Finnish company Capps Oy has developed an automated storage system for pharmacies based on a novel approach. The machine requires only a fraction of the space of a traditional warehouse, yet can hold significantly more products.
Pharmacies are health service providers
“The pharmacy business has changed dramatically over the past few decades,” says Hans Fock, a pharmacist at Sipoo Pharmacy near Helsinki, Finland. “Revenue and net profit margins from drug sales have declined, forcing pharmacies to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. However, we cannot abandon our traditional role of providing consultation and explanations to customers.” Prescription drugs account for the largest share of pharmacy revenue. With a wide variety of drug brands and hundreds of prescriptions issued daily, the control and automation of drug logistics systems are crucial for the efficiency of every pharmacy. Equally critical is the accurate delivery of medications.
Hans Fock retrieves medications delivered by an automated storage system. From order to shipment, it takes only twelve seconds.
Automated warehousing continues to develop
Of the 700 to 800 pharmacies in Finland, approximately 100 have already begun using pharmacy robots. The traditional method of storing medicines in countless drawers is extremely time-consuming. Arriving products must be placed in the correct locations, production data managed, and regular inventory checks conducted. Careful and meticulous retrieval of medications is crucial for customers, as any errors cannot be tolerated. Furthermore, common drawer systems require significantly more storage space.
At Sipoo Pharmacy, warehouse robots have been in operation for ten years. Traditional automated warehouses use small industrial robots that move along rails within large cabinets. These robots push products into inclined, well-like structures on either side of the rails. Each product has its designated storage location. These well-like structures are almost always only partially filled; the first medicine boxes placed inside remain in stock until the entire structure is emptied or re-sorted.
Capps provided Sipoo with alternative robotic technology systems based on a range of new concepts.
“Our original robot took up 2 x 6 m² from floor to ceiling,” Hans Fock explained. “In terms of space required, the old solution wasn’t much better than a drawer, although it reduced our workload. We occasionally encountered problems, but we got used to it. Capps offered us a machine that took up only 2 x 2 m² and had 40% more storage capacity. We immediately expressed our interest.”
Hans Fock (left), Teemu Oittinen, and Ilpo Hakkarainen with the automated cappsel storage system “Siro” .
The combination of machine vision and innovation
“What we wanted was a highly compact, automated warehouse with strong storage capacity that could be used in all pharmacies,” explains Ilpo Hakkarainen, founding partner of Capps Oy. “An automated system that is the right size and price for all pharmacies. I think we have successfully achieved that goal.”
This Cappsel robot is equipped with numerous circular, rotating shelves, each approximately two meters in diameter, arranged in an overlapping manner. The total shelf area is approximately 100 m². A robotic arm receives the delivered medicine boxes, measures them, and places them on the shelves in the most suitable position possible. The robotic arm, its rotating gripper, and the rotating shelves form a unit in which the medicine boxes are placed parallel to each other, with an average spacing of 2.5 mm. Unused space is minimized.
“As soon as the medicine box arrives, its barcode is read. The robot then knows the storage location of each medicine box on the shelf,” Hakkarainen continued. “After the pharmacist places an order, the robot takes out the medicine box that has been stored the longest for the required type of medicine and puts it into the conveyor belt. The location of the products in the storage system is not fixed, so the system can utilize the entire shelf area. The distance between the shelves is variable to make room for larger medicine boxes.”
Numerous smart sensors
The Cappsel robot features a comprehensive set of mechanics, six servo-driven axes, one DC-driven axis, and a compressor. The sensor array ensures the robot operates with maximum reliability. There are approximately 30 sensors, most of which are supplied by SICK.
“SICK was involved in the development from the very beginning,” said Teemu Oittinen, Technical Director at Capps Oy. “We would always send them concept diagrams of different units and then consult with them on the best way to bring them to life. We received a lot of constructive feedback and didn’t have to determine the type of sensor ourselves. Everything was based on mutual trust. Because SICK has top-notch knowledge in sensors, we saved a lot of time.”
“SICK offers a wide range of highly suitable smart I/O-Link sensors. In addition to measuring specified values, these sensors can collect a wealth of additional information that can be used to analyze machine functionality during product development. These sensors are also externally programmable. If modifications are necessary, the sensor's detection range or other parameters can be easily changed via software.”
Teemu Oittinen particularly appreciates the OLM barcode encoder and the MLG optical encoder used for measurement, which are the main sensors employed. Barcodes are placed every few centimeters (at the edge of each rotating shelf), which can be read by the OLM sensor. The shelf then rotates to the precise position for retrieving or placing medicine boxes. The MLG optical encoder is used to measure the dimensions of the medicine boxes upon handover.
The Cappsel pharmacy robot adapts well, and the small space behind the pharmacy counter is sufficient for its work. It only needs to walk a few meters to retrieve medicine boxes, a workload that's just right for the staff!
Huge market potential
Capps is a small but internationally-oriented company. The first Cappsel robot was delivered to a customer in November 2016. By the end of 2017, five such robots were in operation throughout Finland. The company has ambitious market growth targets. “In Finland, prescription drugs are typically sold in three-month or 100-unit doses,” says Hans Fock. “In Central Europe, they are preferred in monthly or 30-unit doses, which means customers have to go to the pharmacy to pick up their medication three times more frequently than in Finland. Therefore, the demand for robots like the Cappsel is much greater. In addition, Cappsel improves pharmacy security. Even if someone intends to break in, the chances of them finding a particular medication are very low because the storage locations are often disorganized. But the most important advantage is that using Cappsel saves space and manpower. We can now use the time saved by using Cappsel to provide consultations to customers.”
Founded in 1946, SICK has become a highly influential supplier of intelligent sensor solutions after years of development and accumulation. Its products are widely used in various industries, including packaging, food and beverage, machine tools, automotive, logistics, transportation, steel, airports, electronics, and textiles. SICK China currently has branches in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Qingdao, and Hong Kong, forming an organizational structure and business network covering all major regions of China.
For more details, please visit www.sickcn.com or call our national customer service hotline at 4000 121 000.
