Palletizing with Robots
What is Palletizing and Depalletizing?
Palletizing is the act of stacking products onto a wooden (or plastic) shipping pallet for transport. Depalletizing is the unloading of these products at the destination. Palletizing is a relatively simple application for a robot to accomplish, as it involves minimal variation. Depalletizing is more complex and typically involves machine vision and sophisticated end effectors.
In a robotic palletizing system, products often enter the palletizing station from an infeed conveyor. The robot is programmed to stack products onto the pallet in a defined pattern. Palletizing cells are sometimes configured with pallet dispensers, slipsheet insertion tools and shrink wrapping stations to completely automate the palletization process.
Yaskawa Motoman offers manufacturers a wide range of robotic solutions for palletizing and depalletizing. When using flexible robotics with 2D and 3D vision systems, specialized software and tooling enable you to customize your shipping and receiving without sacrificing speed and accuracy.
What is a Palletizing Robot?
A robot palletizer is a mechanized system for automatically loading goods onto a pallet for shipping. This usually consists of a 4- or 5-axis robotic arm with an end effector designed to pick the type(s) of products to be palletized.
The cost of a palletizing robot typically varies with the payload and length of reach of the robot arm and level of integration required. Palletizing robots can be purchased for under $50,000, and simple systems can come in under $100,000.
Yaskawa robots are accompanied by a host of innovative technologies designed for flexibility, ease of use and enhanced productivity. Capabilities include:
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4-, 5-, or 6-axis palletizer robots (see Robots tab) with payload capacities from 50 kg to 800 kg
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PalletSolver palletizing software for pattern generation and offline robot programming.
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MotoSight 2D and 3D robot vision systems to enable palletizing and depalletizing in structured or unstructured environments
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MotoSim®, a comprehensive software package that provides accurate 3D simulation of robot cells, reach modeling, cycle calculations and off-line programming of complex systems
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Complete palletizer systems engineered by top robotic packaging integration and OEM partners.
NSF-H1 certified food grade lubricants are standard on most of our palletizing robots, making them applicable in a wide variety of industries and environments including food and beverage, warehouse and distribution, and industrial products.
Our network of system integrators, Motoman Strategic Partners, offers application expertise to deliver turn-key robotic solutions for palletizing cartons, trays, bags and other product types. Capabilities also extend to case packing, order picking and warehouse distribution systems to meet your market demands.
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Case Studies
Yaskawa Motoman's network of integration partners have designed, built and comissioned fully-automated palletizing and depalletizing systems for a variety of industries and materials. Here are a few examples of recent projects:
Flexible case packing & palletizing for Rockline Industries
Motoman integration partner CRG Technologies worked with Rockline industries to integrate a flexible case packing and palletizing system for flow-wrapped packs of baby wipes..
MLX robot control and PalletSolver software enables all programming to be handled from Rockline's existing PLC, using ladder logic - making the system more simple to program, operate and reproduce for other lines and locations.
Read the Case Study from Packaging World
Robotic palletizer doubles production at Red Devil
Motoman integration partner S&R Robot Systems replaced this chemical manufacturer's manual process for a robotic line enabled with PLC-based programming, offline pallet pattern generation and 2D visual inspection.
Read the Case Study from Packaging World
More Case Studies
Integrate robotics into your environment
DX-Series Controllers
Robust PC architecture provides system level controls for robotic work-cells. DX controllers are powered with patented multiple robot control that can control up to 8 robots or 72 axes. The full featured touch-screen color HMI is standard with the robot teach pendant.
DX controllers are accompanied by Functional Safety Unit (FSU) that enables building tight workspaces and collaborative human-machine interactions with ease.
MLX Robot Control
MLX offers a unique approach to program and control robots entirely through Rockwell Automation’s CompactLogix™ and ControlLogix® Programmable Automation Controllers (PAC). The PLC system now controls the robot along with other peripheral equipment such as conveyors, fillers and sensors. There is no need to learn to program with a robot language. Everything is done through widely used PLC ladder. This approach offers tremendous benefits as the systems are very easy to use and, importantly, easy to maintain.
Yaskawa Singular Control
In this example, Sourcelink implements Yaskawa’s Singular Control architecture for a complete robotic palletizing cell. See how this platform uses Yaskawa’s MP3300iec motion controller to control the complete palletizing work cell including robotic control and plc functions.
