Mohrbach combines case packer and cobot palletizing in a single plant

Given the present economic conditions, the idea of automating packaging processes is more relevant than ever, albeit by no means new, as the following example shows. As early as the 1970s, Adidas founder Adi Dassler was looking for new, faster and more efficient ways to package his successful products in boxes.

The sports show pioneer found what he was seeking in Ernst Mohrbach, who, with his company of the same name, successfully supplied the then flourishing shoe industry with manufacturing equipment. The innovative southwest Palatinate-based enterprise developed the first machine for Adidas to automatically assemble cardboard boxes – thus laying the foundation for the further development of today’s Mohrbach Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH, based in Höhfröschen near Pirmasens.

Picture: For Mohrbach Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH, based in Höhfröschen near Pirmasens, the use of state-of-the-art technologies is a matter of course.

Experienced partner in the field of secondary and tertiary packaging

“For over 50 years, our work has been guided by intelligent pragmatism and a genuine customer perspective,” says Mohrbach Sales Director Ralf Weis, summing up the company’s characteristic strengths. “This allows us to deliver innovative and practical solutions. As a flexible and experienced partner in the field of secondary and tertiary packaging made of cardboard, we stand for collaborative thinking, tailor-made technology and solutions that really fit.”

As sales manager Weis adds, the use of the latest technologies is a matter of course for Mohrbach: “Automation and robotics are central elements of our concepts and enable a significant increase in productivity, even under the most demanding conditions.”

Picture: The new system components extend an existing packaging line into a fully automated solution.

Demanding task from the pharmaceutical industry

On the merit of these strong skills, Mohrbach's specialists receive many enquiries concerning particularly demanding packaging tasks from all sectors. This also applies to an Austrian pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Fully automated packaging lines were already in operation there: In the first stage, the line automatically packs pharmaceutical sachets together with package leaflets into individual cartons, which are subsequently grouped and packed into shipping cases by a case packer. The final step in the packaging process, palletizing, has now been automated using a cobot for the first time.

A key challenge was that the spatial situation should as far as possible remain unchanged vis-à-vis the previous configuration. This means that the new facility should not take up more floor space than the two conventional manual workstations. In addition, it should continue to be easily accessible so that new boxes can be manually fed in and the pallets can be transported on and off by pallet truck.

Picture: With its newly developed MCP-SL400, Mohrbach combines case packing and cobot palletizing in a compact system.

Combined system concept 

In order to meet these diverse requirements within a very small space, Mohrbach combined case packers and cobot palletizing in a compact system. The result of this development work was first presented at Interpack 2026 and is now available as a market-ready MCP-SL400 model. It presents itself as an ergonomic and flexible palletizing solution ideal for rapid format changes.

In detail, the case packer performs the following tasks fully automatically: It groups the primary boxes and straightens the outer box in parallel. For serialization, after grouping each primary box is optically recorded; more precisely: via the printed identification QR code.

Cameras check the accuracy, and the data for the label is stored. The erected outer carton is then filled with the boxes by sideloading, sealed product-safe using hot glue and labelled. A conveyor unit finally takes it to the downstream palletizer, where a scanware camera checks the label and, if correct, releases it to the cobot. Only then does the latter lift the cardboard box onto a pallet in a specified position.

Picture: A six-axis HC20DTP cobot with a payload capacity of 20 kg and a working reach of 1,900 mm is used for the new palletizing system.

Decision in favour of the cobot 

As automation professionals, the Mohrbach designers rely on classic industrial robots for many tasks. However, Ralf Weis explains why they chose a cobot that can be used in direct contact with people: “This was mainly due to space constraints and better accessibility, because with a cobot there is no need for a safety fence or similar safety devices.”

The decision was made in favour of a Yaskawa cobot. Ralf Weis and his colleagues were impressed by their extensive experience with other robot types from the MOTOMAN portfolio. “But what matters most to us is good contact,” he affirms.

A six-axle HC20DTP with a load capacity of 20 kg and a working range of 1,900 mm is used as a cobot for the current palletizing system. It is equipped with a Schmalz vacuum gripper. In order to save space, the cobot control is integrated into the base of the case packer.

The DTP series of cobot models (P for plug&play) feature an adapter flange that has established itself as the de facto standard for connecting peripherals such as grippers. In addition, the media guidance for Ethernet, I/O and compressed air is integrated inside the robot arm, thus avoiding interference contours and improving cleaning ability.

Optimized cable routing enables extended movement radii of the axles and thus increases flexibility in use. Wrist controls are available for programming. These simplify manual learning, as position confirmations can be made directly on the robot.

Picture: Mohrbach-Vertriebsleiter Ralf Weis vor der neuen Anlage.

Summary

“The combination of case packer and cobot palletizer is a mature solution for end-of-line packaging that offers maximum performance in minimal space,” summarizes sales manager Ralf Weis von Mohrbach, adding: “The whole construction is all-round perfect and we are super satisfied with the Yaskawa cobot.”

Author:

Florian Kohut, Key Account Manager, Yaskawa Europe GmbH

Tel. +49-171-565-4683
florian.kohut@yaskawa.eu
www.yaskawa.de

© Pictures and Text: Yaskawa Europe GmbH