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The JLS Hawk is a compact robotic case packer built around a proprietary two-axis kinematic robot arm for case packing cartons, trays, clamshells, canisters, and other rigid containers. Sensor-based, fixed-position pick-and-place handles consistently presented product flows, handling up to 220+ cartons per minute, with completed-case rates that depend on products per case and configuration. VOB 2.0 Vacuum on Board tooling configured to your exact product. Cleanable construction with IP65-rated components. Designed, built, and supported by JLS Automation.
In action
Watch it receive, collate, pick, and place —
at full production speed.
Demonstration
Case packing of cartons | JLS Hawk robotic case packer
The Hawk compact two-axis robotic case packer loading cartons at production speed. Sensor-based, non-vision design — no vision-system calibration. JLS-engineered VOB 2.0 tooling. Cleanable construction with IP65-rated components.
Why Hawk
Built to keep the case packing station running.
Manual case packing can be one of the most labor-intensive, hard-to-staff steps on the line. When packers can't keep up, throughput drops and labor costs climb. The Hawk was built for that moment — a mechanically simple proprietary two-axis kinematic robot arm with sensor-based, fixed-position pick-and-place that closes the gap between your packaging line and the case.
Where the Hawk fits. The Hawk is well suited to applications with repeatable, controlled product and package presentation, where sensor-based, non-vision robotic case packing is a straightforward and reliable solution. When presentation varies more, JLS’s vision-guided Osprey family is built for that flexibility. Different application needs, one JLS team to match them.
Standardized product in. Consistent case out. Every Hawk is configured around your product, your secondary container format, and your target rate — so one of the most repetitive jobs on the line becomes one of the most predictable.
Applications & Package Types
The Hawk — non-vision robotic case packing.
A robotic case packer that automates standardized secondary packaging for round-the-clock production. Cleanable construction with IP65-rated components. The Hawk uses a proprietary two-axis kinematic robot arm with custom VOB 2.0 food-safe tooling to pick and place cartons, trays, clamshells, canisters, and other rigid containers into cases, handling up to 220+ cartons per minute, with completed-case rates that depend on products per case and configuration. Mechanically simple architecture reduces operator training and maintenance burden. Purpose-built for food. Single-pick or gang-pick VOB 2.0 Vacuum On Board tooling is configured to the package being handled. Built to keep pace with your packaging line, in a high-speed, small-footprint package. Easy to operate.
Industries Served
Loading Styles & Pack Formats
Related JLS systems
Application testing
Prove your Hawk application
in the JLS Flight Lab.
Where application testing fits the project, JLS Flight Lab puts your application on real JLS robotics in York, PA. Send product samples — or we test a close proxy — subject to scope and availability, to establish tooling, pick method, and pack pattern feasibility before the design is finalized. Rate and performance are validated during FAT on your system, with final confirmation at commissioning where upstream conditions can’t be simulated.
Core Technology
The engineering behind the precision.
The Hawk system is engineered, assembled, and programmed under one roof in York, PA — from the cleanable round-tube stainless steel frame to JLS-engineered VOB 2.0 tooling to operator-friendly controls programming, built with commercially available robot, motion, and controls components. Backed by JLS engineering and a portfolio of U.S. patents across JLS food-handling systems, these design choices keep the Hawk mechanically simple — sensor-based pick-and-place, fewer moving parts, less to maintain, and less to train.
Cleanable construction
Round-tube stainless steel frame (standard), sloped surfaces, and IP65-rated components — cleanable construction for drier secondary-packaging areas. IP65 is a component enclosure rating, not a sanitation level; where an application calls for higher sanitation, JLS recommends its Osprey or Talon platforms. Designed for the food plant from the start, not retrofitted.
Proprietary two-axis robot arm
JLS's proprietary two-axis kinematic robot arm picks and places product from a standardized, consistent infeed into cartons, cases, and trays — using sensor-based, fixed-position pick-and-place — handling up to 220+ cartons per minute, with completed-case rates of up to 60 cases per minute depending on products per case and configuration. Mechanically simple — fast to learn, easy to maintain.
VOB 2.0 tooling configured to your package
Single-pick or gang-pick JLS-engineered VOB™ 2.0 Vacuum On Board tooling is configured to the package — cartons, trays, clamshells, canisters, and other rigid containers — with mechanical elements to spread or compact product placement where the pack pattern calls for it. The VOB 2.0 airflow design was optimized using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) through a partnership with Penn State. Every tool is configured for your product, with JLS Flight Lab feasibility testing where scope allows.
Recipe-driven changeover
Select the new recipe on the HMI and complete the application-specific changeover steps, which may include tooling or guide adjustments. Current Hawk end-of-arm tooling is designed for tool-free change by hand. Purchased, validated SKUs are loaded before the system ships; changeover time depends on the application and which components change.
Rate matched to your pack pattern
The Hawk handles up to 220+ cartons (products) per minute. The completed-case rate — up to 60 cases per minute — depends on how many products go into each case, the pack pattern, package dimensions, and case configuration, and the cell can load up to four cases per cycle depending on configuration. The cell layout is set during system design to fit your line.
