Higher Level of Automation for the Overhead Conveying System SSI Carrier

• New logistics concept for additional process automation upon request

• Higher flexibility in loading processes thanks to robotic solution

• Ensures constant, high-performance material flow with an optimum level of quality

If you would like to elevate your overhead conveying system to an even higher level of automation to render your warehouse processes more flexible and adapt them quickly to changing market requirements, you can now rely on a reliable robotic solution from SSI SCHAEFER. The adapted version of the flexible robotic solution, SSI Piece Picking, enables the automatic loading of pouches for the overhead conveying system SSI Carrier – consistent, precise and efficient. This ensures higher efficiency in material flows for warehouse operators.

Automatic loading concept

How this works: The items are transported in a load carrier e.g. bin or carton to the SSI Piece Picking cell on the conveying system. Thanks to the patented gripper technology, the gantry robot is able to pick items of various shapes and sizes quickly and safely. The robot takes the item from the load carrier – or a bin compartment – and places it onto a short conveyor belt within the robot cell. The conveyor belt transports the item to the transfer location, where it is gently transferred to the opened pouch of the SSI Carrier pouch sorter. The filled pouch is returned to the pouch sorter system and transported to its destination. 

The compact design of the robot cell and the loading station, which includes the infeed to the automatic transfer location, means that space can be used more efficiently. The automatic loading concept is 100% self-developed and produced in-house – therefore, it stands for high quality.

Gantry robots, the centerpieces of the solution

At the heart of the automatic loading station is the SSI Piece Picking robotic solution. It picks individual pieces fully automatically and ensures error-free product verification. This is made possible by AI-based object detection paired with an integrated weighing function. The outstanding performance of SSI Piece Picking is also supported by the associated software from the WAMAS portfolio. The software module is run as a completely integrated component of a WAMAS installation. Thanks to the fast integration of the robotic solution into a system – Plug & Play – the commissioning time is reduced considerably. Regardless of the industry, the robot application can be used for a wide range of goods and gets even better with every pick because the SSI Piece Picking solution gains experience with the help of machine learning.

Goals of automatic loading

The automatic loading station of the SSI Carrier pouches achieves various goals. Warehouse staff is relieved of monotonous, repetitive work and can focus on value-adding tasks. The warehouse operator gains more flexibility in their warehouse processes in order to better deal with the shortage of skilled workforce and adapt to changing market conditions. And last, but not least, system operators benefit from increased warehouse efficiency thanks to automatic loading. In other words, they receive a high-performance, top-quality 24/7, flow of goods with a solution that is 100% made by SSI SCHAEFER.