Singulation of components instead of bulk goods

More efficiency, component protection and automation in industrial manufacturing

In many production facilities, components are still transported through production as bulk material in small load carriers or transport boxes. This approach seems simple – but generates high costs, quality risks, and hinders automation.

The alternative: Structured singulation of components with part carrier systems – process-reliable, automation-capable, and traceable.

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❌ Why bulk material is increasingly becoming a problem

Loose components lying in boxes cause:

• Surface damage due to impact or friction
• unpredictable position that robots or pick-and-place systems cannot grip safely
• manual sorting effort that costs time and opens up sources of error
• lack of traceability because no defined position exists
• inefficient logistics because repacking is necessary

For modern manufacturing facilities – especially in the precision parts, medical or electronics sector – this is no longer economically and qualitatively sustainable.

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✅ Singulation with Part carrier systems: Structure creates stability

ZELL Part Carrier systems ensure that every component can be safely picked up, moved, and retrieved in a defined position – from the raw part to the final packaging.

Your benefits at a glance:

• Avoidance of component damage through form-fitting, stress-free holders (clips/multiclips)
• Feedable for robots, machines, testing systems – ideal for automated processes
• Positionally Secure Handling – each position in the carrier can be clearly addressed
• Reduced repacking effort – one carrier runs through production, cleaning, testing and logistics
• RFID and DMC-capable – perfect basis for tracking and material flow control

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Application in practice – automated singulation with re-palletizing

More and more customers are using ZELL carriers in combination with “bin picking” systems:
Parts areSingulated once from bulk material by robotics – then transferred into a modular ZELL part carrier, in which they run through the entire subsequent process.

This allows:

✔️ Standardized transfer to CNC machines (e.g. DMG Mori, Hermle, EMAG, Grob)

✔️ Direct robotic removal for processing, testing or packaging‍

✔️ Traceable, repeatable testing positions

✔️ Durable, easy-to-clean carrier systems in a reusable cycle

The carriers thus become the uniform interface between manufacturing, quality and logistics.

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For whom is singulation particularly valuable?

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Singulation is not an additional effort – but a central means of process optimization.
With ZELL Part carriers, you create a uniform, automatable and traceable basis for your production. This increases quality, reduces costs – and makes your production fit for Industry 4.0.

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