What is Palletizing? Steps, Types & Configurations

Palletizing is the method of stacking merchandise onto pallets for storage or transportation. It may be accomplished manually, the place employees pile merchandise by hand. Whereas this methodology affords flexibility, it’s labor-intensive, doesn’t optimize throughput and enhance workforce accidents. Alternatively, the palletizing course of might be absolutely automated by utilizing robots. Robotic palletizers can take totally different codecs, the place on one facet we discover huge inline palletizers, which deal with high-speed throughput, high-volume and on the opposite spectrum, cobot arms that present adaptability to deal with totally different packaging sizes and volumes.

Steps concerned in palletizing

A number of steps are concerned in palletizing, with variables and non-compulsory steps relying on the particular necessities. Listed here are the important thing steps:

1. Step One: Product Preparation

Guarantee merchandise are correctly packaged and labeled. This step might embody high quality checks and sorting objects.

2. Step Two: Pallet Choice

Choosing the proper pallet is essential for the soundness, security, and effectivity of the palletizing, transit and materials dealing with course of. Pallets are available in wooden, plastic, and metallic, every with its personal particular advantages: wooden for energy and affordability, plastic for sturdiness and moisture resistance, and metallic for heavy or high-temperature masses. The selection depends upon load sort, weight and dealing with wants.

3. Step Three: Association Planning

Environment friendly pallet format includes cautious planning to optimize area utilization and stability. Cartons are positioned with weight distribution and ease of entry in thoughts. Form, dimension and packaging are taken under consideration to find out one of the best sample, whereas facilitating loading and unloading for larger operational effectivity. This step might be carried out with the assistance of software program.

4. Step 4: Stacking and Securing the Load

Perform the association plan – stack the merchandise on the pallet as deliberate. Use stretch movie to scale back the chance of harm and make sure the security of handlers throughout loading and unloading.

5. Step 5: Labeling and Documentation (Elective)

Product labeling and offering documentation is the final palletizing step to reinforce transport effectivity, present regulatory compliance, and product traceability. Pallets are labeled with data like contents, weight, and dealing with directions. Extra data might be offered to point origin and batch numbers. Marking packaging and supplying product documentation streamline logistics and customs clearance.

6. Step Six: High quality Inspection (Elective)

Conduct a closing inspection to make sure the palletized load meets all security and high quality requirements.

Recommendation for Figuring out Needed Steps to Palletizing

Take into account elements similar to product sort, transportation methodology, and materials dealing with necessities to find out which steps are important to your palletizing course of. Consulting an knowledgeable may also help you tailor the method to your particular wants.

Sorts of Automated Palletizers

Automated palletizers are more and more most well-liked to handbook palletizing due to their many benefits. These methods considerably enhance productiveness by stacking merchandise sooner and extra effectively than human employees. Along with decreasing labor prices, they assist reduce office accidents attributable to repetitive actions and lifting. Automated palletizers assure larger precision and uniformity in stacking patterns, bettering pallet stability and area effectivity. They will function constantly, serving to to extend manufacturing output. With technological advances, these methods have grow to be extra adaptable, able to dealing with a variety of product varieties and sizes. For industries going through labor shortages or growing manufacturing calls for, automated palletizers provide a dependable, cost-effective answer that improves each operational effectivity and product high quality.

There are two important kinds of automated palletizers: 

• Inline Palletizers
  Inline palletizers use fastened equipment and conveyor methods to rearrange merchandise onto pallets. Merchandise transfer alongside conveyors and are directed into layers, that are then stacked onto pallets. Splendid for high-speed, high-volume operations. Usually absolutely automated, although some fashions might be semi-automated.

• Robotic Arm Palletizers
  Robotic arm palletizers use an automatic arm to choose and place merchandise onto pallets. They provide excessive flexibility and might deal with all kinds of product styles and sizes. Appropriate for industries with various product strains or these requiring frequent changeovers. May be absolutely automated or semi-automated, relying on the setup and necessities.

Pallets configurations

Pallet configuration refers back to the method objects are organized on pallets. It contains information on pallet varieties and sizes, stacking patterns, layer heights, and the variety of circumstances per pallet and row. The primary configuration patterns are as follows:

• Column Stacking
  Gadgets are stacked straight on prime of one another, sustaining the identical footprint up the pallet. This methodology maximizes stack energy and stability.  It really works greatest for lighter or fragile objects and could also be susceptible to toppling if stacked too excessive.
• Brick Stacking
  Alternates merchandise orientation in every layer, making a brick-like construction. This method supplies robust, shift-resistant stacks.  It permits mixing of field sizes however might scale back the overall variety of containers per pallet.
• Interlocking Patterns
  Makes use of a rotating footprint the place objects are supported by a number of containers under. This methodology affords superior stability for high-density masses. It supplies higher bridging energy. May be extra advanced to assemble.  It might create uneven stress on particular person containers.

Every sample has its benefits and is chosen based mostly on the particular wants of the fabric dealing with, the palletizing course of and the logistics necessities. Need assistance to decide on your pallet sample? Play with the Robotiq configurator tool.

Conclusion

Streamline your palletizing operations with knowledgeable recommendation. Whether or not you are new to robotic palletizing or trying to optimize, our consultants can assess your wants and suggest options. From tools choice to integration, we’ll provide help to enhance effectivity and scale back prices. Unlock the total potential of your logistics with automated palletizing – contact us at the moment.