Palletizing equipment is used in materials handling applications, specifically in the loading and unloading of objects from pallets. Pallets are flat surfaces on which objects are stacked for storage or shipment. They are among the most widely used shipping materials in the world, which is why palletizers have become necessary in many large scale manufacturing and distribution operations.
Palletizing systems can be used to load and unload all kinds of materials from pallets in all kinds of circumstances. Bag palletizers are used specifically to place bags on pallets in advance of shipment or storage or to remove them after receipt of a shipment. Bulk quantities of cement and other heavy granular materials are often moved by bag palletizers. Drum palletizers accomplish the same task as bag palletizers, except instead of bags they move drums. Chemical processors and other operations that deal with large quantities of drums can benefit greatly from the use of drum palletizers; they can load drums more quickly and safely than human employees can. In addition to boosting productivity, palletizing machines improve workplace safety by reducing the amount of strenuous lifting for employees. Palletizing equipment can lift and move very large quantities of materials without becoming fatigued or injured.
Articulated arm palletizers, automatic palletizers, gantry palletizers, in-line palletizer systems, manual palletizers, robotic palletizers, row stripper palletizers, selective compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA) palletizers, semi-automatic palletizers and vacuum-head unit palletizers are just a few of the palletizer equipment varieties available to industrial operations. Palletizing equipment is divided into three main categories: low-level palletizing equipment, high-level palletizing equipment, and robotic palletizing equipment, all of which differ based on the location of their feed area. While low-level palletizing equipment is fed from the ground, high-level palletizing equipment is fed through a hopper overhead. With the use of either type of palletizing equipment, the feed is received in a rolling fashion and is continuously transferred to the pallets. Robotic palletizers, in contrast, do not utilize a feeding area. Instead, they consist of an arm that individually picks up and places each item on the pallet, reducing the risk of damage to the product and injury to the workers. Depending on individual palletizing equipment needs, many options of palletizing equipment are available. In addition to various speeds, capacities, feeding methods, and sizes, palletizing equipment can be tailored to meet a wide range of stack patterns, types of slip sheet, and wrapping configurations.
