Robotic Loading Unit

BAKERY & BISCUITS, CHOCOLATE & CONFECTIONARY, COFFEE & TEA, DAIRY, FROZEN FOOD, PERSONAL & HOME CARE, PET FOOD, READY MEALS

Vimco robotic loading units are designed to handle the insertion of naked products or products already packed in their primary packaging, such as flowpacks, pouches, pots, and thermo-sealed packs, into boxes and cartons, ensuring precise positioning, production continuity, and maximum product protection.

Each system is configured according to the actual characteristics of the product and its packaging: dimensions, weight, fragility, and the required arrangement inside the package. This approach enables the selection of the most effective handling solution, ensuring gentle gripping and precise placement even in the most complex applications.

Equipped with two- or three-axis robots, but also four and five axis, Vimco robotic loading units pick the product directly from the line flow and insert it from above according to the required configuration, maintaining consistent operation even at high production rates.

They can be integrated with Vimco side loading cartoning machines, forming machines, and closing machines, or installed as stand-alone units on existing systems. This makes them a flexible and reliable solution for optimising secondary packaging automation.

Why choose Vimco robotic loading units

Each Vimco robotic loading unit is sized according to the process specifications: product type, product grouping arrangement, and required handling method. Below are the advantages this choice brings to your line.

Two or three, four and five axis robots

The choice of axes depends on the complexity of the required handling operation.

Product first, machine second

Handling is studied on the actual product: dimensions, weight, and fragility of the primary packaging are analysed before any configuration is defined. We do not adapt the product to the robot: we adapt the robot to the product.

Integrable vision systems

Vision systems can be integrated for incoming product inspection. Verification takes place directly in line.

Complete software integration

The robot shares the same operating logic as the other components of the line. Synchronisation, timing, and operating conditions are defined during fine-tuning and are not managed separately.

Stand-alone or part of a line

Robotic loading units work in combination with forming machines and closing machines, or as stand-alone units on existing systems. The configuration adapts to the layout without requiring structural changes to the line.

Why choose Vimco robotic loading units

Product first, machine second

Two or three, four and five axis robots

The choice of axes depends on the complexity of the required handling operation.

Complete software integration

The robot shares the same operating logic as the other components of the line. Synchronisation, timing, and operating conditions are defined during fine-tuning and are not managed separately.

Integrable vision systems

Vision systems can be integrated for incoming product inspection. Verification takes place directly in line.

Stand-alone or part of a line

In which sectors do our machines operate?

Bakery & Biscuits

Products exit the primary line in flowpacks with variable dimensions and bags that are not always uniform. The robot analyses the differences in shape between one pack and another and manages them without interrupting the line: it picks the product from the conveyor and places it into the box from above, in the arrangement required by the customer.

Chocolate & Confectionary

Pralines and chocolate bars in individual wrappers do not tolerate pressure during picking. For this reason, the gripping force is adjusted based on the fragility of the primary packaging, and the robot transfers the product into the required arrangement without deforming it. The configuration is tested on the actual product before choosing the number of axes.

Coffee & Tea

Capsule and pod lines require precise arrangement inside the package to avoid empty spaces or misaligned packs. The robot manages product grouping and top loading, maintaining synchronisation with the forming and closing machines, and the production rate across different blends and sizes, ensuring a constant flow.

Dairy

Dairy products in primary packaging with irregular shapes require a gripping system designed to fit the container's actual surface. The robot places each pack from above in the correct position, even with product references featuring special geometries that a standard suction cup would not handle stably.

Frozen Food

At sub-zero temperatures, primary packs become more rigid and slippery. The top picking and placing method is studied according to the actual operating conditions of the working environment. The robot configuration takes into account the package's behaviour in cold conditions, not only its specifications at room temperature.

Pet Food

Pouches and doypacks with variable weights have unpredictable centres of gravity, making picking unstable. The robot compensates for filling differences between packs, adapting the grip to the actual weight and reducing handling rejects.

Ready Meals

Ready meal trays are inherently unstable, with a wide base and liquid or semi-liquid contents. The robot manages top loading with the positioning precision needed to prevent tipping during transfer and to ensure correct arrangement inside the formed box.

Personal & Home Care

Candles and cosmetic products have packaging with slippery surfaces and non-standard shapes. The gripping tool configuration is defined by the product's actual geometry, and the robot places each pack from above into the correct position, even with irregularly shaped references or special surface treatments.