What is Palletizing? Steps, Types & Configurations

Palletizing is the method of stacking merchandise onto pallets for storage or transportation. It may be performed manually, the place employees pile merchandise by hand. Whereas this technique affords flexibility, it’s labor-intensive, doesn’t optimize throughput and enhance workforce accidents. Alternatively, the palletizing course of could be absolutely automated by utilizing robots. Robotic palletizers can take completely 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 completely different packaging sizes and volumes.

Steps concerned in palletizing

A number of steps are concerned in palletizing, with variables and elective steps relying on the precise necessities. Listed below 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

Selecting the best pallet is vital for the soundness, security, and effectivity of the palletizing, transit and materials dealing with course of. Pallets are available in wooden, plastic, and steel, every with its personal particular advantages: wooden for power and affordability, plastic for sturdiness and moisture resistance, and steel for heavy or high-temperature hundreds. The selection is determined by load kind, weight and dealing with wants.

3. Step Three: Association Planning

Environment friendly pallet format entails cautious planning to optimize house utilization and stability. Cartons are positioned with weight distribution and ease of entry in thoughts. Form, dimension and packaging are taken into consideration to find out the very best sample, whereas facilitating loading and unloading for better operational effectivity. This step could 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 cut back the danger of injury 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 boost transport effectivity, present regulatory compliance, and product traceability. Pallets are labeled with info like contents, weight, and dealing with directions. Extra info could be supplied 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 ultimate inspection to make sure the palletized load meets all security and high quality requirements.

Recommendation for Figuring out Essential Steps to Palletizing

Take into account components reminiscent of product kind, transportation technique, and materials dealing with necessities to find out which steps are important to your palletizing course of. Consulting an professional might help you tailor the method to your particular wants.

Kinds of Automated Palletizers

Automated palletizers are more and more most well-liked to guide palletizing due to their many benefits. These methods considerably enhance productiveness by stacking merchandise quicker and extra effectively than human employees. Along with lowering labor prices, they assist reduce office accidents attributable to repetitive actions and lifting. Automated palletizers assure better precision and uniformity in stacking patterns, enhancing pallet stability and house effectivity. They will function repeatedly, serving to to extend manufacturing output. With technological advances, these methods have turn out to be extra adaptable, able to dealing with a variety of product sorts and sizes. For industries dealing with 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 fundamental forms 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. Best for high-speed, high-volume operations. Sometimes absolutely automated, although some fashions could 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 sizes and styles. 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 consists of information on pallet sorts and sizes, stacking patterns, layer heights, and the variety of instances per pallet and row. The primary configuration patterns are as follows:

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

Every sample has its benefits and is chosen based mostly on the precise 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 professional 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 show you how to increase effectivity and scale back prices. Unlock the complete potential of your logistics with automated palletizing – contact us immediately.