Seeka Limited is conducting a trial of the Electrostack, a robotic stacker prototype, at its KKP packhouse in New Zealand. The Electrostack, engineered by Sean Carey of Electrodip, is capable of stacking eight boxes per minute, offering potential efficiencies in labor, time, and cost.
The KKP packhouse is equipped with automated systems including box makers, fillers, and camera graders, making it an optimal site for testing the new technology. Sean Carey aimed to design a compact machine suitable for smaller facilities, using locally sourced materials. "The machine was built and programmed right here in Te Puke at the Electrodip workshop, including all the fabrication and wiring," said Sean.
Jarrad Bates, Seeka Regional Manager, noted the trial's progress, highlighting the machine's ability to stack and destack different pallets simultaneously. "The scanning system provides the traceability we need and being able to move it around easily is certainly beneficial," Jarrad stated. Currently, the Electrostack is tested on a slower manual infeed, with future plans to evaluate its performance on a high-speed line. "It will be good to see it running at max capacity," Jarrad added.
Seeka CEO, Michael Franks, remarked, "At Seeka, we apply leading-edge technology along with our expertise to lift productivity, add new revenue streams, and deliver financial performance to our growers and shareholders."
Source: Scoop