HOW TO SELECT A ROBOTIC PALLETIZER: 8 QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
For product transportation or storage, the majority of manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution facilities have to assemble pallets of goods. When done by hand, the process can be laborious and physically taxing on workers. It can also be difficult to determine the best stack arrangement when mixed pallets are involved in the process. These problems are made worse by the fact that it is getting more and harder to locate and keep employees in palletizing jobs due to the repetitive and physically demanding nature of the labor.
For these reasons, a lot of businesses are thinking about investing in a robotic palletizer, but it might be difficult to choose the model that best suits your needs. This blog will describe the fundamental kinds of robotic palletizers and offer a set of crucial inquiries that will aid in narrowing the options when making the decision.
Robotic Palletizer Types
There are several varieties of robotic palletizers with a wide range of functions and setups. The most typical ones are as follows:
In-Line Palletizers
The most basic kind, in-line palletizers service one or more palletizing lines using specialized end-of-arm equipment and articulated arms or gantry-style robots. Some of them have the capacity to discharge pallets, put tier or slide sheets, and even operate with just one robotic palletizer.
Palletizing/Depalletizing
These robotic palletizers are capable of carrying out all the tasks associated with an in-line palletizer, including depalletizing.
It should be noted that although the term implies that they can do both tasks, it actually just indicates that the robotic palletizer has the ability to be configured to operate as a depalletizer.
Palletizers that create layers
These palletizers are made up of a network of interconnected robots, each of which carries out a specific duty. One robot may layer things while another stacks them, for instance. Layer-forming palletizers considerably boost speed, which makes them perfect for high-throughput applications.
Mixed-Configuration Palletizers
These palletizers are perfect for pallet loads that comprise a variety of items or container types. They can make sturdy, well-organized layers out of boxes and containers with different dimensions and forms. To create stable and effective layers, a robot attached to a track, for instance, might navigate between a number of pallets, choose a product, and then place it into the receiving pallet. different kind of mixed-configuration palletizer might entail a sequence of conveyors feeding goods into a staging area, where a robotic arm sorts and arranges them, creating layers inside the load that is then directed to an end stop and eventually put onto a pallet by a robot.
How to Select a Robotic Palletizer: 8 Questions to Consider
While there are many different types and configurations of robotic palletizing systems, choosing the right one can be difficult. However, by answering these eight questions, your options may become more clear. Speaking with a trustworthy manufacturer or supplier can help you choose the right model and accessories once you’ve decided which type or model of robotic palletizer appears most appropriate for your needs.
Consider obtaining the data necessary to respond to the following queries as you begin the selecting process:
1. What kinds of goods are being packaged onto pallets?
Robotic payload requirements and the necessity for specific end effectors may be ascertained by taking note of the product’s size, shape, and material properties as well as the kind, dimensions, and weight of the container.
2. What palletizing needs are there right now?
Make sure to take into account the anticipated design of every pallet, including the number of levels, various layer configurations, if mixed pallets are anticipated, and whether slip or tier sheets are necessary, in addition to understanding the necessary throughput.
3. What kind of precision and speed are needed?
Here, speed is crucial since the robotic palletizer needs to be able to provide the required throughput. Make careful to research palletizing costs and find out if such costs are guaranteed. In order to achieve quality requirements, precision might also be quite important, thus it could be critical to find out how correctly the robot can load products into pallets while keeping the necessary speed. Put otherwise, a robot that travels rapidly but improperly stacks the pallet is not what you want.
4. Will the items or pallet configurations vary from one another?
Flexibility is essential if the items change regularly or if pallet layouts change in the future. To manage changes in product or pallet configurations in these situations, it’s important to look for a robotic palletizer that can be readily reprogrammed or re-tooled without requiring significant adjustments or expensive downtime.
5. The number of robots required?
Multiple robotic palletizers could be needed to accomplish the task if the product mix, pallet arrangement, or application throughput is complicated. Palletizers that operate robotically may usually be bought alone or as a component of a system that enables several palletizers to operate at once.
6. Which end-of-arm tooling is most suited?
This has to do with the kind of goods that is being palletized. A wide variety of end effectors are available that are made to handle a variety of items, including cases, bags, boxes, and containers, in a gentle manner. Think about which kind of gripper—a vacuum cup, compression plate, or anything else—will work best in this situation.
7. What location will the robotic palletizer be?
In order to decide how to place the palletizer, whether to use a robotic arm or gantry-style robot, and what reach is needed, it is crucial to know the location of the system in relation to the packaging or manufacturing equipment it will service. Robotic palletizers can occupy a large amount of space in a facility, therefore it’s critical to estimate the amount of space needed for the palletizing process and select a palletizer that satisfies these requirements. Making sure there is adequate mechanical and electrical support close by in advance is also beneficial.
8. Which kinds of safety systems are required?
As with any industrial machinery, safety needs to be the first consideration. Make that the robotic palletizer has safety measures like light curtains, pallet guards, and emergency stop mechanisms, or that they can be added later.
If you are interested in Robotic Palletizer and automation or want to know more about how to improve production efficiency, please contact Robotnext today for advice and cost support. Details via hotline: 0909 914 837.
