Automating the Feed of Packaging Materials for Eye Drop Manufacturing

Title:
Automating the Feed of Packaging Materials for Eye‑Drop Manufacturing

Client Overview:
A global leader in eye care with more than 75 years of experience. The company operates in 60 countries, serves patients in over 140, and is the largest eye‑care device provider worldwide, with expertise across both surgical and vision‑care products.

Key Stats:

• Return on investment: 2 years
• Percentage of machines future‑proofed: 100 %

The Problem

The client’s packaging machine is designed to assemble six cartons of eye‑drops in one continuous process: inserting vials, adding leaflets, closing the carton, and wrapping it. Although the machine is capable of processing 300 products per minute, it was underutilized. Operators had to manually place flat cartons and leaflets into the in‑feed every minute during three shifts, causing the machine to run at only 150–200 products per minute. The repetitive nature of manual feeding limited throughput and hampered efficiency.

Our Solution

Botsync automated the in‑feed process using a combination of robotics and software. Collaborative robots (cobots) with customized end effectors pick and place flat cartons and leaflets into the packaging machine. A vertical storage carousel organizes materials for quick access, while a safety curtain ensures safe operation. SyncOS integrates all components, orchestrating the workflow and handling data exchange between systems. This solution allows continuous, hands‑free feeding of materials into the machine, unlocking its full capacity.

Key Features

• Customized Cobots: Cobots equipped with bespoke end effectors precisely handle cartons and leaflets, ensuring gentle, accurate placement without interrupting the production cycle.
• Vertical Storage Carousel: Materials are stored and fed automatically, minimizing clutter and reducing the need for manual handling.
• Safety Measures: A safety curtain protects operators during operation, allowing the cobots to function safely alongside human workers.
• SyncOS Integrator: SyncOS manages communication between the cobots, storage carousel, and packaging machine, ensuring synchronized operation and simple system control.

Impact on Operations

• Full Capacity Achieved: The machine now runs at its designed speed of 300 products per minute.
• Reduced Manual Intervention: Operators no longer feed materials continuously; their involvement has dropped from once a minute to three times an hour.
• Increased Throughput: Automation lifted output to meet forecasted demand, eliminating bottlenecks caused by manual feeding.

Conclusion

By automating the in‑feed of cartons and leaflets, Botsync helped this eye‑drop manufacturer unlock the full potential of its packaging machine. The combination of cobots, storage carousel and SyncOS transformed a labor‑intensive process into a streamlined, high‑throughput operation. This solution not only delivered immediate efficiency gains but also future‑proofed the facility, enabling it to scale to meet increasing production demands.