Operator HMI & in-house controls programming
Touchscreen interface designed for plant-floor operators — normal production operation and recipe selection don’t require an engineer or robot-programming expertise, while trained maintenance staff handle troubleshooting and upkeep. JLS engineers the controls and HMI programming in York, PA, on commercially available B&R hardware. After installation, JLS’s in-house support team has direct access to JLS engineering and programming expertise.
Options & Add-Ons
More ways to fit your line.
Pack patterns
Pack patterns and case arrangements are engineered to the application and managed through the product recipe where applicable.
application
review
applicable
Flexible line integration
Robotic case packing for the line already on your floor.
Already have upstream packaging equipment in place? The Hawk is engineered to integrate with your current line after primary packaging, with compatibility determined by the application and agreed interfaces. JLS coordinates the mechanical interface, controls communication, and timing synchronization.
Need more than case packing? JLS also builds tray loading and cartoning systems, and coordinates the interfaces with third-party case erecting, sealing, and palletizing equipment.
Application Engineering & Integration
Configured for your product.
Scalable across your line.
No two food plants run the same — but every Hawk ships from the same proven platform. Our application engineers tailor VOB 2.0 tooling, infeed conveyors, and case handling to your exact product and packaging formats — whether you're running rigid packs, pouches, bakery, frozen foods, or snacks. One team, one facility, one integration.
Fits your line. Day one.
A compact robotic case packer built to handle standardized secondary packaging — cartons, trays, clamshells, canisters, and other rigid containers — continuously and accurately. The proprietary two-axis kinematic robot arm picks product with VOB 2.0 vacuum tooling and places it into the case in programmed patterns, handling up to 220+ cartons per minute, with completed-case rates that depend on products per case and configuration. Sensor-based detection, suited to uniform product presented consistently. Start with a single Hawk cell and add Hawk cells for capacity as your line grows.
Specs & Configuration
Hawk technical specifications.
Configuration snapshot
Hawk performance is described by two different measurements that run at the same time: how many products (cartons) the robot handles per minute, and how many completed cases leave the cell per minute. The relationship depends on products per case, pack pattern, package dimensions, and case configuration — for example, a recipe packing more products per case runs fewer cases per minute at the same carton rate.
*Estimated rates vary by product, tooling, and configuration. JLS confirms the right configuration for your product and target rate during a line assessment.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated Throughput | Product handling: up to 220+ cartons/min. Completed cases: up to 60 cases/min. Case rate depends on products per case, pack pattern, and configuration; can load up to 4 cases per cycle depending on configuration* |
| Robot Heads | Single-head robot arm; cell layout configured to the application |
| Robot Type | Proprietary two-axis kinematic robot arm; IP65-rated |
| End-of-Arm Tooling | VOB 2.0 Vacuum On Board tooling (single- or gang-pick), with mechanical elements where the pack pattern requires; selected during system design |
| Product Size | Wide range — confirmed per application (cartons, trays, clamshells, canisters, and other rigid containers) |
| Loading Styles | Single, stacked (vertical), or shingled — primarily into cases; display-tray and other container formats confirmed per application |
| Vision System | Fixed pick-and-place logic |
| Control System | B&R Automation |
| Construction Level | Cleanable construction for secondary-packaging areas; IP65-rated components (a component enclosure rating, not a sanitation level) |
| Sanitation | Cleanable stainless steel construction; IP65-rated components |
| Frame Construction | Round-tube stainless steel frame (standard) with sloped surfaces |
| Estimated Footprint (excl. guards) | Varies by configuration — contact JLS for footprint and customization options |
| Electrical Supply | 480V ±10%, 3-phase, 60Hz |
| Air Supply | 80 PSI, clean, dry, lube-free |
| Electrical Enclosures | Control enclosures rated for the application; UL/cUL listed |
| Reliability | Factory acceptance tested (FAT) before shipment; where upstream rates can’t be simulated at FAT, final rate validation is completed at commissioning |
| Lead Time | Target delivery established at proposal |
*Estimated rates vary by product, tooling, and configuration; Specifications may vary by configuration — contact JLS for your specific application.
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Where the Hawk fits.
| Application need | Hawk | Osprey family |
|---|---|---|
| Robot and guidance | Proprietary 2-axis kinematic robot arm; sensor-based, non-vision pick-and-place | Delta robots with application-matched 2D or 3D vision |
| Best-fit presentation | Repeatable, controlled product and package presentation | More variation in product position and presentation |
| Typical packages | Cartons, trays, clamshells, canisters, and other rigid containers | Sealed trays, chubs, bags, pouches, and thermoformed packs |
| Throughput | Up to 220+ cartons/min handled; case rate depends on products per case* | Up to 180 trays/min (TL, Tri Head) or 240 chubs/min (CL); BP confirmed per application* |
| Sanitation | Cleanable construction with IP65*-rated components for drier secondary-packaging areas | Cleanable construction; higher-sanitation options per application |
| Controls and support | Programmed by JLS on the B&R controls platform; JLS support team | Programmed by JLS on the B&R controls platform; JLS support team |
Two different tools for different application needs — JLS recommends the platform that fits your product and line. *Rates are application-dependent and vary by product, tooling, pack pattern, and configuration.
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* The Hawk uses IP65-rated components in cleanable stainless steel construction. Contact your JLS representative for full details on your application.