If you’re considering investing in a robotic palletizer for your food packaging facility, you likely have lots of questions. Your team will need to understand how the most common parts of robotic palletizers work for safe operation, so let’s break down each function.
At TDI Packsys, we deliver cutting-edge industrial palletizers. While we could explain to you all of the benefits of upgrading to an automated system, it won’t make much sense if you don’t know how these machines function. Read on to learn everything you need to know about each part of a robotic palletizer.
The 4 Main Components of Robotic Palletizers
Robotic palletizers move boxes, bags, and other types of units into stacked pallets so you can ship items in bulk. Unlike conventional palletizers, robotic systems leverage a robotic arm to fluidly move all different types of items across unit movement patterns for fast, efficient, and safe palletizing. While traditional palletizers use conveyor belts to move one item at a time, robotic palletizers can pick up multiple items of various shapes and sizes, moving them to their pre-programmed destinations.
Robotic palletizers can enhance manufacturing productivity, product handling, and workplace safety while reducing operational costs. So, how do they work? The primary components powering robotic palletizers include the following:
The Robotic Arm
The robotic arm facilitates the palletizer’s freedom, movement, and versatility. This component moves the end-of-arm tooling to pick up units and release them on the pallet. Robotic arms can essentially function similarly to crane arms.
Some robotic arms can only move back and forth or up and down on 2D planes while others can move in multiple 3D directions, swiveling all around. This component comes in multiple lengths with varying joint layouts, all determining how the arm moves, functions, and reaches for units.
Key Robotic Arm Components
The robotic arm contains joints, arm links, the wrist, and the end-of-arm tooling (EOAT). The arm links are the major sections of the arm that appear like columns. Joints connect the arm links together.
Joints can provide multiple ranges of motion between arm links, depending on the machine you purchase. Some robotic arms can provide ultimate flexibility, moving across virtually any palletizing pattern you can imagine. The number of joints on one robotic arm varies, but you may see up to six on devices with unrestricted movement.
The wrist is the joint that connects the arm to the final “hand,” which picks items up. This hand is called the end-of-arm tooling, which we’ll discuss below.
Common Types of Robotic Arms Used in Palletizing
The different types of robotic arms tend to have varying joints and arm link configurations. Some common types of robotic arms for palletizing include the following:
- Cartesian: Movement in three directions
- SCARA: Movement left, right, forward, and backward
- Articulated: Swivel movements in nearly all directions
End-of-Arm Tooling (EOAT)
Another one of the most common parts of robotic palletizers is the end-of-arm tool. End-of-arm tools act as the hand at the end of the robotic arm, picking up units and placing them on the pallet. Many consider this to be the most important part of the robotic palletizer, as it determines what your system can or cannot pick up and how many items it can pick up at once.
Types of EOATs
Choosing the right end-of-arm tooling for your facility ensures maximum palletization efficiency. Some popular options include the following:
- Standard mechanical clamping: Clamping systems can pick up the majority of standard-shaped items without damaging units.
- Automated tool swaps: Tool swap EEOTs can move entire pallets at once for highly efficient operation.
- Vacuum tooling: Vacuum tooling uses suction to transport more unique, oddly shaped products like slip sheets.
Adaptability for Various Product Types
Some EOATs can pick up a range of unique materials, including barrels, bottles, plastic wrappers, slip sheets, and entire pallets of boxes. When selecting your robotic palletizer, ensure that the EEOAT can handle the type of products at your facility.
The Conveyor System
While robotic palletizers do not involve the same complicated conveyor systems as their conventional counterparts, they do still typically require at least one conveyor belt. The conveyor belt delivers products to the palletizing area to automate infeed. This process allows you to pre-condition products in the correct orientation for hoisting by the robotic arm.
Infeed conveyor belts align and rotate products to prepare them for robotic palletizing. Depending on the palletizer you purchase and your product type, the conveyor system may not be as necessary.
Common Types of Conveyors
Conveyors come with numerous add-on technologies to automate portions of your production process while ensuring maximum quality and consistency. For example, some types of conveyors can weigh and reject products based on quality control sensors as a final line of defense for your manufacturing facility. You may also select conveyors that can align multiple products at once for the most efficient results.
