The Customer
A leading printing and packaging company specializing in high-volume folding carton production sought to automate its finishing lines. With their Heidelberg Diana folder-gluer running three shifts, the company needed a more efficient way to handle finished cartons while ensuring consistent throughput and reliable downstream packaging. Their focus was on improving labor utilization, minimizing manual handling, and creating a system that could scale with demand.
The Challenge
The existing operation relied on manual transfer of cartons from each printing line to downstream packaging equipment. This created bottlenecks, inconsistent case flow, poor ergonomics, and higher labor costs. The line functioned independently, requiring operators to constantly move product, which introduced inefficiencies and increased the risk of handling errors. The customer needed a seamless material flow system that could consolidate multiple production lines into a single automated packaging process without disrupting production.
The Solution
AI Systems engineered a simple conveyor system using Interroll Modular Conveyor Platform (MCP) technology. The design featured two split conveyor lines from each side of the Heidelberg Diana folder-gluer converging into a single merge point, feeding directly into an automated case sealer. The transfer of the customer’s final product into their shipping cartons was still done manually, but AI Systems consulted with the end-users and designed an adjustable tilt table for better ergonomics and to minimize dead space in these cartons and optimize shipping costs. This configuration eliminated manual transfers, synchronized the flow of cartons, and ensured consistent throughput to the packaging stage. With Interroll’s zone-based controls and zero-pressure accumulation, the system provided gentle product handling, minimized jams, and allowed for future scalability. The result was a streamlined, labor-efficient solution that increased productivity, reduced downtime, and delivered a higher return on investment for the customer.
