Sidel has introduced Cermex RoboSELEX, its latest bottle collating system for case packers. Ultra-flexible and accumulation-free, it unlocks unlimited lightweight bottle shapes and unlimited batch configurations. This new system delivers high-speed performance of up to 320 products per-minute, while maintaining continuous stable product flow, smooth changeovers and long-term production agility. Designed to address the growing trend towards lightweight and uniquely shaped packaging, Sidel’s latest solution supports manufacturers from the Food, Home and Personal Care (FHPC) market segments.
“Cermex RoboSELEX builds on the proven Cermex ProSelex® concept with a robotic comb collating device, enabling accumulation-free operation and fast, repeatable changeovers thanks to a reduced number of change parts,” said Guillaume Bornard, Packing Innovation and Platform Director, Sidel Packing Solutions.
Responding to changing market demands
In a rapidly changing packaging landscape, differentiation through innovative container design is now essential, all while regulations limiting plastic use are driving lighter packaging solutions. These trends create challenges in conveying and handling uniquely shaped bottles, which must remain stable and undamaged during processing.
Production cycles are also becoming shorter, with a growing number of formats and Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), alongside diversified case counts from small to large batches. As a result, manufacturers are prioritising fast, repeatable and easy changeovers, without compromising efficiency or product integrity.
First introduced to customers at interpack, Düsseldorf in May, Cermex RoboSELEX has been engineered to directly address these challenges by ensuring continuous, optimised product flow into case packers.
Advanced robotic collating for maximum simplicity
Based on the proven Cermex ProSelex concept, Cermex RoboSELEX builds on a comb-collating device mounted upon a robotic arm. The system uses two Delta robots to deliver a continuous motion process without accumulation, reducing friction and eliminating shocks, scratches and product jamming.
Capable of handling complex bottle shapes – including conical, asymmetrical and small-base designs – the solution enables unlimited lightweight bottle design possibilities and batch configurations, ranging from small (3 × 1) to large (8 × 6) case counts, depending on product size. Batch orientation is completed at the source, eliminating the need for an intermediary rotating table.
In addition, the system’s smooth and precise handling allows for the removal of pucks, even for unstable or complex bottle shapes. Today, bottles that cannot be accumulated typically rely on pucks for transfer between machines, adding complexity through puck's management during changeovers as well as their own manufacturing costs and the footprint needed for their storage. By contrast, Cermex RoboSELEX eliminates this constraint, reducing operational complexity and associated costs.
Faster changeovers and simplified operations
Cermex RoboSELEX has been engineered for fast, repeatable changeovers, typically taking as little as one minute for collation changes and no more than two minutes and 30 seconds for switching to different bottle format.
Its streamlined mechanical concept reduces the number of parts involved, creating changeovers without the need for intensive operator training. Only the comb mounted on the robot needs to be replaced when shifting formats, using a quick-release system and without additional mechanical adjustments, with full ground-level access to the core system. As the comb is the only format-specific part, it helps to reduce part costs when introducing new formats. This also supports faster time-to-market for new product launches by shortening tooling design and manufacturing timelines. Operators also benefit from simplified manual or motorised adjustments of the upstream guides.
To find out more, visit the Sidel website.