APRIL Robotics - Powder Dosing - OAL

OAL helps manufacturers transform their material handling and processing operations with advanced automation and robotics. Our purpose is to make manufacturing safe, sustainable and profitable.

APRIL, our patented robotic solution, helps you:

• Automate complex weighing operations with over 30 raw materials.
• Reduce the risk of manual handling and injuries.
• Automatically dose 10g to 25kg to the accuracy of +/-1% with zero cross-contamination.
• Handle “difficult to handle” free and non-free-flowing raw materials with proven weighing algorithms.

Company Background

OAL is an innovative family business, our success is underpinned by our founder, Harry Norman’s passion for technology and enthusiasm for change. We’re a fast-growing team of 35 automation engineers (design, electrical, software, robotics, vision) based in Peterborough, UK, with over 25 years of experience supplying turnkey material handling and processing projects.

The "OAL Way" Our proven approach is to make it easy to adopt automation by partnering with manufacturers and our technology partners, including KUKA Robotics, Cognex, Inductive Automation and the University of Lincoln.

History

In 2015, we launched APRIL, a fully automated, agile, pipe-less robotic batch manufacturing system. Unlike traditional batch manufacturing, which increases batch size to increase efficiency and throughput, APRIL maintains an optimal batch size of c500kg and cycles multiple batches faster. The patented novel approach uses robots to move processing assets and materials rather than using inflexible hard-wired piping and static equipment. In addition, the robots also perform processing functions such as weighing, transporting, pouring and storage. Our efforts to go “lights out” are supported by forward-thinking companies and UK government-funded projects valued at £4.5 million.

We’re now helping a number of batch processing industries including food, FMCG and industrial compounding (rubber, tyres, composites). A director of a major FMCG future manufacturing team commented:

“This is the most innovative development we have seen in the last 20 years; it halves the capital equipment costs, and yet it is much more agile".

We look forward to meeting you in September