WITNESS, a software offering from Lanner, has enabled Cadburys to eliminate waste, reduce cardboard consumption and boost productivity.
Cadburys saw that that major benefits could be gained from the installation of robotics at its plant, especially through removing the need for the manual handling of packages.
The installation of robotics now allows Cadburys to handle much bigger packages, which in turn means they consume less packaging materials such as cardboard. Also, Cadburys established that it could boost productivity by unpacking and packing the larger boxes with robots rather than manually by hand.
The software simulated the scenario in which robotics would be involved. WITNESS visually represents real world processes in a dynamic animated computer-generated model. The model then enables experimentation with alternative ‘what-if’ scenarios to identify the best solutions.
Associate principal scientist at Cadbury Beccy Smith commented: “By simulating and optimising the new equipment and the associated processes prior to implementation we have ensured a streamlined efficient process, one that has been implemented smoothly.”
She added that simulation “will be critical” in helping the chocolate producer to plan and react in the future.
George Archer