Learn More on Yaskawa.com
Palletizing software adds intelligence and flexibility
Our software suite includes MotoSight™ for vision-guided applications and PalletSolver® for homogeneous case or bag palletization are designed for ease of use and ease of integration of turn-key robotic systems.
PalletSolver is a pattern generation tool that facilitates quick changeover of pallet patterns or products without halting production for validation. The easy to use full featured palletizing software enables offline pattern build/import with constraints handling and interface for monitoring and controlling the entire palletization process with supervisory controls. This software is available for both DX and MLX platforms.
Motoman Palletizer Robots
The use of robotics for palletizing applications continues to be one of the fastest growing segments in robotics. Our line of palletizer robots range from 50 kg to 800 kg payload with 4-6 axes of articulation.
With this wide range of payload capacity, it’s your choice to pick single-case or an entire layer for stacking and breaking down pallet loads.
All of our palletizer robot models are compatible with our MLX package, allowing you to program them and run our PalletSolver software directly from your PLC.
Robotic Integrators - Palletizing
Alliance Automation
Alliance Automation designs, builds, and installs custom industrial automation equipment. Our systems can improve quality, increase production, and reduce product defects. Our team of highly qualified mechanical, electrical, and software engineers has the experience to make you successful and meet... View Profile
Applied Machine & Motion Control, Inc.
With over 100 years of machine and motion control engineering experience, AMMC (Applied Machine & Motion Control, Inc. - www.ammc.com) is uniquely suited to support your next robotic project through every phase of product development from design conceptualization, selection, simulation, and... View Profile
ARPAC LLC
ARPAC manufactures shrink bundlers, multipackers, horizontal shrink wrappers, corrugated tray and case erectors, box formers, corrugated board tray and case packers, pallet stretch wrappers and pallet stretch hooders. Typical machines include high-speed tray loaders and multipackers for the... View Profile
Automated Motion, Inc.
Automated Motion is a leading provider of robotic palletizing, depalletizing, case packing and material handling solutions. Our team consists of experienced engineers dedicated to the challenge of providing you with the right technology for your work cell project and the support staff that views... View Profile
BCS Motion, Inc.
BCS Motion has been providing manufacturers with quality products and services since 1986. Our engineering staff has over 100 years of combined experience providing motion control and robotic solutions. Specialty Panel Build, Turn-Key Systems... View Profile
BRAAS Company
BRAAS Company is a leading distributor of industrial automation products and services. We've been in the business since 1961 and we're proud to be leaders in our field. How did we get here? In the end it's our people that set us above the rest. Our people have the experience, the knowledge, and the... View Profile
C&E Advanced Technologies
C&E has been serving the automation industry for over 40 years. We have over 100 employees and a strong corporate culture based on the following principles: We care about people We do the right thing We've got your back We look for the good Core purpose: C&E makes connections. We are... View Profile
Chicago Electric
Chicago Electric is a world-class system integrator celebrating over 100 years of service. We offer automation systems, products and complete machine solutions to improve productivity. With thousands of installations nationwide, Chicago Electric systems are found in a broad range of industries with... View Profile
Hamer-Fischbein
The leader in open mouth bagging equipment (weighing, conveying, and closing), automated form fill and seal systems, and robotic bag palletizing Specialty Packaging and Palletizing Bag Palletizing Bagging Automation Gallery View Profile
Innovative Automation Inc.
Innovative Automation Inc. is committed to providing creative, practical solutions to help our customers increase quality, reduce costs and deliver on-time. We strive to provide superior quality automation technology, competitive prices, and exceptional customer service. Innovative minds working as... View Profile
JR Automation Technologies
Established in 1980, JR Automation is a leading provider of intelligent automated manufacturing and technology solutions that solve customers’ key operational and productivity challenges. JR Automation serves customers across the globe in a variety of industries including automotive, aerospace,... View Profile
Lankide
Tenemos más de 30 años de experiencia en los más variados procesos industriales. Somos un agente de ventas orientado al servicio, tanto en la determinación del proceso y equipamiento más adecuado para su necesidad, como en la atención posventa profesional, con técnicos entrenados y experimentados.... View Profile