TransAutomation Technologies Inc

Established in 2008 to utilize the wood waste steam from their adjacent milling operation, Frank Pellets manufactures compressed fuel pellets which are filled into 33- pound and 50-pound bags, and ships to customers throughout the Pacific Northwest. Seeking to improve production output, as well as reduce employee injury risk, Frank Pellets sought a robotic solution to improve their operation. To achieve an automation solution, Frank Pellet partnered with FANUC Authorized System Integrator Trans Automation Technologies Inc. in Irvine, CA. FANUC Robotics offers a full line of heavy-duty, multiple axis industrial robots. Trans Automation Technologies offers extensive experience in the design and production of custom robotic palletizing systems. Among these include palletizers for heavy bagged products. For the Frank application, a FANUC model M410-185 robot was selected for its heavy payload and speed capacity. The primary component of the robotic palletizer is the FANUC M410-185iC 4-axis robot, with a 185 kilogram (408 pound) payload. The robot employs a HVLP (high volume low pressure) vacuum gripper tool on the end of the robot’s arm. The tool has a large oval vacuum port with a rubber foam seal on its perimeter. Via the FANUC M410 robot’s wrist, the high-volume vacuum gripper is pressed onto the bags flat surface, and the vacuum seal is made. The bag is positively attached to the robot’s gripper with vacuum, transported to the correct position on the pallet and is released with a reverse vacuum ‘blow-off’. A full-perimeter safety barrier with electronic interlocks provides safety for employees from the fast-moving machine. The new FANUC robotic palletizer is capable of operating 24-hours per day stacking bags at the required rate of 10 bags per minute. Without the need for manual bag stackers, this system provides a very attractive ROI and risk of injury avoidance for Frank Pellets.