As part of a global production network, Takeda operates production facilities in Singen and Oranienburg in Germany. According to its own statements, Takeda is among the world’s leading bio-pharmaceutical companies and has a presence in more than 80 countries and regions. While the Singen site is specialised in the production of liquid and freeze-dried drugs, in Oranienburg solid dosage forms are produced. Here more than six billion tablets and capsules are produced each year.
Where the CR-15iA works
The packing table at the end of a tablet production facility is made up of a double workplace. The small glass bottles filled with tablets are packaged in multiple cartons. These cartons are shifted to the packing table without a break held by two workers five packs at a time and set in a box. If the box is full, it will be set on a flexible slightly sloped roller conveyor. At its end, the CR-15iA first scans the label to then grab the box in such a way that it can stack it on the pallet with the label on the outside. While there are shift changes among the workers, the robot works 24/7.
The task of the robots at Takeda is actually only to place the boxes correctly on the pallets always eight boxes per layer and four layers high - and with the label facing outward. With a reach of 1,441 mm and a maximum load capacity the FANUC robot fulfils this task effortlessly. The traverse speed permitted for collaborative operation is absolutely sufficient for the facility. The vacuum gripper is from Schmalz and of course meets all the requirements for the collaborative operation.
Arnardo Schulze, Managing Director of SKDK, places value in the statement. “that, in agreement with Takeda, we have only used standard products without customising.” Only the design of the user interface of the Teach Pendant was a customer-specific layout programmed.