PEEBLES-based Evolution Bottling and Packaging Solutions and Italian manufacturer TMG Impianti have recently installed and commissioned a new 9,000 bph tube depalletiser and high-level palletiser to enhance Whyte and Mackay’s packaging automation.
Award-winning whisky makers with over 175 years heritage, Whyte and Mackay produce whiskies from five distilleries across Scotland. Recent developments at the company’s packaging site in Grangemouth have included a bespoke configured tube depalletiser installed by Evolution’s engineers in conjunction with manufacturer TMG Impianti.
Whyte and Mackay required a solution to effectively depalletise traditional unstable, lightweight gift tubes as well as an end of line palletising solution able to handle high numbers of SKU combinations. Flexibility was key to the project with over 20 types of bottles to be handled along with four types of cardboard containers.
The tube depalletisation system installed comprises the Vega 60 depalletiser and ancillary devices designed, produced and tested in-house by TMG. The machine is equipped with a pneumatic device to remove the plastic interlayer from the pallet when the layer is being moved. As well as integrating the new equipment with the existing line, the supply also included ancillaries: full and empty pallet conveying system, allocation system, protection systems and accident prevention devices.
Evolution explained that the ‘versatility and compact design’ of the machine means it can be configured to adapt to the logistical requirements of the installation area, even in fairly small spaces.
The pallets are transported automatically to the unloading area and raised up where a series of controlled devices remove the layer, transfer it to the evacuation conveyor whilst keeping the products resting on the bottom. To ensure the layer is successfully shifted sideways, a dual-gripper system blocks the interlayer separator on which the products are resting.
The line is completed with a new high-level palletiser, also from Evolution and TMG. Included in the supply was a spiralveyor to transfer cases to the high-level palletiser.
Alan Donaldson , engineering project manager at Whyte and Mackay, said, “This was an extremely challenging project involving various OEMs and allowed us the opportunity to further develop the growing partnership between Evolution and their Italian-based suppliers. Despite the negative impacts of Covid-19 and the subsequent restrictions on travel, Evolution and TMG were able to adapt to new ways of working and support new timelines through to the successful completion of the project.”
