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Siléane and HBK have developed an automated gripping system for a global cosmetics manufacturer, adding force sensing to robotic end-of-arm tooling on high-speed packaging lines.
The project addresses a common challenge in fast-moving cosmetics production, where robots must handle lightweight, flexible items with little margin for error. In this case, the equipment grips deformable thermoformed trays, which can be damaged by uneven or excessive force.
Traditional robotic handling systems in these environments typically rely on position tracking or basic detection to confirm that a movement has taken place. That can show whether a robot has reached a point in its cycle, but not the quality of the physical contact between gripper and product.
On high-speed packaging lines, that limitation can lead to scrap, product loss and deformation. Siléane wanted to measure grip quality directly during handling rather than add an external inspection stage after the action.
The solution was to place measurement technology inside the gripper itself. HBK supplied four factory-calibrated PW22i smart load cells, with one mounted at each contact point in the robotic end-of-arm tooling.
This arrangement captures force data at the moment the robot grips the tray. The sensors validate whether the grip is balanced in real time and allow the machine to react immediately if contact deviates from expected levels.
The design also simplifies the wider automation setup. The PW22i units use IO-Link, a communication standard widely used in industrial systems, reducing cabling and helping integrate sensor data into existing control architectures.
Grip quality
The focus on grip quality reflects a broader shift in industrial automation towards direct measurement at the point of physical interaction. Instead of inferring whether a process has succeeded from downstream checks or motion data, manufacturers are increasingly seeking sensor feedback from the exact point of contact.
That is especially relevant in cosmetics packaging, where products and packaging formats can be delicate, lightweight and tightly specified. Even slight tray deformation can create downstream issues in filling, sealing or presentation, particularly in regulated production environments where consistency matters.
According to HBK, the PW22i was developed from its PW22 load cell, previously used in dynamic weighing applications including checkweighing and filling. The newer version adds IO-Link connectivity to ease integration in factory settings where machine builders and end users want measurement data to flow directly into automation systems.
Simon Kleefeldt, Product Manager, Weighing Technology, HBK, described the significance of the work. "This project reflects a fundamental shift in automation: embedding intelligence at the sensor level, to build systems that are more reliable, more autonomous and easier to deploy," Kleefeldt said.
Operational impact
For the cosmetics manufacturer, the immediate effect is real-time validation across all four grip points. The system can identify whether contact is correct on every cycle instead of relying on a later visual or mechanical indication that something has gone wrong.
The installation also reduced product scrap and tray deformation, according to the companies. In high-volume manufacturing, even small improvements in handling accuracy can noticeably affect waste levels, line stoppages and rework.
Another practical consideration is commissioning. Because the sensors are factory-calibrated and designed to fit standard industrial communications networks, the setup can be deployed with less complexity than more heavily customised arrangements.
That may matter for robotics integrators as manufacturers seek systems that can be repeated across multiple lines or sites without lengthy retuning. Repeatability between installations is often as important commercially as raw machine performance, particularly for consumer goods producers running similar packaging formats in different facilities.
Broader context
The collaboration also shows how sensor suppliers are trying to move beyond standalone components and become more central to automation design. By embedding measurement directly into grippers and tooling, they are positioning force data as part of the control loop rather than as a separate diagnostic layer.
For robot integrators such as Siléane, that creates a way to tackle tasks that have often proved difficult for conventional industrial robots. Robots are well suited to speed and repeatability, but have historically struggled with tasks that depend on subtle physical feedback rather than fixed motion alone.
In sectors such as cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical packaging, that gap has limited automation in some handling steps involving flexible materials or products that can be marked, crushed or displaced. Tactile sensing inside the gripper offers one way to close it without slowing the line or adding a separate inspection process.
The project shows how relatively small sensor integrations can change the economics of automated handling. If manufacturers can detect poor grip quality at source and correct it immediately, they can reduce the hidden cost of damaged packaging and lost output while keeping existing high-speed processes intact.
For the cosmetics manufacturer using the system, the practical test will be whether this measured approach continues to deliver consistent handling over large production volumes. The system was designed to provide confidence in every cycle without slowing the process.