Palletizing Application Case Study
Innovative copacker improves ergonomic safety with a PalletizHD collaborative robotic palletizer.
Why automate palletizing?
Struggling to hire and maintain consistent labor, a copacker looked to automate the difficult, repetitive task of palletizing heavy cases on one of their more demanding packaging lines.
With 30 lbs. cases being filled at a rate of 6 per minute, the manual process required a laborer to palletize 10,800 lbs. an hour!
Valuing their reliable workers, the innovative copacker set out to find solutions that removed current employees from the ergonomically unsafe tasks and repurpose them to more challenging positions within their packaging processes.
The Project
After researching various solutions, the copacker selected the PalletizHD as the collaborative palletizer and ONExia Inc. to solve the additional challenges associated with project.
Manual Process Automation
With the goal being complete automation of the ergonomically challenging tasks, the solution needed to handle the remaining end of line processes once the cases were filled.
- A new conveyor layout that worked with existing processes and fit within the project footprint
- Powered solutions that eliminate all manual movement of cases after they are filled with product
- Integrating the necessary additional packaging equipment into a turn-key packaging line
- Palletizing cases weighing up to 30 pounds and stacking them over 70 inches in height
Designing a Solution
Using a PalletizHD as the palletizing robot, the ONExia Robotics engineers sourced the additional stationary packaging equipment and designed a custom conveyor configuration that worked within the footprint available for the project.
Existing Line Integration
Designed to integrate with existing processes, conveyors feed product directly into the new manual packaging stations.
Powered Conveyor System
In line with the new manual packing stations, a powered conveyor line automatically moves heavy cases downstream eliminating ergonomically unsafe movements.
To learn more about ONExia's packaging line design process, visit onexiarobotics.com.
Multi-Process Automation
Following fulfillment, conveyors move cases into a hot melt sealer, check weigher, and labeler that were integrated and delivered to the copacker by ONExia as a turn-key solution.
Collaborative Palletizer
Once the label and weight are verified, cases are nested to a repeatable position where the PalletizHD picks and palletizes them for shipment. By using a collaborative robot, line workers remove and replace pallets while the system is operating without disrupting production.
The Results
Using the PalletizHD as the palletizer, the copacker easily automated the task of palletizing 30 lb. cases at a rate of 6 per minute, freeing reliable labor to handle the safer, more challenging positions within the packaging process.
By utilizing the expertise and services provided by the ONExia Robotics team of engineers, the processes of case sealing, weighing, and labeling were also automated removing additional ergonomically unsafe processes from the packaging line.
