At the Randers Tegl factory in Gandrup, there was a waste of 11.5% of the dried, unfired bricks, which was due to the configuration of the packaging line. Through an Adding optimization project, this waste was significantly reduced.

To handle the flow of bricks, a packaging line required batches of 16 bricks from each of the 4 transport lines. To ensure this, it was necessary to discard approved bricks to maintain balance.

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The Task

The goal was to ensure that the packaging line could operate continuously without the need to discard approved bricks by redistributing them between the lines.

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Adding was tasked with executing the project and was responsible for idea generation, requirement specification, tendering, testing, and subcontractor contact throughout the project. This approach kept the time investment from Randers Tegl's employees to an absolute minimum, and daily operations were not disturbed.

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The Solution

A local automation company won the tender and delivered a complete system with 4 servo-driven pick-and-place units, each capable of handling 4 bricks at a time. The same company also provided the control system, as well as the installation and commissioning of the plant. There was close contact with the supplier throughout the process, ensuring the timeline was adhered to.

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The delivered system can handle 65,000 combination possibilities and is capable of redistributing up to 64 bricks in 15 seconds. This was verified before installation through a series of tests at the supplier's workshop, where Adding set the test parameters. The intensive testing phase ensured there were no surprises during commissioning, and the plant was installed over a weekend and operational by Monday.

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The Result

The end result for Randers Tegl was an investment with a very short payback time, thanks to significantly lower energy consumption and a noticeably reduced need to handle discarded materials. Additionally, an extra capacity of 10% was gained, which is very useful during the peak season.