Container Handling Solutions With AMF Workhorse Automation

Optimize Bakery Efficiency with AMF Workhorse Container Handling Solutions. Automate your bakery’s post-packaging systems to boost productivity and reduce labor costs. 

The pressure to reduce labor dependency, ensure worker safety, and maintain operational efficiency in commercial bakeries is higher than ever. Bakeries are seeking ways to navigate these complexities and are searching for ways to automate key aspects of production, accommodating a variety of container types and ensuring seamless operation across bakery processes. This level of automation is a critical component of any bakery’s growth strategy, investing in ways to meet evolving market needs by improving efficiency, enhancing safety, and protecting your equipment from unnecessary wear and tear.

Addressing Market Needs with Automated Container Handling

Running a bakery involves much more than just creating high-quality baked goods—it’s about managing the nuances of an efficient operation. Dealing with labor constraints, safeguarding your workforce, and preserving the condition of your equipment are all critical factors that can disrupt productivity and affect your profitability. Here’s how these obstacles manifest in bakery environments and how AMF Workhorse’s post-packaging solutions are built to overcome them:

Labor Shortages

Finding and retaining skilled labor remains one of the greatest challenges in today’s commercial baking industry. Labor-intensive tasks, such as manually stacking and unstacking baskets, trays, or containers, demand excessive time and human resources. AMF Workhorse’s Automated Container Handling Systems are designed to take over these repetitive tasks, allowing bakeries to reduce their reliance on manual labor, lower operational costs, and free up skilled workers for higher-value functions. All while helping to improve your operators’ job satisfaction and minimizing safety risks.

Product and Equipment Protection

Containers, such as trays, corrugate, or baskets are integral to the production process, but improper handling can lead to damage of your product, containers, or the equipment used to move them. Manually handling these items often results in misaligned stacks or rough movements that cause wear and tear. AMF Workhorse’s precision-engineered systems include servo-driven technology that ensures containers are stacked, unstacked, and transported with care, reducing the risk of damage and extending the lifespan of your bakery equipment. The systems are designed to handle multiple container types and configurations, ensuring flexibility and reliability.

Operational Efficiency and Throughput

In a fast-paced production environment, manual container handling slows down throughput and creates bottlenecks. As bakeries scale up their operations, the need for faster, more efficient handling solutions becomes critical. AMF Workhorse’s automation technology is designed to streamline container handling, improving production speed and ensuring consistent, uninterrupted production.  The Bottom-Up Stacker handles up to 28 baskets per minute, while the Bottom-Out Unstacker manages up to 40 baskets per minute, optimizing your processes with minimal downtime. These systems integrate seamlessly into bakery environments, improving overall operational flow. 

Building a Complete Container Handling System

Bottom-Up Stacker

Selecting your stacker and unstacker system is the first step toward optimizing your bakery’s container handling process. These systems form the foundation of a comprehensive, turnkey solution that ensures smooth, reliable handling of containers from stacking to unstacking.

The Bottom-Up Stacker is engineered for high-speed, precise stacking of containers, ensuring that operations keep moving without unnecessary interruptions. The fully automated system eliminates the need for workers to stack heavy containers manually, significantly reducing the risk of injury and improving workplace safety.

• High Capacity: This system handles up to 28 baskets or containers per minute, ensuring efficient container stacking to meet the most demanding production environments.
• Precision Handling: The motor-driven lifting and stacking mechanism ensures that containers are stacked consistently, with adjustable stack heights for a range of container types.
• Additional Features: For bakeries seeking a complete solution, the Bottom-Up Stacker can be paired with a Pre-Stacker, Renester, Basket Orientors, Dolly Loader, and a Full Stacker Reservoir Conveyor to further enhance system flexibility and operational flow. These additions allow for precise container alignment, efficient stacking, and integration with various transportation systems.

The Bottom-Up Stacker provides the accuracy and speed needed in high-volume bakeries, eliminating human error and allowing your lines to operate at maximum efficiency. 

Bottom-Out Unstacker

Working in tandem with the Bottom-Up Stacker, the Bottom-Out Unstacker carefully unstacks containers and delivers them to the next stage of the production line. The user-friendly, ergonomic design includes menu-driven controls for easy operation, allowing operators to make quick adjustments with minimal effort. Touchscreen displays and self-monitoring tools enable smooth operation and minimal downtime.

• Gentle, High-Speed Unstacking: Capable of unstacking up to 40 containers per minute, this system ensures containers are safely handled and ready for downstream operations.
• Flexible Integration: Whether your bakery handles nested or cross-nested containers, the Bottom-Out Unstacker easily adapts to various container types and sizes, offering flexibility in operations.
• Additional Features: The Bottom-Out Unstacker can be integrated with an Empty Basket Stacker Reservoir Conveyor, Denester, Basket Orientors, and a Dolly Unloader to create a seamless, automated flow from container unstacking to product handling and transportation. This setup ensures efficient container management and improved operational throughput.

Together, the Bottom-Up Stacker and Bottom-Out Unstacker offer a complete stacking solution that drastically reduces the risk of damage and inefficiencies. 

Enhancing Your Container Handling System with Distribution Options

Once your container handling system is up and running, choosing how your containers are distributed is the next step in optimizing your operation. AMF Workhorse’s Container Handling Systems provide a range of flexible distribution options that allow you to manage how containers are transported after they’ve been stacked or unstacked. Depending on your bakery’s needs and level of automation, you can choose the right distribution solution for your production flow.

• Dolly Loading: Containers can be loaded directly onto dollies, which can then be manually transported or wheeled to the next phase of production.
• Discharge Conveyor to Pallet: Containers can also be directed onto a conveyor that discharges them on to a pallet for operators to manually transport to distribution.
• Automated Transport (AGVs): For bakeries seeking full automation, Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) can take over the task of transporting pallets or containers across the facility, reducing the need for manual intervention.
• ASRS for Freezer Storage: For products that need to be stored temporarily in freezers, bakeries can integrate an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) to handle temporary basket storage before containers are moved back to production or shipping.

AMF Workhorse provides flexibility to customize your level of automation, and we are dedicated to helping you build the right solution based on your specific production and distribution needs.

Enhancing the System with Basket Washing for Hygienic and Efficient Handling

To complete your container handling system, Basket Washing and Drying Systems provide an added value to bakeries that require high hygiene standards and need to maintain clean containers throughout the production process. These systems are essential for maintaining food safety standards and preventing contamination, adding another layer of operational efficiency.

Single Tunnel Basket Washing System: Ideal for smaller bakeries, the Single Tunnel Basket Washing System offers high-quality cleaning in a compact design, helping you meet hygiene standards without sacrificing valuable production space. 

Dual Tunnel Basket Washing System: With dual lanes, this system ensures faster throughput, reducing washing bottlenecks and keeping up with higher production volumes.

Why Choose AMF Workhorse for Container Handling?

By offering a full suite of Container Handling Solutions, AMF Workhorse ensures that your bakery can overcome today’s most pressing challenges. From labor shortages to equipment protection, AMF Workhorse’s systems provide the automation and integration needed to keep your bakery running at peak performance. Furthermore, these solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing production lines, providing a holistic automation strategy. Whether you need a stacking system, distribution support, or advanced basket washing capabilities, AMF Workhorse delivers the flexibility and scalability needed to future-proof your operations.

Ready to streamline your container handling processes? Contact AMF Workhorse today to learn how our solutions can transform your bakery’s operations. Get in touch.