35 www.drivesncontrols.com February 2025 ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING n The benefits of using robotic palletisers stack up With manufacturers coming under intense pressure to cut costs and retain skilled sta , they are seeking new ways to maximise e ciency without compromising on quality or safety. Robotic end-of-line palletising o ers a new way for manufacturers to streamline their operations and boost productivity, while enhancing safety. Collaborative robots can handle demanding palletising tasks with e ciency and ease. They combine strength and precision, making them ideal for industries that require a blend of heavy lifting and delicate handling. Long-reach, highpayload-capacity cobots can lift and stack heavy boxes e ortlessly, while their precise movements ensure that each pallet is assembled with consistent quality, reducing the chance of errors and minimising potential damage. In addition to their physical capabilities, cobots can connect with modern palletising software. This allows manufacturers to manage multiple SKUs, even when dealing with a variety of box sizes and weights. By eliminating the complexity associated with traditional systems, cobots o er manufacturers greater exibility and control, ensuring that they can adapt quickly to changing demands with minimal e ort and downtime. A key requirement for any robotic system operating in a shared workspace is safety. Modern palletising systems are equipped with scanners that monitor the workspace continuously, creating a virtual safety zone around the robot. If a worker or object breaches this zone, the system reacts instantly, either slowing down the robot or stopping it entirely, depending on how it’s congured. This helps to prevent accidents and enables robots and humans to work in a shared, collaborative space with minimal risk. In addition to safeguarding workers, these safety functions allow companies to comply with strict workplace regulations, reducing potential liabilities. Safety scanners also eliminate the need for physical barriers, freeing up oor space and allowing the creation of more exible layouts. The benets of robotic palletisers include: n Improved e ciency and productivity Automated palletising reduces the time and labour needed to complete repetitive tasks. By ooading these tasks to a robot, workers can spend less time on manual labour and focus instead on more complex, value-adding activities that benet from human input. n Consistency and accuracy Every human worker has their own approach to palletising, which means that the quality and layout of a pallet can vary. By contrast, a cobot o ers repeatability and precision with every cycle. This consistency ensures that each pallet is stacked uniformly, reducing the risk of product damage. n Flexibility for multiple SKUs Cobots can handle a wide range of SKUs, allowing businesses to build pallet congurations and deploy them when running that product. This exibility allows manufacturers to adapt quickly to changing production needs without much downtime, making cobots ideal for businesses with diverse product lines. n Reduced labour costs and ergonomic strain Manual palletising can be physically demanding, leading to potential injury and fatigue. By automating this task, businesses not only reduce the risk of worker injury but also save on labour costs. The cobot handles the heavy lifting, while human workers stay focused on more critical tasks. While robotic palletisers can bring several advantages to production lines, the key to realising their full potential lies in seamless integration with existing systems. Robots, no matter how advanced, cannot operate in a vacuum and must communicate e ectively with software and hardware on the factory oor. A trusted system integrator can be crucial. They can provide the tools and expertise needed to integrate robotic systems into existing setups. Whether it’s ensuring smooth data exchange between the robot and IT systems or conguring software for realtime performance monitoring, integrators can bridge the gap between innovative technology and practical applications. n Robotic palletisers can bring a variety of advantages to production lines, helping manufacturers to streamline their operations, improve productivity and consistency, and enhance worker safety. Natalie Kiely from Optimal Industrial Automation outlines some of the attractions. Robotic palletisers can bring precision, eciency and safety to end-of-line operations
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