ROBOTIC PALLETIZING
TEC designed and built a custom palletizing solution from basic readily available components for this manufacturer of boxed building materials.
The system handled the two sizes of cartons, slip sheets and three sizes of wood pallets. A cell IFM PLC, the ABB IRB640 palletizing robot, an end-of-arm tool of TEC design, the two infeed conveyors and two pallet build/exit conveyors were included in the system. A perimeter guard with gates and light curtains completed the cell package.
The operator interface included a Red Lion display with cell set up and run as well as alarm handling instructions. The cartons arrived to the cell from box filler machines and taping stations. The infeed conveyor for one of the carton sizes (see above) was designed by TEC to right the carton 90 degrees for pick up by the robot. Vacuum was used in the end-of-arm tool to grip multiple cartons at a time for delivery to the waiting pallet.
Once a pallet was filled, the system PLC indexed the finished pallet out of the cell for fork lift pick up, the robot moved to and gripped a new pallet of the appropriate size from the pallet rack and placed the pallet onto the pallet build station on the exit conveyor; moved to and picked up a slip sheet from the slip sheet storage rack, delivered the slip sheet to the pallet and then moved to and picked up the waiting row of cartons to begin the palletizing routine.
The robot processed the row of cartons from each of the two infeed conveyors on a first-come, first-served basis using part presence and count sensors to indicate to the cell PLC that the appropriate number of cartons were in position at the pick up stations for the multi-carton robotic pick up routine.
The customer required a quick delivery of a system for the two box types involved, coordination with the box erector and filler OEM and an integration partner with experience in handling a dynamic environment where decisions regarding the process were being made on an ongoing basis.
The flexibility of the one programmable asset palletizing one or two part types at a time, handling the variety of parts and items in the cell without a tool change function and the integrity of the control system all lead to a successful implementation of this robotic palletizer.
Palletizing and Packaging Equipment