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Istituto de Angeli

Istituto de Angeli

Automatic pallet changer

Solutions

Material Handling and Sorting

Robotics

revamping

Sector

Healthcare

Challenge

As wooden pallet cannot enter the clean room, it was necessary to install a material handling system to replace wooden pallets with aluminum ones, and viceversa (for pallets coming back from production).

Solution

As the solution was an integration of an existing conveyor system, it was engineered considering all material flows and space restrictions. Due to the necessity to install the new pallet changer, the picking positions had to be relocated in another area.
  • Conveyor: roller and chain conveyors, lifting and turning tables
  • Empty pallet stacker/destacker: nr.1 for wooden pallets and nr.1 for aluminium pallets
  • Pallet changer
  • Software: software modules LogiCON and LogiTRASP connected to the existing IT infrastructure.
  • IQ and OQ tests

Key technical data

  • Pallet dimensions:  800 mm (W) x 1200 mm (L) x 1200 mm (H)
  • Pallet weight: 800 kg
  • Conveyor height: 500 mm
  • Stacker capacity: up to 10 pallets
  • Throughput: 15 pallet/h

Istituto De Angeli, a prominent pharmaceutical company based in Reggello, near Florence, has been active since 1972 and is now part of the Fareva Group. With around 300 employees, the site specializes in the manufacturing, packaging, and quality control of medicinal products and medical devices, fully compliant with EU GMP standards.

Since 2005, the company has been engaged in international contract manufacturing, serving demanding clients under strict EU and FDA regulatory frameworks. Within this context, a 20-year collaboration with LCS has led to multiple upgrades and expansions of the automated handling system, always executed during short operational windows to maintain production efficiency and ensure regulatory compliance.

Over the years, LCS has:

  • Increased the number of automated warehouse exits
  • Upgraded conveyors and head-end flows to better manage oversized loads
  • Integrated an automated shuttle connecting the warehouse directly to production and packaging areas, with dedicated routes for raw materials, primary packaging, and secondary packaging, in line with regulatory directives

A major milestone was the introduction of a pallet changer—an automated system that transfers loads between wooden and aluminum pallets, enabling movement into sterile “white areas” or packaging zones. This system includes integrated decontamination stations to ensure hygiene and compliance.

In parallel, the AGV fleet logistics was redesigned:

  • Six AGVs now operate on bidirectional routes across primary and secondary zones
  • A new route was added specifically for the primary area
  • Traffic and priority management were optimized

AGVs are coordinated by LogiDrive, while LogiCon oversees the entire system, ensuring real-time mission and flow optimization. LogiCon also integrates with operator handheld devices, allowing manual mission assignment when needed, enhancing operational flexibility.

The entire project was driven by the need to meet stringent regulatory requirements, ensuring clear separation between raw materials, finished products, and packaging materials, in full compliance with FDA and EU guidelines, and guaranteeing high safety standards.

Thanks to these interventions, the facility has achieved:

  • Improved performance and operational flexibility
  • Enhanced regulatory compliance
  • Higher product and service quality standards

In conclusion, the ongoing infrastructure upgrades led by LCS—from logistics capacity expansion to AGV system renewal and pallet changer adoption—have enabled Istituto De Angeli to enhance efficiency, safety, and compliance, delivering a modern, secure, and fully integrated intralogistics system that supports its pharmaceutical production excellence.

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