A reference example: Packing plant for roof tile accessories for Jacobi Tonwerke (Bilshausen)
Project scope:
- New packaging plant for roof tile accessories
- Integration into existing upstream and downstream equipment, control systems and production processes
With an investment in a new high-performance and highly flexible packaging plant for roof tile accessories, Jacobi Tonwerke, a traditional roof tile manufacturer with state-of-the-art production facilities in Bilshausen and Duderstadt (Lower Saxony), has taken another step towards remaining a trendsetting and demand-oriented company. In close cooperation with KELLER ICS GmbH, Jacobi Tonwerke developed the concept for the new packaging plant that was finally planned, designed and manufactured by KELLER ICS in Ibbenbüren-Laggenbeck In spring 2005, the plant was jointly installed and commissioned by Jacobi Tonwerke and KELLER ICS within the shortest possible time and without creating any problems. The scope of delivery had to be integrated into the existing upstream and downstream machinery, control systems and production processes. This was also carried out smoothly.
Scope of delivery:
The new packaging plant consists of:
- a sorting area with auxiliary pallet circulation and 2 robots
- film wrapping equipment with immersion tank and
- product palletising
Two starting-point parameters characterise the complexity of the plant:
- The products to be packed in the plant are roof tiles and accessories for 11 different roof tile models and two other roof tiles models. It may happen that each product size has its own special packaging requirements.
- Up to three different products are simultaneously unloaded from the kiln car. That means that a maximum of three different products enters the packaging plant from two sides.
Sorting equipment
Kiln car unloading and the formation of small packs is done manually (image 2). For this purpose the products are arranged in small packs on auxiliary pallets. The auxiliary pallets are forwarded on conveyor belts running alongside the sorting personnel. Special codes on the auxiliary pallets and a code identification system ensure that the different products are correctly distributed to the downstream machinery.
Special sizes are not forwarded on this main packing line, but they are manually formed into packs and are later automatically integrated into the plant. Furthermore, the film wrapping machine can be bypassed when preselecting this option on the control panel. The products are then packed without shrink-wrapping film.
Conclusion
The integration of new modern machinery into an existing plant working with a comprehensive product range was successfully carried out by implementing this unique packaging plant built at Jacobi Tonwerke. The packaging processes were reasonably automated and streamlined, while at the same time reverting to human intelligence and assessment capabilities at the crucial points in the plant. Altogether, the plant is highly efficient and extremely flexible and ready to meet all market and product requirements.