Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Mooncake Packaging Automation: SCARA Robot Cartoning and Palletizing Video

Mooncake packaging automation must handle high-volume, multi-variety production inside a short seasonal window. The line has to balance speed, changeover flexibility, hygiene, traceability, and end-of-line palletizing. The video below shows how SCARA robots, vision positioning, dynamic cartoning, barcode scanning, sealing, strapping, and palletizing work together in one automated mooncake packaging line.

If the embedded player does not load, open the video directly on YouTube: Mooncake Packaging Automation with SCARA Robots.

Line Process Flow and Equipment Layout

The line uses a four-tin mooncake set as the basic packaging unit, with a standard target cycle of 0.8 seconds per tin and 8 seconds per case. The layout usually follows an L-shaped or U-shaped flow: infeed conveyor, cartoning station, cutlery insertion, lidding and pressing, barcode scanning, case packing, gift bag placement, sealing and strapping, labeling, and palletizing.

Equipment follows modular design principles. Core modules include SCARA robots, dedicated grippers, lifting robot bases, food-grade conveyors, barcode readers, 2D or 2.5D vision systems, sealing and strapping machines, labeling machines, safety fencing, light curtains, and PLC-based electrical control. For model selection, see the EVST SCARA Robot Series.

SCARA Robot Selection and Multi-Cell Coordination

SCARA robots are the execution core of this packaging line. Their planar joint structure provides compliance in the XY plane and rigidity in the Z axis, making them suitable for high-speed pick-and-place operations. Selection should focus on four parameters: payload for the mooncake tin and gripper, arm reach across the conveyor and buffer area, repeatability around ±0.05 mm, and rated cycle time under 0.4 seconds.

Multi-robot coordination is the technical centerpiece. The cartoning, cutlery, and lidding stations can each use one SCARA robot, synchronized with the master PLC through EtherCAT and electronic cam logic. The conveyor encoder reports product position in real time, the PLC broadcasts position data to each robot controller, and each robot performs its pick-and-place motion with a preset phase offset. This keeps the conveyor moving while the robots follow dynamically.

For similar high-speed handling tasks, EVST also provides pick and place robot configurations. If the product is lighter and the task demands very high sorting speed, compare the process with delta robot pick-and-place applications in the food industry.

Vision System and Dynamic Cartoning

The vision system serves two functions. First, it recognizes mooncake position and orientation at the cartoning station, guiding the SCARA robot to adjust the pick angle. Second, it checks tin-lid alignment at the lidding station by identifying tin edge contours before pressing.

Dynamic cartoning is another core technology. Traditional case packing uses fixed molds, and a complete format change can take more than 30 minutes. In a vision-guided dynamic cartoning system, a 2D camera scans the inner contour of the outer case and calculates the best coordinates for a 2×2 tin array. The robot adjusts placement positions based on real-time vision feedback, allowing different case sizes to change over through HMI recipe selection in under 5 minutes.

Traceability and Quality Control

Mooncakes are food products, so traceability is a compliance requirement. After lidding, the scanning station reads a QR, DM, or barcode printed on the tin bottom or side. This connects the tin to production batch, date, and line number. Failed scans should be pushed to an NG conveyor for manual review, with a target scan success rate above 99.9%.

The case packing station performs another scan on the outer case barcode, creating a tin-to-case relationship. Consumers or quality teams can trace the product back to the production line, shift, and time window. Traceability data should be retained for the required period under the applicable food safety and quality management rules.

Sealing, Strapping, and End-of-Line Palletizing

The sealing and strapping station combines automatic flap folding, tape sealing, and PP strapping. The folder closes the carton flaps, the tape sealer applies BOPP tape in an H-pattern, and the strapper applies two PP bands in a cross pattern. Tape tension should be controlled so the carton does not collapse while still remaining secure during transport.

The palletizing station uses a six-axis robot or gantry palletizer to stack finished cases onto pallets. A typical pattern may use four cases per layer and six layers per pallet. The gripper can use vacuum pads or a fork-type structure depending on carton strength and weight. For similar finished-case stacking projects, refer to EVST’s robot handling and palletizing options, including the QJAR 10 kg handling robot.

Food-Grade Hygiene and Safety Protection

Mooncake packaging lines must meet food-contact hygiene requirements. Components that directly or indirectly contact mooncakes, such as grippers, conveyor slats, and guide rails, should use 304 stainless steel or food-grade engineering plastics with smooth cleanable surfaces. Stainless steel covers help prevent dust and foreign object contamination.

Safety systems should include fencing, light curtains, emergency stop buttons, and door interlock switches. The design should also maintain enough access for cleaning, inspection, and fast seasonal maintenance because the production window is short and downtime directly affects output.

Technical Summary

The technical core of mooncake packaging and palletizing automation is the balance between high speed, flexibility, and hygiene. SCARA robots provide high-speed pick-and-place capability. Vision systems enable flexible changeover and dynamic cartoning. Traceability and food-grade design support compliance. The design phase should treat the 0.8-second-per-tin cycle as a hard constraint and jointly simulate robot cycle time, vision recognition speed, conveyor velocity, and palletizing capacity.

Last Updated: May 8, 2026