Vision-guided robots pack candy

Off-the-shelf components inspect and pack fragile products.

By R. Winn Hardin, Contributing Editor

In past years at Spangler Candy Company, approximately 15 workers stood around a collection conveyor to inspect individually plastic-wrapped candy canes for shape and breakage and to pack them by the dozen into cardboard "cradles" to be displayed on store shelves. "We needed to get an edge on production and labor costs," explains Spangler engineer Dave Bauer. "Candy canes are such a commodity item that we needed the boost to keep production in the USA. We knew we'd have to do it with technology."

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