Stäubli’s robotic tool changers increase productivity for ACMI SpA

The challenge

Combining flexibility & safety with productivity

Italian company ACMI SpA specialises in the design and manufacture of a wide range of high-tech automated palletizing and packaging technologies for the beverage, food, pet care, and industrial sectors. In recent years these international market sectors have been demanding greater levels of flexibility and security from their production systems.

Addressing these challenges, ACMI SpA developed a range of robot based packaging and palletizing solutions which provide the highest levels of flexibility for both current and future product handling requirements. However, flexibility must also be matched with productivity and safety. The key to achieving the highest levels of productivity is to reduce the time required to change over the different gripper systems required for the multiple product types that these robot systems are capable of handling.

This means that a comprehensive range of robust and high-quality automatic robot tool changing systems would be required to cater for the diverse system configurations and solutions offered by the company.  A prime consideration for any automatic robot tool changing systems being evaluated was that of safety, and compliance with PLD Cat 3 certification would be a mandatory requirement.

The solution

A safe, reliable solution for exchanging high payload gripper systems

Stäubli worked in collaboration with ACMI SpA to define the optimum solution to their requirements based on our field proven automatic robot tool changing MPS technology. Capable of safely handling payloads of up to 2,500 kg, depending upon the model selected, automatic robot tool changers MPS are suitable for use with robots from all of the leading manufacturers. In addition, Stäubli offers a significantly greater number of product variants and configuration options, meeting the strict technical specifications laid down by ACMI SpA. Additional benefits resulting from the decision to partner with Stäubli include inherent failsafe security features, a certified product, and the fact that Stäubli is recognised as a leading technological pioneer in the development and application of robotic tool changing systems.

The result

Productivity gains and improved safety for operators & maintenance personnel

Stäubli’s automatic robotic tool changing systems MPS are now an integral part of the flexible robot based automated palletizing and packaging technologies designed and manufactured by ACMI SpA. As a result, the often-large and heavy gripper systems used by the robots are changed automatically, representing a significant saving in time, and delivering valuable productivity gains.

Further benefits are the fact that with no manual dis-assembly and re-assembly, there are no safety risks for operators or maintenance personnel and no risk of incorrect assembly which could result in dangerous operation or failure.

As an International Group operating in 29 countries, with agents in 50 countries across four continents, Stäubli is able to provide ACMI SpA with the technical and after sales support they need to continue to grow their international markets.