Almost two years after adding two ABB robotic cells to its production line, Ilchester Cheese Ltd, the UK’s biggest producer of speciality cheeses, continues to maintain improved labour and material savings. Since the installation, product consistency and levels of productivity have also improved at the factory in Ilchester, Somerset

The company currently exports to over 20 countries internationally and within the UK delivers its products to a wide range of food manufacturers, wholesalers, supermarkets and independent stores with both pre-packed and deli counter cheese. Recognising the need to keep up with its global competition, in 2005, Ilchester Cheese approached RTS – a high technology business supplying engineering services, products and integrated systems – with the requirement for a new automated production line to help improve labour efficiency and increase product yield.

A fast and precise solution
Working as partners, RTS and ABB quickly examined the key stages of the production line to determine what the robots would need to achieve and how. The answer was to provide Ilchester Cheese Ltd with two IRB 340 Flexpicker robots, capable of handling 150 picks per minute, ensuring cheese blocks are moved quickly and precisely, one at a time, from one location to another.

Reduced labour
Operating in two, eight-hour shifts the Flexpicker robots have now reduced labour turnover by half. Now, only two employees are needed to monitor and maintain the smooth running of the production lines, reduced from the four employees who previously carried out the task of picking and packing.

Constant perfection
Helping Ilchester Cheese meet its own stringent requirements, ABB’s Flexpicker robots can ensure Illchester’s product consistency by selecting only perfect products. As the robot scans the production line it identifies the optimum height of a block of cheese. If the product does not fit into the pre-determined height restrictions, the cheese is left on the conveyor, ready to be cut and sent through the production line again.

ROI success
Tony Helyar, Engineering & Business Development Manager at Illchester Cheese Ltd, commented: “Since installing the ABB robots, we have seen significant improvements in our productivity. Production errors have been greatly reduced, resulting in reduced wastage and increased yield on our products. The solution has been successfully in operation for over two years and has already enabled Ilchester Cheese to recoup its initial investment. Our initial requirements have all been fulfilled and we look forward to implementing robotics elsewhere in our business”

Courtesy of  ABB