Robotic Bottle Depalletizing System
Project summary:
MWES designed and integrated a robotic bottle depalletizing system for Widmer Brothers Brewing to improve efficiency, increase throughput by 20%, and enhance worker safety within the constraints of limited space while enabling full-height pallet processing.
The Challenge
Widmer Brothers Brewing needed to upgrade their semi-automatic bottle depalletizing system to improve efficiency and worker safety. Their existing process involved manually moving cases, leading to repetitive motion injuries and limiting overall throughput. Additionally, pallet loads were being delivered at half-height, slowing down operations and reducing efficiency. To address these challenges, Widmer Brothers required a fully automated solution that could handle full-height pallets, increase speed, and fit within the constraints of their facility’s low ceiling height.
The Solution
After a thorough evaluation of the brewery’s challenges and goals, Midwest Engineered Systems (MWES) designed and integrated a robotic bottle depalletizing system with the following key components:
KUKA Robot: A space-optimized robotic arm was selected to operate within the facility’s height restrictions, ensuring smooth movement of pallet loads under a low ceiling beam.
Pneumatic Pallet Pusher: This mechanism extends pallet loads across rollers, aligning them for seamless transfer onto the conveyor system.
Vacuum Gripper: The robot’s vacuum gripper allows for secure, efficient top-layer case picking, ensuring precise handling and minimal product damage.
Layer Separation & Case Conveyor: The system automatically separates pallet layers, feeding cases one row at a time onto the case conveyor, which introduces controlled spacing between cases.
Vision System: An integrated vision system identifies the orientation of cases and makes real-time adjustments, ensuring consistent and accurate placement for downstream processes.
Impact to the Customer
MWES’s customized automation solution provided Widmer Brothers Brewing with significant operational improvements:
✅ 20% increase in production throughput
✅ Higher product quality with precise depalletizing and case handling
✅ Enhanced worker safety by eliminating repetitive manual labor and reducing back and joint injuries
✅ Optimized pallet handling with full-height pallet loads, reducing interruptions and improving overall line efficiency
Customer Feedback
“We are very pleased with the integration by Midwest Engineered Systems using the KUKA robot. They provided a solution that was rejected by two other equipment manufacturers due to the difficulty of fitting the system into an extremely limited space. I would certainly use both MWES and KUKA robots in any future packaging automation projects.”
— Rick G., Director of Engineering, Widmer Brothers Brewing
Client Details
Widmer Brothers Brewing