Support That Starts On Site
Every line runs differently, especially where older conveyors, mixed product sizes and changing shift patterns are involved. We start with a site line survey in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Gqeberha and surrounding industrial areas so we can see how the equipment actually behaves under load.
That means checking layout, access, product flow, changeover points and the space needed for a robot arm, cobot cell or palletising station.
Retrofit Design For Existing Packing Lines
Support is not only about fixing problems after installation. It also covers the design work that makes the retrofit practical from the start. We help plan how a robot will pick, place, stack or pack within the limits of the current conveyor system, product presentation and site traffic.
- Robot placement for packing and palletising
- Conveyor handover points and product spacing
- Footprint planning for tight factory floors
- Guarding layout for operators and forklifts
Where a line must keep running during the changeover, we plan staged installation and tie-ins so the existing process is disrupted as little as possible.
Controls, Conveyors And Line Integration
Most retrofit jobs succeed or fail at the integration stage. Our controls support covers the practical side of linking robots to existing conveyors, sensors, interlocks and machine signals so the full line works as one system. If a line already has a usable control structure, we work with it rather than replacing more than is needed.
We also assist with start-stop logic, fault handling, product detection and the handoff between upstream packing equipment and downstream palletising. That keeps operators from having to manage each machine separately and helps reduce manual intervention during the shift.
Safety Guarding And Risk Assessment Support
Safety is site specific, and every installation needs its own risk assessment. We support clients with guarding design, access control, warning zones and practical safe work procedures for robotic cells, cobot applications and conveyor interfaces.
- Risk assessment support for the planned retrofit
- Safety guarding design around moving equipment
- Operator access planning for loading and clearing faults
- Commissioning checks before handover
Guarding must suit the product, the floor space and the way staff move through the area. In some plants the challenge is forklift traffic, in others it is a narrow aisle or a humid coastal environment that needs more attention to condition and wear.
Commissioning And Operator Training
Once the retrofit is installed, commissioning support helps bring the line into normal production with less guesswork. We check sequence, timing, alarms, basic recovery steps and the handover between manual and automated tasks. If adjustments are needed, they are done on site with the actual product and packaging in front of us, not in theory.
Operator training is part of the support package as well. Your team needs to know how to load, clear, reset and monitor the system properly, and when to stop and call for assistance. That training is kept practical, so operators can use it on a busy shift without slowing the line down.
Maintenance, Breakdown Assistance And Spares Planning
After commissioning, support continues through maintenance guidance, breakdown assistance and spares planning. A retrofit should be serviceable, with parts that can be identified, ordered and replaced without long delays. We help clients think ahead about wear items, cable routing, sensors, grip elements and other components that can affect uptime.
For plants in Gauteng, the East Rand and major coastal centres, this is especially useful where production runs are long and delivery delays can affect the next shift. Good spares planning keeps the line moving and gives maintenance teams a clear plan when something fails unexpectedly.
- Scheduled maintenance support
- Fault finding and breakdown response
- Replacement planning for wearing parts
- Practical documentation for site teams
Help For New Projects And Existing Plants
Whether you are adding one robot to a single palletising line or planning a wider automation change across several packing lines, support should match the site, not the other way round. ReAutomated works with manufacturers in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria and Gqeberha from our base in Spartan, Kempton Park.
If you need help with a retrofit, use the enquiry form on our contact page and tell us what the line is doing now, where it is struggling and what you want the end result to be. That gives us a proper starting point for the next step.