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Low Level Palletizers
Low level palletizers, or floor level palletizers, are a type of automated conveyor palletizer that can load packaged units from a floor level. By eliminating manual palletizing, low level palletizers also eliminate the risk of injury that is associated with lifting heavy loads and, as a result, increase workplace safety. Low level palletizers also increase production as well as providing maximum efficiency, proving low level palletizers to be a cost-effective palletizing solution. Common materials or objects that low level palletizers are used to feed include fertilizer, petrochemical resin, sugar, salt, pet food, bulk and powder products, cases, cartons and bags. These products may be received in flowing or rolling fashion and then continuously transferred to pallets. However, low level palletizers may not be ideal for the palletizing of fragile products. High level palletizers work in similar applications, except that they are loaded from on top of the conveyor or from the story above. Low level palletizers eliminate the need for catwalks or elevators and require less floor space than many other palletizing options. Industries that utilize low level palletizers include food processing, agricultural, warehouse, commercial, material handling, petrochemical, food and beverage, electronics and packaging. The low level palletizer design ensures that products may enter the machine at any elevation, including the floor level, that is suitable for their application. Low level palletizers can contain a stripper plate, which is metal plate that can support a product load as well as move horizontally to deposit the load on the surface beneath the plate, which is typically a roller conveyor. To begin palletizing the products must first enter the low level palletizer system; during which the layer pattern is formed and moved to the stripper plate, also known as an elevator plate or slide plate. The low level palletizer then raises or lowers each layer of the pallet load as it is fed to the pallet since pallet loads are typically built one layer at a time. The layers are fed to the pallets by a roller conveyor that continuously transfers and sorts the pallets by means of automated conveyor rollers, which allow for greater packaging speed than robotic palletizers. Low level palletizers may be fully automatic, requiring no manual involvement, or they may be semi automatic, requiring loads to be manually connected and disconnected from the palletizer lifting arm. Low level palletizers can be powered by hydraulic, pneumatic or electro-mechanical means. In certain applications, usually involving high speeds, a layer-forming table can be incorporated, which allows layers to be formed at the same time that the low level palletizer is feeding pre-formed layers to a pallet.
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