Ready for the next 100,000 hours

With an impressive 105,000 operating hours, a Stäubli six-axis robot more than demonstrated its performance in a cheese factory. After more than 20 years of service, a new TX2-90 took over the demanding job.

TASK

Secondary packaging of grated cheese in a 24/7 cycle

At the Annecy plant of Sodiaal, where the French dairy cooperative produces its renowned Entremont cheese, a Stäubli RX90 six-axis robot packaged cheese for over 100,000 operating hours. After more than 20 years, it was replaced by a TX2-90. Assuming the same service life, the new robot will still be in operation in 2045.

Line no. 5 at the Sodiaal dairy cooperative’s Annecy plant produces and packages 300-gram bags of grated Entremont cheese around the clock. At the end of the line, a Stäubli six-axis robot was tasked with placing individual bags into cartons – at 45 bags per minute, totaling 18 tons per day. This means that each year, the robot handled 14.4 million 300-gram bags, with a total weight of 4,320 tons. After the RX90 had performed this task with the utmost reliability for exactly 21 years, it was time for a replacement.

SOLUTION

Easy decision: A “drop-in” solution from the next generation

The decision was easy: The Sodiaal team chose a TX2-90, the successor to the RX90. In addition to their excellent experience with the RX90 and the professional maintenance provided by Stäubli Service, simple installation was also a factor. Because the new robot has nearly the same dimensions as the old one, it could be integrated into the packaging cell without any changes to the cell.

Experts from Stäubli provided Sodiaal’s Entremont operation with comprehensive support for this project, from selecting and installing the robot to training the robot users and maintenance personnel. The integrator Aurore Industrie handled the control-level integration.

CUSTOMER USAGE

Operational until 2045

The new robot has now logged a considerable number of operating hours. It is reliable and, like its predecessor, meets the customer’s specific requirements perfectly. And the chances are good that the new model will also have an above-average service life. This is because Stäubli has introduced numerous innovations in the TX2 robot generation, with a focus on performance and sustainability.

The TX2-90 uses Stäubli’s own JCS drive technology, which is unmatched in durability and precision. This should make 100,000+ operating hours more easily achievable. It will take some time to prove this, however. When the robot reaches the age of its predecessor, it will still be operating in 2045.

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