How the Conveyor System Integrates With the Robotic Arm for Efficient Operation
You can integrate your conveyor system with the robotic arm and the rest of the palletizer to develop one automated, efficient machine that reduces human errors while enhancing output. The no-contact method limits liabilities at your facility while ensuring maximum productivity.
The Pallet and Slip Sheet Dispensers
While pallet and slip sheet dispensers may not be the most common parts of robotic palletizers, they can greatly increase efficiency while reducing safety risks. Pallet dispensing involves any method used to pick up, remove, and replace fully loaded pallets so the robotic arm can continue feeding into the next pallet. You can choose from automatic or manual dispensing options:
- Manual pallet dispensing: In manual dispensing, your facility staff must manually remove full pallets and replace them with empty ones in the correct position once the robotic arm completes palletizing.
- Automatic pallet dispensing: To avoid any manual intervention risks, you can choose systems that automatically discharge pallets through dispensing belts. Your team will still need to load the dispenser with pallets on semi-frequent occasions.
The Pallet Magazine Capacity
The pallet magazine contains the pallets waiting to be dispensed for automatic systems. Many pallet magazines can hold roughly 20 pallets, reducing contact for your facility.
Slip Sheet Dispenser Integration Capabilities
Many facilities use slip sheets in between layers on pallets to limit damage to products. Robotic palletizers can integrate with suction cup EEOTs to automatically place slip sheets between pallet layers for automated slip sheet dispensing.
Safety Features on Robotic Palletizers
Robotic palletizers inherently reduce risks at your facility by lowering the number of times your team must come into contact with heavy machinery. Still, such systems can be dangerous without the right safety protocols. So, what are the most common parts of robotic palletizers for user safety?
Essential Safety Components
High-quality robotic palletizers adhere to Category 3 Safety standards by leveraging the following safety features:
- Machine safety fencing
- Safety lock features with Trapped Key systems and Safe Locks
- Light curtains
- 3D position checks
- Integrated software for redundant safety checks
Robotic Palletizer Compliance With Industry Safety Standards
Robotic palletizers must comply with American ANSI/RIA standards and similar standards set by international organizations. These standards dictate safety requirements for robots in industrial settings. By selecting equipment that adheres to ANSI/RIA and Category 3 Safety standards, you can enjoy the highest degree of safety.
How Robotic Palletizers Can Prevent Accidents
Robotic palletizers can prevent workplace accidents by minimizing human contact with machinery. Automatic operations eliminate unnecessary risks at your facility while reducing the potential for human error, ultimately helping you keep your workers safe.
Maintaining and Troubleshooting Robotic Palletizers
Now that you know the most common parts of robotic palletizers, let’s discuss how you can maintain them.
Common Maintenance Tasks
Well-maintained robotic palletizers operate more efficiently and can last exceptionally long. We recommend the following tasks on a routine basis:
- Clean the exhaust fans
- Release grease from the axis
- Remove any debris from the system’s sensors
- Tighten all external bolts
- Check for component wear
- Review alarms in the HMI and controls
- Replace the controller batteries
- Perform comprehensive tests on all parts
Troubleshooting Tips for Common Issues
If you’re facing issues with your robotic palletizer, the answer may be simple. Consider the following:
- Ensure that your products meet the correct variance quality.
- Be sure you’re using the right type of pallets.
- Ensure that products are loaded onto the conveyor belt correctly.
- Train your team on all tasks regularly.
- Keep up with your maintenance tasks.
The Importance of Regular Inspections
Regular inspections can help you locate errors in your production process or malfunctions in your machinery. We recommend conducting comprehensive inspections on a routine basis so you can get ahead of issues before facing major downtime.
Upgrade Your Palletizing System Today
Now that you know the most common parts of robotic palletizers, you may have a better idea of which type of system will work for your facility’s needs. Call TDI Packsys today at (877) 834-6750 to learn more about our state-of-the-art industrial palletizers.
