interpack 2023: Mitsubishi Electric highlights ‘sweet spots’ for smart solutions

Mitsubishi Electric is promising a chocolate box of robotic automation perfection at this year’s interpack highlighting sweet spots for its smart solutions in the food packaging industry with a range of chocolate-filled demos at Interpack 2023 in Hall 6, Stand A40.

From 4th-10th May, visitors will be able to learn how the company’s motto ‘Automating the World’ can be applied to stand out in an increasingly demanding and competitive marketplace.

Mitsubishi Electric says companies need to adopt value-adding solutions to drive throughput, efficiency and optimum product quality. At Interpack 2023, Mitsubishi Electric will showcase how companies in the CPGs industry can enhance their capabilities and performance using robotic applications and smart machine setups.

Visitors to the booth will be able to interact with Mitsubishi Electric’s articulated six-axis industrial and collaborative robots as they perform a number of key activities typical for packaging shop floors. In particular, attendees will be able to look at how they can speed up, improve quality control and flexibility in quality control. This will be demonstrated through an open, modular and fully integrated line for advanced quality inspection of chocolate bars and their packaging.

This uses a conveyor belt that passes three different stations, which leverage technologies from the automation vendor and its partners. Firstly, the products go through an X-ray system from Ishida that can spot foreign objects and impurities, subsequently they are taken to a deep learning solution from Robovision that evaluates packaging seal quality. Finally, Mitsubishi Electric’s robot picks, lifts and turns around the product so that it can be weighed and then inspected by a Cognex vision system which is used to perform a final check of the chocolate bars.

A second interactive display will highlight how quick it is to install the company’s robotic solutions. These do not require expert programming skills and can be easily set up using an intuitive platform with drag-and-drop functions. To demonstrate this, visitors will be invited to program a cobot to pick up a giveaway.

Finally, there will be a focus on speeding up the stacking of packaged goods within factories or at point-of-sale areas using autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), which combine cobots with automation-guided vehicles (AGVs). On the stand, a Mitsubishi Electric’s MELFA Assista cobot installed on an AGV from Baumüller will be transporting a variety chocolate bars, placing them on the right display station.

Many other demos will be on stand as well as application-oriented exhibition panels showcasing key solutions for smart packaging applications. Leading experts from the company will also be available throughout the exhibition to discuss visitors’ application specific requirements and how to futureproof CPG-related processes.

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