FANUC Robots Help Mask Producer Face up to the Challenge

Lemoine Holland is part of the global Groupe Lemoine, headquartered in France, which has unique expertise in the manufacture of cotton-based skin care and hygiene products.

With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Lemoine Holland wanted to install an automated face mask production line in double-quick time. By tapping into the solutions and capabilities of FANUC (robot manufacturer), Simple Robotic Automation (a supplier of custom solutions in industrial automation, robotics and motion) and Alpha Robotica (a specialist in robot programming), the company was able to establish a fully automated face mask production line in just one month.

The production line consists of four linked assembly stations featuring a number of FANUC SCARA and industrial robots. Operations comprise mask production, stacking, packaging and palletising functions, producing face masks at a speed of 60 per minute.

The first operation is mask production/assembly. At the end of this line sits a FANUC SR-3𝑖A SCARA robot, which unloads and stacks completed masks at a rate of 1 per second. Here, a vision camera performs a quality check.

Stacked masks travel via a conveyor to a FANUC R-2000𝑖B/210F robot, which transfers all stacks to two packaging machines. It undertakes this task by lifting an entire section of the modular conveyor before orientating and placing it accordingly.

At the end of each packaging machine, which inserts the stacked face masks into sealed plastic packages, a FANUC LR Mate 200𝑖D mini robot boxes two packages simultaneously. Finally, another FANUC R-2000𝑖B/210F robot palletises the boxes ready for shipping.

Beyond the reliable and efficient performance of the FANUC robots, key to the success of this project was the early involvement of expert technology partners, Simple Robotic Automation and Alpha Robotica. For every project, Alpha Robotica takes a pragmatic and goal-oriented approach, characterising itself with involvement at the engineering/concept stage. In this way, Alpha Robotica focuses on making a strong and mutually valuable relationship.

The face mask production process at Lemoine Holland features complete automation, negating the need for human labour and providing a highly cost-effective and reliable solution. This outcome was much needed during such a widescale health emergency and today continues to provide a secure source of face masks with demand levels remaining high.