Case: Boehlke Bottled Gas, USA
Customer
Boehlke Bottled Gas, USA
The customer's challenge
Boehlke Bottled Gas wanted to improve the flow of cylinders through its plant by automating parts of the inspection, requalification, and filling process.
Our solution
A filling carousel with an integrated MAKEEN Vision code reader system for automatic reading of matrix codes linked to a database of cylinder information.
The outcome
A more streamlined operation with fewer manual steps, fewer cylinder touches per fill, and improved efficiency in daily plant processes.
Scope of supply
- 12-post carousel w. tangential in/out
- 1 Check scale
- MAKEEN Vision code reader
- Chain conveyor system
For years, LPG cylinders have moved through filling plants with limited digital traceability. That is now changing. Boehlke Bottled Gas became the first company in the US to implement our MAKEEN vision code reader system, giving operators a clearer view of each individual cylinder and a stronger basis for decision-making throughout the filling process.
Boehlke Bottled Gas Corp was founded in 1927 and serves residential, commercial, autogas, grill cylinder, and forklift cylinder customers. The company has worked with us for around eight years as a grill cylinder refurbishing customer at our Cedarburg, WI, location, and the system is expected to handle approximately 800,000 gallons annually at the outset.
Like many filling operations, Boehlke handles a large number of cylinders every day. That puts pressure on plant flow and on the people working in it. The company wanted to reduce the amount of manual handling tied to inspection and requalification, while making it easier to move cylinders through the plant in a more consistent and efficient way.
To support that goal, we delivered a 12-post carousel with tangential infeed and outfeed, allowing for expansion from 6 to 12 scales, a check scale, a chain conveyor system, and our MAKEEN Vision code reader. Together, these elements create a setup where cylinders can move through the filling process with less manual intervention and with better control of the information tied to each cylinder.
Importance of identification
At the centre of the solution is the MAKEEN Vision code reader. The code reader system is designed to perfectly catch images from all angles, ensuring that all desired information from data-carrying markings and labels on the cylinder is caught. As the cylinder passes the system, a sensor registers it and triggers an image capture. The vision system then fetches the images from all the cameras and merges them into one – ready for the data to be analysed.
The image is then transferred to a data processing PC, where the image is analysed using different machine learning models. For this specific project, the general vision system was updated to recognise different types of 2D code, such as QR and data matrices. When the data matrix is identified, the software reads the serial number and retrieves cylinder information such as cylinder type, tare weight, inspection year, read count, overdue count, etc., from the database.
Based on that data, the information is sent back to the inlet control unit, which then decides whether the cylinder should be sorted out or allowed to continue to the filling line. This automatic decision-making is one of the system’s key strengths and helps operators handle non-compliant
cylinders at the right stage in the process, making it easier to remove them from the main flow and keep operations moving. That supports both plant efficiency and a more structured requalification process.
By automating parts of the inspection and filling workflow, Boehlke can reduce unnecessary handling and help employees spend less time on repetitive tasks. The result is a more efficient process with three times fewer cylinder touches per fill.
The introduction of this automated system has reduced the number of cylinder “touches” from the moment a cylinder is unloaded from the delivery truck until it is returned full – from approximately 21 to just 5.
Sorting with better data
Another important part of the setup is the option to connect the system to MAKEEN Gateway. This allows cylinder data captured on the line to be transferred onwards and made available beyond the filling process itself. In practice, that means Boehlke can build on the solution over time with stronger data handling, improved documentation, and a better basis for operational follow-up. It also opens the way to integration with MAKEEN Cloud, creating a more connected and transparent setup for cylinder traceability.
For Boehlke, the new setup is a practical step towards a more efficient and connected operation. By reducing manual handling and improving the flow of cylinder data through the plant, the solution supports both current needs and future ways of working.
