Production of cartonplast inserts for KLT boxes for Robatech
Case Study
Robatech – Manufacturer of High-End Industrial Gluing Systems
Robatech is headquartered in Muri, Switzerland. Since 1975, it has been developing and manufacturing gluing systems for industrial use with hot-melt adhesives, cold-applied adhesives, and PUR adhesives.
The Robatech Group includes more than 670 employees and partners in over 80 countries worldwide. Its products enable customers in sectors such as packaging, processing, printing, mattress production, woodworking, and construction to manufacture their products using suitable adhesives.
In 2023, Robatech opened a new production facility in Znojmo, Czech Republic. High-quality melting systems, application heads, and heated hoses for industrial adhesive applications are produced and tested here. This facility approached us with a request to manufacture cartonplast grid inserts.
Inquiry: Design and production of inserts for KLT boxes to store hot-melt glue application heads
A representative of Robatech asked us to produce 3 types of grid inserts for storing their products – hot-melt glue application (spray) heads. Previously, they had used plexiglass dividers, which were expensive to manufacture and prone to damage.
The new inserts, designed for logistics containers (specifically KLT boxes), were required in the following dimensions:
- Grid: 350 x 250 x 10 mm – 8 pcs, matrix 10×2
- Grid: 555 x 350 x 10 mm – 5 pcs, matrix 5×4
- Grid: 555 x 350 x 10 mm – 5 pcs, matrix 20×2
The client provided simple hand-drawn sketches to better convey their idea of the new insert. Even this basic visualisation was enough to understand their requirements and begin the design process.
Chosen solution: Cartonplast insert with a special grid fixation for maximum space savings
We aimed to meet the customer’s request for maximum space efficiency inside the box. That’s why we used a different manufacturing approach than usual for similar projects.
The material used was black cartonplast with a thickness of 3.5 mm and a density of 800 g/m². All grids from the series fit onto four 2400 x 2100 mm cartonplast sheets during plotting, ensuring cost-effective production with minimal waste.
Visualization of the original and new insert
While preparing the 10×2 sample, our developer proposed an alternative fixation method: instead of the standard “tabs,” the grid would simply be inserted through cut-outs in the surrounding frame. This was possible because the grid was stabilized by the KLT box itself.
Typically, we attach the tabs that hold the grid from the outside on all sides, one by one. This time, we used a different technique. The long dividers were fixed using tabs on both short sides, and the short dividers were inserted into cut-outs on the long sides. The outer frame of the grid was made from a single piece, bent at the corners and fixed with just one tab. This approach differed from our usual practice of using tabs on every corner.
Result: Fast production, maximum material use = minimal waste
This project was both quick and efficient. Cutting the sheets to shape on our plotter took 1.5 hours. Including packaging, the entire production took only 4 hours.
The client expressed similar satisfaction: “Previously, we used plexiglass compartments in our KLT boxes. Their production was much more expensive than the solution designed by the Lemmacon team. The speed of production and delivery was just the icing on the cake.”
This project allowed us to try a different approach to grid assembly and streamline the entire process. We saved on materials and time, allowing us to offer a better price. A win-win situation and mutual satisfaction.
