The Vision Picker from Theegarten-Pactec, a newly developed robot feeding system with camera recognition, shall make packaging even more flexible, slimmer and cost effective. With this system, the Dresden-based company wants to demonstrate how even highly sensitive products like chocolate figures can be packaged flexibly and by means of a lean process using a bundling system. This is where the CWM2 packaging machine from Theegarten-Pactec comes in.

The previous process at the CWM2 has been optimized. The aim here was specifically to feed the products from the subordinate product stream to the robot. Previously, Theegarten-Pactec machines had to work with counter-moulds during robot feeding: due to the manufacturing process, a fixed number of products are produced in the counter-moulds which were placed by a robot in the feed chain of the packaging machine by means of a multiple tool.

Thanks to the Vision Picker, there is no need for elaborate counter-form handling during the packaging process. Using an integrated image processing system, individual products are now detected within the disordered product flow. Each product is individually sucked in by the robot and placed in the correct position in the infeed chain of the packaging ­machine to ensure secure and reliable packaging.

Thanks to the new development, different product formats can now be packed even more flexibly and therefore more quickly and cost-effectively. So, the CWM2 gently wraps in bundles for example small cast chocolate teddies at a speed of 400 products per minute.

In a modified configuration, the robot feed can also be combined with high-performance machines from Theegarten-Pactec. This makes it possible to feed the products to the ­packaging machines at a speed rate of more than 1,000 pieces per ­minute.