Case Study: Zippy Ice boosts bagging and palletizing capacity with FANUC robotic automation from MMCI

Zippy Ice doubles bagging speed with FANUC robotic palletizing

Zippy Ice, a North Carolina-based ice manufacturer, faced challenges with manual palletizing as retiring employees made it difficult to maintain production speed and find new workers for the demanding task. They partnered with FANUC America and system integrator MMCI to implement a compact robotic palletizing solution using a FANUC R-1000iA/80H robot to automate the process in their limited space.

The FANUC robotic system, featuring a custom end-of-arm tool, enabled Zippy Ice to double its production output from 10 to 20 bags per minute, ensuring safe, quick, and consistent operation. The solution from FANUC America allowed the company to expand its capacity reliably, and their skilled workforce was successfully redeployed to manage the new automation.

Zippy Ice