L-A-C’s Tote De-Stacker Solution Delivers Perfection for Leading UK Supermarket
In the UK’s highly competitive grocery market, a leading supermarket required full automation of the existing semi-automated system for handling tobacco products to minimise the reliance on manual labour, enhance safety across this process, and optimise overall productivity.
L-A-C Logistics Automation worked alongside the customer to address their requirements and deliver a robust, safe and highly efficient solution at their grocery distribution centre located in the Midlands.
Tote De-Stacker Solution
The L-A-C solution combines a tote de-stacker, infeed and outfeed conveyors, and an electronic manipulator arm with integrated safety features throughout. The process starts with the operator picking full stacks of totes from adjacent pallets directly onto the infeed conveyor using the electronic manipulator arm, designed to grab and lift a full tote stack from a pallet onto a conveyor with ease.
The infeed conveyor consists of 10 individually powered Zero Line Pressure (ZLP) zones which can buffer a maximum of 220 totes. Having this integrated buffer zone also provides the space to unload 2 full pallets at once and accommodate the required 60-minute buffer based on a throughput of 1500 totes.
The tote stack is then conveyed towards the L-A-C de-stacker on the infeed conveyor. When the stack of totes enters the de-stacker, it is lifted and the bottom tote is separated from the rest of the stack, before being transported along the outfeed ZLP conveyor. This fully automated process repeats until the entire stack is reduced to single totes and all are transferred via the outfeed conveyor.
Robust Solution for Optimum Productivity
The L-A-C tote de-stacker system has provided a robust, automated solution that allows the customer to handle approx. 1500 totes per 8-hour shift, with minimal manual labour needed. By incorporating tote stackers and conveyors, the solution offers efficient product orientation and maximises both storage and installation space within the warehouse, making it a valuable addition to the customer’s logistics operations. The combination of durable plastic totes and high-speed robotic tote handling ensures that the system delivers longer-lasting results with minimal maintenance, underscoring the effectiveness of L-A-C’s tailored carton solution.
Tel: 0115 647 6169
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