designed for delicate bag handling
- Vision tracking and photo-eye sensors to detect bag position and orientation
- Fully enclosed, forklift-deployable welded steel frame requiring only power, air, and Ethernet
- Modular design allowing fast changeover (recipes via HMI) and up to 120 bags/minute with optional three-robot configuration
This solution enables flexible, high-speed bag-to-case packing with scalable robot configurations and rapid installation.
The cell combines compact footprint, vision-based tracking, and recipe-driven operation to deliver high-throughput, drop-free case packing with minimal supervision.
The Results
Consistent, Labor-Free Throughput & Rapid ROI
Operational benefits delivered by the system include:
- Operates at up to 80 bags per minute (120 bags/min with 3-robot option) with near-zero drop rate
- Zero product drops achieved through vacuum EOAT design and precise vision guidance
- Freed 2–3 operators per shift to assign to higher-value tasks
- Pack patterns remain consistent across eight bag sizes and multiple case formats
- Achieved and exceeded 85% overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) specifications
- Enablement for downstream palletizing or upstream carton erection automation
By implementing this turnkey robotic system, MWES helped the customer increase packing speed, improve accuracy, and significantly reduce labor dependency—giving high scalability in a compact, food-grade cell.
