Customer: Gittis Naturprodukte GmbH

High-Throughput Palletizing of Filled Boxes – for 2-3 Shift Production

At Gittis Naturprodukte, manual palletizing led to significant physical strain and tied-up resources. To make production in a 2- to 3-shift operation more efficient and ergonomic, the company implemented six individually tailored palletizing solutions – with outstanding success. The compact systems, equipped with collaborative palletizing robots (cobots), reduce physical workload, increase output, and enable smooth, around-the-clock operation.

Thanks to seamless ERP integration and an open design, these systems represent a forward-thinking step toward greater automation and flexibility.

HS Palletizer with cobot in live operation: automated carton handling directly at the packaging line.

What Led Gittis to Automation

At Gittis Naturprodukte GmbH, manually palletizing cartons was a physically demanding and time-consuming task. The cartons, filled with packaged food products, had to be stacked around the clock at three stations, both on Euro pallets and special-sized pallets, as part of a continuous three-shift operation. This work placed ergonomic strain on employees and tied up valuable human resources. Additionally, the company wanted to automate the palletizing process without having to install complex safety fencing. The goal was to improve both the flexibility and accessibility of the system while keeping the required footprint to a minimum.

Ergonomic Palletizing with a Customized Robot Solution

To optimize its palletizing process, Gittis Naturprodukte GmbH chose six palletizing robots of the type HS Palletizer from HS Mechatronics, each tailored to their specific needs. The systems are characterized by the following features:

  • Compact HS Palletizers with two pallet positions and collaborative lightweight robots from Universal Robots
  • Conveyor belts with mechanical stops and adjustable guide plates for precise carton alignment
  • Mechanical pusher unit at the end of the conveyor for efficient double picking of cartons by the robot
  • Integrated slip sheet magazine for providing layer sheets, with an emphasis on space-saving design
  • Engineered for 24/7 operation to ensure fail-safe performance in three-shift production
  • Pallet change during operation allows filled pallets to be removed without stopping the robot
  • Integration into the ERP production control system to enable remote monitoring and control of the systems

The system is capable of handling a specified carton throughput per hour via single or multi-pick operation. Filled pallets are manually unloaded.

Key Project Data

Company:
Gittis Naturprodukte GmbH
Industry:
Food Industry
Location:
Puch bei Hallein, Salzburg
Palettierroboter mit Cobot-Greifer beim automatisierten Kartonhandling direkt am Förderband
HS Palletizer mit Cobot im Live-Betrieb: Automatisiertes Kartonhandling direkt an der Verpackungslinie
Palettierroboter im Produktionseinsatz: Der Cobot platziert Produktkartons auf einer Palette direkt neben dem Förderband
Cobot-Roboterarm mit Vakuumgreifer beim präzisen Platzieren von Kartons – automatisierte Palettierung in industrieller Umgebung mit Fördertechnik und Kartonmagazin
Kollaborativer Palettierroboter im Kundeneinsatz: Automatisiertes Stapeln von Produktkartons direkt in der Produktionslinie

Results and Added Value for Gittis

  • Operating Time: Up to 24 hours a day, five days a week
  • User-Friendliness: Intuitive control – no special programming skills required
  • Ergonomic Relief: Reduced physical strain on personnel
  • Productivity Increase: Higher carton throughput thanks to faster palletizing cycles
  • Flexibility: Open design allows for easy pallet changes and adaptation to production requirements
  • Transparency: Real-time monitoring and control via the ERP production management system

Automated. Efficient. Future-Proof.

The implementation of the HS Palletizers significantly reduced the physical strain on employees and increased the efficiency of the palletizing process. The system’s open design enables seamless pallet changes during operation, minimizing downtime. Integration into the existing production control system gives production management full transparency and remote control over the process.

For Production Manager Mr. Johann Kalchhofer, the HS Palletizers represent a major step toward automation and modernization of the production line:
“With the integration of the palletizers, three – and soon all six – packaging lines are now fully automated. With HS Mechatronics, we’ve found a reliable and highly competent partner. The return on investment for the palletizers is already under one year with a two-shift operation. Operation and layer pattern setup are easy – in short: everyone is thrilled.”

“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip.”

Hanseline Müller, Geschäftsführerin Hansi GmbH