Case Study: How a Food Processor Cut Downtime and Energy Costs with the DESTACO eRDH Gripper

The Client:
A national food packaging company specializing in prepared meals.

The Challenge:
The company’s robotic packaging line was underperforming due to the limitations of its existing pneumatic grippers. They faced several critical challenges:

• Frequent Downtime: Mis-grips on products caused line stoppages that required manual intervention.
• Slow Changeovers: Adjusting grippers for different meal containers was a time-consuming process requiring specialized tools.
• High Operating Costs: Their energy-intensive compressed air system was driving up electricity bills, conflicting with their green energy initiatives.
• Hygiene Compliance: The pneumatic grippers were not ideal for the plant's rigorous daily washdown protocols.

The Solution:
The company implemented the DESTACO eRDH electric gripper to overcome these obstacles. The eRDH was selected for its unique combination of features designed for modern manufacturing.

The transition was remarkably simple. With standardized mounting, the eRDH served as a direct replacement for their old pneumatic RDH products, eliminating the need for costly system modifications.

Once installed, the benefits were immediate. The IP67 rating and use of food-safe Krytox grease ensured the eRDH easily withstood the daily washdowns without risk of contamination or failure. Downtime was drastically reduced thanks to the auto-grip retry feature, which automatically corrected for unexpected resistance when gripping a part.

Changeovers became faster than ever. Using the simplistic front panel push buttons, technicians could reconfigure speed and grip settings in under two minutes without any external software. The integrated teach sensing allowed for precise jaw positioning anywhere along the stroke without adjustment tools, and a single-cable connection increased reliability by eliminating multiple sensor wires. To prevent operator error, a safety lockout guard prevented tampering by unauthorized personnel. Finally, the eRDH’s low power consumption aligned perfectly with the company’s goal to reduce its energy footprint.

The Result:
By switching to the DESTACO eRDH electric gripper, the company achieved a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable packaging operation. They successfully reduced changeover times, minimized production downtime, and lowered their overall operating costs.