Question of the month : Antoine BOMBAL
- Karine Morel
- [wpcode id="48710"]
Table of content
Intelligent automation: how the Excalibur machine and cobots are transforming industrial production
Interview with Antoine Bombal, Head of Process Department – CGP Coating Innovation
1- How did the Excalibur project come about? What are the main advantages of this solution?
The project was born around fifteen years ago from CGP Coating Innovation desire to technically support its customers in optimizing the grammage of their slip sheets, without creating gripping issues on their palletizing lines. By cutting slip sheets one by one, there is no longer any risk of picking up 2–3 sheets at the same time and causing line stoppages.
By switching to paper reels thanks to Excalibur, instead of traditional pre-cut slip sheets, customers using several pallet sizes in their production can simplify their supply process: a 1200 mm width reel makes it possible to produce 800×1200 mm and 1000×1200 mm slip sheets, and by choosing the DUO version of Excalibur, it is also possible to produce half-pallet formats.
Among the other advantages of the Excalibur solution, it helps increase productivity by reducing stops related to refilling slip sheet magazines (one reel ≈ 5000 slip sheets), optimize space on palletizing lines, and improve operator safety.
Excalibur also provides greater palletizing precision by always positioning the slip sheet centered on the conveyor, regardless of its size, and at the same height.
2- · Why combine the Excalibur machine with a cobot? What are the concrete benefits of this Cobot–Excalibur collaboration?
This Excalibur + Cobot combination makes it possible to bring automation to our customers’ end-of-line operations with controlled budgets, in an industrial context of labor shortages.
Our customers gain in productivity, flexibility, and competitiveness.
All of this with a compact, robust, and very easy-to-integrate solution.
3- What types of tasks do cobots handle in this system (handling, loading, inspection, etc.)?
In this configuration, cobots pick up the products arriving on the conveyor and place them onto pallets, before wrapping and shipping.
In connection with Excalibur, they also position an anti-slip paper slip sheet at the base of the pallet and between the different layers of products.
4- What gains can companies expect (ROI, MSDs)?
First of all, this makes it possible to avoid assigning operators to repetitive tasks that can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Safety and ergonomics are therefore improved, while optimizing end-of-line operations.
Moreover, in a context of labor shortages in industry, combined with rising hiring and packaging costs, integrating this cobotic palletizing system with Excalibur enables a fast ROI. It also brings added value back to operators’ work, who will notably have more time for quality control of products and pallets.
Thanks to the adaptability of this solution, we also provide flexibility in logistics flows by reducing downtime.
5- What are the main steps to implement an automated Excalibur solution with cobots in a company?
In end-of-line and palletizing operations, it is often observed that the choice of slip sheet is not a priority. In any case, companies do not always question whether it is well optimized or easily integrable into automated lines.
The first step for CGP is to ensure that the selected slip sheets are suitable for the palletized products. The objective is to guarantee that the products arrive at their destination in perfect condition, without over-engineering the packaging.
The second step is then to ensure that automating this process will not create any issues. This is where integrating Excalibur becomes essential, as it eliminates gripping issues and space constraints.
A key point throughout these stages remains good communication between all stakeholders involved in the project : OEMs, integrators, slip sheet manufacturers, and the end customer.
6- Do you have concrete examples or feedback from customers who have already adopted this solution?
Yes, we have concrete feedback on this type of solution.
We can notably mention a project carried out in Poland with the integrator Intrex. In this context, two Excalibur machines automatic anti-slip slip sheet cutters were installed and combined with two cobots at one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of sealants and adhesives.
This solution enabled efficient automation of end-of-line operations by improving production consistency, reducing manual handling, and optimizing overall productivity.
Following this installation, a customer testimonial was produced. It highlights concrete benefits such as the reliability of the solution, significant time savings, and improved working conditions for operators. This feedback confirms the relevance of combining Excalibur with cobots as part of a high-performance and sustainable automation approach.
Our team will help you find the solution that meets your needs.