When appropriate EGG-NEWS posts contributions from supporters, sponsors and subscribers. Jim Nardulli is the COO of PASCO Systems and has extensive experience in applying robotics to industrial applications in a wide range of industries. Recently his Company developed an efficient robotic egg packer compatible with the leading makes of graders. As a component of the process of design and improvement he visited a number of packing plants to observe operations. His comments on the most labor-intensive activity in our operations are of interest as he approached the design of the PacSmart™ module with an open mind but with experience in pharmaceutical, electronic and automotive component plants permitting transfer of robotic, mechanical and process technology.
My first encounter with unstoppable things came long ago when as a young man I was a line cook at a busy restaurant. Impossible to read, handwritten orders would start at 5 PM whether or not we were prepared. One hiccup early would cascade toward disaster under the pressure of a torrent of new orders as we noticed that the temperature in that kitchen was close to 100 degrees.
We learned to depend on one another and to be prepared.
When, years later, I visited an egg packing operation for the first time in my role with a robotic automation company, it was immediately clear to me that the men and women managing that operation were facing something very similar – the eggs were coming whether they were prepared or not. Operating under the constant pressure of unstoppable incoming eggs or dinner orders results in a steady flow of adrenalin.
The current social and business climate under which we are operating turns up the pressure for those who have been deemed to be ‘essential’ while a different set of problems besets the millions that are suddenly unemployed.
No matter what your opinion may be about the efficacy or wisdom of shutting down our economy, the fact is that we are now more than ever dependent on one another and the need to be prepared has never been greater.
If anything positive is to come from our current COVID-19 crisis it will perhaps be that the industry finally takes action to mitigate its weak links.
Clearly, the egg industry embraced mechanical automation long ago. However, if one embraces the idea that a process is only as good as its weakest link, then an asterisk needs to be placed on the idea that the egg industry has comprehensively embraced automation. Why?
Weak link 1
When I consider a new robotic automation project, I like to spend a bit of time doing the job myself. Within two hours of transferring cartons to containers I found myself with an aching back and massive respect for the women working alongside me.
At the beginning of each day, the flow of incoming workers brings with them their problems, their pathogens, and their looming workman’s comp claims. When these same workers leave for the day, they can leave behind their viruses and bacteria.
New robotic packers are equipped with self-cleaning mechanisms for conveyors and a UV-C disinfectant feature that mitigates pathogens and minimizes labor costs associated with daily cleaning. Robotic packers also capture Information in support of the IoT revolution that can lead to continuous improvement in operational results.
Weak Link 2
There has been no shortage of debate relating to the relative merits and detriments of a globalized economy. No matter one’s thoughts on that question, our present circumstance calls out the very real pitfalls of a global supply chain. When downtime ticks by at thousands of dollars per hour, the cost of a disrupted flow of spare parts and or service technicians from abroad becomes very real indeed.
Weak link 3
The efficiencies promised by multi-million-dollar investments in graders are routinely minimized by the realities of manual packing at the end of the line.
At the end of most egg grading operations one finds a crew manually packing cartons and flats into cases, RPCs, and wire carts. I must admit, the first time I witnessed a large grading operation I was undeniably impressed with the engineering and efficiency of grader installations and the quality of their construction. I was wholly unprepared for what came next. There were dozens of workers engaged in the frenetic task of keeping up with the output of the grader. The industry has invested in automating the very difficult processes such as washing, selecting eggs with acceptable shell integrity, grading, sorting and carton packing. The relatively simple but labor-intensive end-of-line packing is not automated because grader manufacturers regard transfer of diverse egg packs to containers as difficult. Plant owners consider the last step too expensive to automate.
The Economics
The repeated cycle of boom, when the industry is profitable, leads to investment in expansion but the inevitable bust is created by oversupply. Ratcheting down operational costs through a reduction in headcount creates efficiency and maximizes the existing investment in automated graders and reduces variable costs in down-cycles.
Robotic packing and palletizing can significantly reduce the number of workers required to maintain plant volume. Fewer workers correlate to a reduced risk of infection being introduced into a facility. Greater mechanization to reduce worker complement reduces HR challenges including determining eligibility to work in the U.S., accidents and Workmen’s Compensation claims, the cycle of recruiting, hiring and training and other costly obligations.
Each PacSmart™ Mark III dual robot packing machine is capable of packing 170 cases per hour and requires no changeover to move from flats to cartons or RPCs to corrugated cardboard cases. A recent case study showed that a combination of fixed and variable costs of packing were reduced by 53 percent and the entire investment could be paid back in less than 18 months. Robotic automation of packing, palletizing and de-palletizing is the sure path toward greater efficiency and profitability.
Readers are invited to comment on the opinions and observations of Jim Nardulli and to establish a dialogue. He can be contacted at <nardulli@pascosystems.com>