The Challenge
Eliminating Manual Labor in Case Handling and Recycling Workflow
Depalletizing and unloading multiple cases manually was labor-intensive, slow, and error-prone. The customer needed an all-in-one automation solution to:
- Pick full and partial cases from pallets via robot
- Open cases and dump contents into hopper
- Unseal and flatten empty cases for recycling
- Handle high case volumes reliably with minimal operator effort
MWES was selected to engineer a robotic system that would streamline both case unloading and recycling using vision-guided automation.
The Solution
Vision-Enabled Robot Cell that Depalletizes, Unloads, and Flattens Empty Cases
MWES delivered a turnkey automated system featuring:
- Robot with custom suction EOAT that visually selects sealed case layers
- Tape-cutting mechanism to unseal case top and bottom
- Hopper to receive product contents after case dumping
- Chain-driven live roller conveyor system for empty-case flattening and staging
- Vision guidance to dynamically identify sealed vs. partial cases
- Automation of empty-case stacking for later recycling
The vision system enables dynamic case picking and opens cases on the fly—allowing high-speed start-to-finish depalletizing and unload flow with minimal operator touch.
The Results
30-Second Case Cycle Time, Improved Throughput & Green Wax-Down Recycling
This MWES integration delivered strong process improvements:
- Completed one case every 30 seconds across full and partial pallets
- Eliminated manual unloading and case flattening labor
- Integrated automatic case breakdown for recycling, supporting environmental goals
- Allowed operators to focus on higher-value tasks while automation handled routine processing
By combining vision-guided case handling with robotic unloading and flattening, MWES enabled safer, faster, and more efficient case processing with consistent results.
