At the tail end of a manufacturing process, right before the goods leave the factory for the market, an important process known as palletizing takes place. Being a common and repetitive process it is one of the factory tasks that are easily automated by the use of robots.
Photo credt: Pixabay locsamaustralia
Palletizing robots are a common feature in many factories. They carry out this process swiftly and easily, saving time and costs for the organization.
Like every other robot, palletizing robots have unique features that allow them to complete their work faster and efficiently.
These features include:
1. Easy to use and set up
Modern palletizing robots are easy to use and set up. Traditional robots were highly complicated and required specialized engineers to set up, program, maintain and monitor. The modern robot is highly collaborative, easy to set up, program and use.
A factory line employee can easily program this robot and program instructions on how to complete tasks into it with only a few hours of training. Pallet patterns are easily programmed into the robot and it executes them with ease.
The collaborative palletizing robot has a friendly user interface through which it is programmed and monitored.
In addition, its software is easily updated by since they can easily access the internet.
2. Large payload capacities
Palletizing robots can easily handle heavy weights. They can handle pallet loads of up to 450kg with ease. This makes them the best robots for industries that manufacturer heavy products such as automobile spares and parts.
This enables the robots to easily stack cases and pallets onto each other and to arrange them for easier shipping out of the factory.
In addition, it eliminates the need for human workers in the palletizing process thus lowering the costs of labor for the organization.
3. Long reach arms
Normally, palletizing robots have a reach of about 120 inches. Reach refers to the full length that the robots arm can stretch to. This makes it easier and efficient for it to complete the palletizing process quickly.
In addition, the robot is able to stack pallets onto each other in an effort to maximize storage space.
4. Compact
Even with their large reach, palletizing require very little space to work from. With a small base, they utilize very little space on the factory floor. This helps manufacturing entities make full use of the space that they occupy.
They can be situated at the end of a conveyor from which point they pick and palletize boxes of fully manufactured products that are then shipped to the market.
5. Vision capabilities
Palletizing robots have the capacity to “see” what it is they are palletizing. Robots are fitted with external cameras that provide it with the capacity of vision. This enables the robot to differentiate between the types of products that it is palletizing and to arrange the goods in the required pattern.
6. Multiple product lines handling
Palletizing robots can also easily handle multiple product lines in the factory thanks to their long reach. In addition, robots with multiple arms can easily palletize different product lines simultaneously. This helps the organization save time by ensuring that the production of all its products lines takes place at the same time. This also ensures that products are shipped off to the market early and no product is delayed as a result of the slow or poor capacity for palletizing.
7. Require no caging
Palletizing robots are safe to use. As a result, they do not require to be caged and can easily work in proximity to human workers. In addition, they enable organizations to save rent costs as they effectively and efficiently use the working space that they have.
Conclusion
Palletizing robots are essential in every manufacturing entity. As technology advances, palletizing robots will increasingly get more features that will make them more effective and efficient in carrying out their assigned tasks in the organization
