What would you do if you had to load boxes, some of which weighed more than a horse, into your trucks by hand? That was the unfortunate state of things not all that long ago. Packaging, loading, and unloading were thankless, backbreaking tasks before the invention of pallets.
In the 1920s, pallets burst onto the scene, and mechanized palletizers followed around 30 years later. Today’s robotic palletizers have come a long way and hardly resemble their old-school counterparts. Below, discover the evolution of robotic palletizing in food packaging and learn where this impressive technology will go next.
The Dawn of Automatic Palletizers
Before pallets were invented, food packaging was arduous. Workers loaded food into crates, boxes, and barrels by hand and then lifted each package into vehicles one by one. Needless to say, this took a lot of time and effort.
The introduction of pallets in the 1920s coincided with the introduction of the motorcar, and both would go on to change the transportation industry forever. Now, workers could load pallets with goods and move them onto trucks for transit. This made life much easier for workers, but they still had to load the pallets manually. Back and repetitive motion injuries were incredibly common.
Workers surely rejoiced when mechanized palletizers made their debut in 1948. Lamson Corp invented a row-forming palletizer, which arranged products into rows, and then stacked the rows into layers until it had a complete stack of materials.
Then, in the 1970s, in-line palletizers entered the scene. These improved upon Lamson Corp’s invention through a continuous motion flow divider, which quickly arranged products in a designated area rather than first organizing them into rows.
Although the introduction of the mechanized palletizer was a game-changer, there was one big catch: All packages had to be a set shape and size. Primitive palletizers could not handle packages with different sizes or odd shapes.
Robotic Palletizers Break Onto the Scene
For a time, manufacturers and logistic companies made do with automatic palletizers, like the ones invented by Lamson Corp. But what if there was a way to simplify the packaging and loading process even further? Did such a method exist?
The answer came when Fuji Robotics introduced the first robotic palletizing machine in 1982. This point in the evolution of robotic palletizing in food packaging saw the introduction of automated robotic arms, like those used to assemble vehicles. Fuji Robotics’ invention featured an arm with a gripper, allowing it to pick up products and deftly place them on pallets.
Businesses loved robotic palletizers because not only did they speed up packaging, but they also allowed them to improve labor efficiency. A single robotic palletizer could do the same job as several employees in half the time, allowing them to utilize that labor more effectively elsewhere.
Integration of Advanced Vision Systems Offers Fine-Tuning for Palletizers
Humans are driven to make products with improved precision and speed, and that’s exactly what we did with the robotic palletizer. A few years after its introduction, palletizer producers added advanced vision systems, which enabled the equipment to analyze items on the fly.
For example, a robotic palletizer could differentiate between packages of different dimensions and sort these boxes onto the proper pallets. This feature allowed businesses to make efficient use of space. Less wasted space on their pallets meant improved efficiency, which translated to higher profits.
Businesses could even program their palletizers to perform specific tasks. For instance, they might tell the palletizer to reject packages that were the wrong size. This greatly reduces errors in packaging and enhances overall packaging quality.
Today, robotic palletizers work in tandem with x-ray vision systems that spot defects in products and packaging. X-rays can tell whether a package is damaged, for instance, or whether a food product contains contaminants such as bones, glass, or rocks. This technology is a must for accuracy and quality control and ensures that only safe food ends up on consumers’ plates.
Collaborative Robots (Cobots) Lend a Helping Hand
Robotic palletizers had plenty of perks, but although they slashed companies’ labor needs, they didn’t entirely negate the need for human workers. Businesses still needed knowledgeable staff to maintain the palletizers and resolve errors with equipment.
The trouble was that robotic palletizing processes could be very unsafe for employees. It wasn’t uncommon for workers to suffer serious injuries and even death when working around the machines.
Enter cobots, or collaborative robots. Cobots feature soft curves instead of sharp edges, greatly reducing the risk of injury. They also boast collision detection, a function that stops the equipment if it detects a human nearby. Plus, they’re quite a bit smaller than standard robotic palletizers, which means they can fit into space-challenged areas of the processing line.
Additionally, because they work alongside human operators, they don’t require programming or training. This means that even a business without programming know-how can hit the ground running.
Another big perk is that cobots can handle simple (and admittedly boring) manual tasks, like lifting and sorting, freeing workers to handle more complex duties. For example, a cobot might move food packages onto a conveyor line while a human operator mans the x-ray equipment to check for anomalies.
How the Internet of Things (IoT) Enables Palletizer Analysis From Anywhere
After studying the evolution of robotic palletizing in food packaging, you might realize these machines weren’t exactly what you would call “smart.” They did a great job of packaging, organizing, and loading, but they were incapable of telling their human operators when something was wrong. Employees would only know a problem existed when the palletizer stopped working.
At least, that was the case until the Internet of Things came about. Kevin Ashton, co-founder of MIT’s Auto-ID Labs, coined the phrase back in 1999. The concept entailed connecting internet-enabled devices, allowing them to communicate over a network.
Thanks to this concept, it’s now easy to connect a robotic palletizer to devices like internet-enabled performance monitors and collect data. Such monitors keep tabs on the palletizer’s operation and can alert business owners to errors and inefficiencies.
IoT monitors also let owners know when it’s time to schedule maintenance for the machine. This is helpful because, without regular maintenance, the palletizer may stop working, requiring budget-burning repairs and extended downtime.
These monitors help manufacturers make decisions in real time by gaining fast insights about the production line. Manufacturers can palletize food more efficiently by addressing minor problems before they become major ones.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Breathes New Life Into Robotic Palletizers
Artificial intelligence is the latest advancement in robotic palletizers. AI works on a concept called machine learning, which enables a palletizer to learn new routines and make adjustments without the help of a human operator.
For example, a system with automation technology could discover a defect pattern in food packaging and route those items to a different area for a worker to review. The biggest benefit is that the owner doesn’t need to spend time and resources programming the palletizer to account for every single possible scenario.
Companies can also scale AI-enhanced robotic palletizers up and down as needed. For instance, if a palletizer detects a sudden influx of products, it can adjust its speed and throughput to meet demand.
Seeking a Robotic Packing Solution? TDI Packsys Has You Covered
Now that you’ve learned all you need to know about the evolution of robotic palletizing in food packaging, are you looking for a robotic packing system that your food business can count on? Reach out to TDI Packsys. Our food packaging systems are perfect for overwrapped packages, flat pouches, and cartons.
For more information on robotic palletizing solutions, contact us at (877) 834-6750.
