In the fine chemicals industry-including ink and coatings-the powder feeding process has long been plagued by issues such as heavy reliance on manual labor, high levels of dust in the work environment, and physically demanding conditions. With the continued advancement of the "AI+" initiative and the accelerating adoption of smart manufacturing equipment, the automated unpacking and feeding of powdered materials are entering a new wave of technological upgrades.
Zhejiang Hanzhen Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Hanchine") has launched a column-mounted robotic bag-opening and feeding workstation. Centered on 3D vision guidance, AI-powered recognition, and collaborative operation with industrial robots, this workstation provides a highly efficient, stable, and intelligent integrated solution for opening and feeding bagged materials such as ink powders.
1.Solution Overview: The Transition from Manual to Intelligent
Hanchine Intelligent Column-Type Robot Unpacking and Feeding Workstation utilizes a column-type four-axis robot with a payload capacity of 100 kg and a working radius of 1,950 mm. When paired with Hanchine's 3D Vision Robot Disordered Gripping Software V1.0, it enables fully automated processing of soft-pack pallets, including automatic identification, precise gripping, package opening and feeding, and waste bag collection. The system supports standard 25-kg flexible bags and is compatible with various packaging materials, including PE and PP. It accommodates 3/2 stacking configurations, with pile heights under 2 m and pallet dimensions within 1.3 m × 1.3 m, making it widely applicable for handling powdered and granular materials in industries such as ink, chemicals, and food.
2.Core Technology: 3D Vision + AI Algorithms, Enabling "Hand-Eye-Brain" Coordination
The workstation's vision system is equipped with ST-XL series wide-field-of-view 3D cameras, with a working distance ranging from 0.8 m to 4.3 m and millimeter-level positioning accuracy, enabling precise identification of the position, orientation, and stacking structure of soft bags. On the software side, the system utilizes a large-scale AI algorithm model. Trained on a vast number of industry cases and bag types, it has accumulated datasets of mainstream domestic and international packaging materials from companies such as Sinopec, CNOOC Shell, Zhejiang Petrochemical, SABIC, LG, Dow, Formosa Plastics, and Kunlun, achieving a recognition rate exceeding 99.99%. Operators need only input the feed port and the number of bags to be loaded, after which the system operates fully automatically, significantly reducing the debugging workload when new bag types are introduced.
3.End-to-End Automation: Picking, Opening Packages, Filling, and Recycled Bag Collection-All in One Seamless Process
The workstation's operational process is streamlined and efficient: After a forklift transports a stack of flexible bags to the unpacking area, a robot uses 3D vision to locate and grasp the bags; the bags are then transported to the unpacking hopper, where a cross-blade cutter opens them, allowing the powdered material to fall into the hopper and be conveyed by a screw conveyor to the manual feeding port; The empty bags are automatically transferred by a robot to a waste bag collection bin, ensuring a clean operation with no spillage of residual powder. The system is equipped with dual safety measures-a safety light curtain and an emergency stop button. If an object passes through the safety light curtain, the equipment automatically stops operating to ensure the safety of both personnel and equipment.
4.Turnkey Projects: Creating Tangible Value for Our Clients
This project is a turnkey solution, with HanZhen Intelligent responsible for the entire implementation process-from design and manufacturing to on-site installation and commissioning. The equipment's core components are sourced from leading brands such as Huichuan servos, YADEKA cylinders, Omron/Panasonic sensors, and Schneider/Chint low-voltage electrical components, ensuring the system's long-term stable operation. The equipment comes with a one-year warranty and lifetime maintenance service, with on-site response to malfunctions within 24 hours.
As the ink industry accelerates its transition toward digitalization, intelligent manufacturing, and sustainability, HanZhen Intelligent's column-mounted robotic unpacking and feeding workstation-with its core strengths in AI-powered visual recognition, flexible robotic gripping, and fully enclosed, dust-free operation-helps enterprises reduce labor intensity, improve working conditions, and boost production efficiency. It serves as a prime example of putting the development requirements of "new-quality productive forces" into practice.
In the future, Hanchine Intelligent will continue to deepen its expertise in 3D vision and robotics technology to provide efficient, stable, and intelligent automation solutions for clients across a wider range of industries, thereby helping "Made in China" advance toward "Smart Manufacturing."