Packaging robots at IKEA

Like with many industries, furniture manufacturers are increasingly using automation to improve packaging efficiency, increase output, without the need of hiring more staff and enhance quality control, while reducing production costs. Our Low Cost Automation solutions combine maintenance-free components with robotic technology. This partnership helps to automate inspection, packaging and material handling tasks with precision and reliability, which can be seen in this example at one of the IKEA sites. Designed to integrate seamlessly into existing production lines, these solutions help scale up and increase productivity, reduce manual intervention and deliver a faster return on investment.

Requirement, challenge and solution

Requirement

IKEA needed an automation solution for stacking items for quality control. The required a cost-effective system which allowed communication between robot and other robotic automation. The solution needed a camera to be moved from A to B points using an axis. In some cases, multiple cameras are used to detect the components however in this application, this was not necessary.

Challenge

In order to monitor the wooden construction elements before and during packaging, the camera on the ceiling scans the process. The camera moves to the point where monitoring is required in the current process step. In this way, excess or shortages of the packages can be avoided.

Solution

An igus linear axis that can move the camera back and forth without maintenance. The whole thing is characterised by its interoperability with the existing systems, in this case the robot arm.

Packaging applications

Ice cream packaging

The automatic labelling machine for Beindlhof farmhouse ice cream automatically closes and labels the tubs. The system has to differentiate between 200 flavours during operation and apply the labels accordingly.

To the application

Manufacturing and packaging of masks

Every week, four machines with around 20 employees produce around 100,000 surgical and FFP2 masks. Two fully automatic packaging systems are used for the manual and monotonous packaging of the masks. This increases production times and reduces unit costs.

To the application

The automated packaging line for IKEA

A linear drive from igus® is used for the 3D camera, which is used in the packaging of furniture and is mounted at a height of 3 metres. By using the linear axis in combination with the camera, a complete image processing system can be dispensed with, as the camera is moved to the respective position

To the application