Carrying rolls from the shelf to the machine and back again – that’s a thing of the past thanks to NEPATA’s automated storage systems. A new addition to the range is a storage system with a vertical robot for small to medium-sized roll storage.

The problem: inefficient routes and a large space requirement

Collection and delivery times do not directly add value. Furthermore, storing vinyl rolls on shelving takes up a great deal of space. Our automated storage system for roll media, featuring a vertical robot, provides a solution to this problem. Depending on the configuration, this vertical solution is designed to accommodate a total capacity of approximately 400 to 5,000 rolls.

How the system works

3D model of the NEPATA roller storage system: steel shelving unit with horizontal pins filled with colourful vinyl rolls; on the left, the vertical robot with drives
Steel shelving unit with pins and a vertical robot

1. Compact storage on mandrels

The roller bearing is based on a steel shelving structure with horizontal pins, on which the rollers are suspended in a very space-saving manner.

CAD model of the vertical robot with blue drive motors on a floor rail next to a steel rack, from whose pins colourful vinyl rolls are hanging
The vertical robot on its floor rail

2. Automated picking using robots

An automatic, vertical 3-axis robot moves sequentially to the rolls required for each job. Its specially designed tray gripper gently lifts the roll from below and then removes it from the mandrel.

3D illustration: Transfer station with five red rolls on booms next to the steel rack containing colourful rolls of media stored compactly
Transfer station with rolls in place

3. Provision at the handover station

The gripper places the roll in an empty transfer station. As soon as a roll is ready, the machine operator manually opens the transfer station, just like a drawer, and removes the roll.

3D model: roller bearing with coloured rollers on mandrels, alongside two roller cutting machines positioned directly at the transfer stations at the rear of the bearing
Converting machines positioned directly at the transfer stations

Optimal workflow and bespoke planning

To ensure an optimal workflow, the machines are ideally positioned directly next to the transfer stations at the rear of the storage system. Used rolls are returned to storage via the same route. The software supplied can be fully integrated into the tried-and-tested NEPATA control software, ConvertPlus.

Each storage system is customised – in terms of dimensions (footprint and height), total capacity and the number of transfer stations. You can find further insights in our article ‘Film storage with vertical robots’.

Current status: NEPATA currently offers the Nepata ARSS automatic roll storage system. Depending on the configuration, it is designed to handle approximately 400 to 5,000 rolls with a width of up to 1,850 mm; a full cycle (retrieving one roll, delivering one roll) takes approximately 45 seconds. All technical specifications can be found on the product page.

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