Netherlands: Completely automatic pepper packing line at Euro West

For years now Marco Vijverberg of Euro West, Netherlands has been thinking about a pepper packing machine. When he, during a packing fair in Düsseldorf, saw a robot packing croissants he knew that this should also be possible for peppers. In Roboxis Marco found the partner to make a completely automatic system to flowpack peppers. The new line is really something new, which is clear from the fact

that various patents were applied for and obtained. After a period of a year and a half of development and testing the line is ready at the moment for larger volumes of peppers.

 

and Robbert Reijgersberg (Euro West)

Roboxis instigated the most ideal and reliable method to pick up the peppers and to place them in a flow wrapper. To make sure the peppers are not damaged they are covered by soft inflatable grip elements, which are filled with air. "By using this concept the robot is also well suited to pick up and put down of the peppers, which are packed outside of the Dutch season. Normally these peppers have a less defined shape than the Dutch peppers and often cause problems in conventional gripping systems," Joost van Schaik of Roboxis explains. This company from Barneveld already had experience with the robotics for tomato processing, but according to Joost packing of peppers is still a whole lot more complicated.

 

First of all the peppers are dosed by a weighing machine from Jasa on the scale of Roboxis. Every pepper is placed in a special dish. The pepper is then scanned with the aid of a 3D camera system. Then the pepper is moved into the correct position for picking up. The peppers can be placed in the packing in accordance with the wishes of the customer, because the stems can be turned in any direction required.

The system has indeed been set up to pack three peppers simultaneously, but packing one or two items is also possible.

 

According to Piet Hoogendijk of Jasa the line is different because of the combination of picking up and putting away of the pepper, in which the central place is occupied by the Roboxis T.robot. "We have chosen to work from a different angle than the existing systems and that has led to this combination, where we in a relatively limited space have control over the entire system from the supply of the pepper to the removal."

 

The saving of labour is the biggest advantage of that packing line, according to Marco. "The capacity will be between fifty and sixty packings per minute with three people. In the past we did seventy five packings with nine people. A higher speed is even possible for singles. The machine saves us three people and is more quiet on the shopfloor. There is hardly any noise when the robot is at work."

 

Fellow packers are free to come and see the line at work. For particulars see the contacts below.

Expectations are high. "There is sufficient interest, but I would like to take this opportunity to compliment Euro West, because they dared to take the first step. It takes courage to invest in a project like this. I am of the opinion that with this they have earned an innovation prize!"

 

For more information:
Marco Vijverberg
Euro West
322, ABC Westland
2685 DD Poeldijk
Tel: 0031 174-246268
Fax: 0031 174-248904
[email protected]
www.euro-west.nl

Piet Hoogendijk
Jasa
14-16, Hazenkoog
1822 BS Alkmaar
Cell: 0031 6-54254700
[email protected]
www.jasa.nl

Joost van Schaik
Roboxis
46-1 Valkseweg
3771 RE Barneveld
Tel: 0031 342-422407
Fax: 0031 342-424717
[email protected]
www.roboxis.nl