Robotic End-of Arm Tooling Considerations for Palletizing Lines0 pages

Robotic End-of Arm Tooling Considerations for Palletizing Lines
By: John M. Westbeld, Engineering Manager, SAS Automation LLC
If you have more than one product per line – costly changeover tooling is not
always necessary
Palletizing lines are as varied as the product that is shipped on the pallets. Many times
palletizing lines are set up to handle various products that are similar in shape or size
such as corrugated cases, bags, containers, etc. If an industrial robot is used for
palletizing then there are three options for the robot’s End-of-Arm Tooling (EOAT);
dedicated tooling for each shape or size product, tooling designed to handle the entire
range of products for that specific line, or a combination of the above. Clearly, from a
cost standpoint if one EOAT can accommodate the entire range of product for the line,
this is the best solution. Several design considerations and tooling options are available
for designing the EOAT to accommodate the entire range of product.
Bag Palletizing
Bag palletizing lines are suited for EOAT that can
supply enough vacuum to pick from the top of the bag
(as presented) or mechanical gripping EOAT that
reach around and slightly under to mechanically lift the
bag. The vacuum method is typically feasible for bags
that are very robust and where the product maintains
the shape of the bag well. Mechanical gripping can lift
a variety of bag types. A proven design for this concept
is to have two sets of fingers or tines that pick the bag
from a roller conveyor. The tines reach down between
the rollers so they can lift the bag from the bottom and sides. They are not as dependent
upon the product inside the bag because the EOAT can be designed to have the tines
travel past the envelope of the bag to deform the bag if necessary to get a secure grip.
This same concept of “over travel” can be used to secure bags of various sizes to make
the line more flexible.
Case Palletizing
Case palletizing lines typically utilize EOAT with
mechanical grippers, vacuum cups, or vacuum
grippers. Mechanical grippers often will have a
stationary plate and a moving plate to secure the case
from the sides with a friction grip. The stationary plate
is typically made of high strength steel so it can be thin
enough to allow palletizing the cases in a tight pattern.
The contact area will have a machined knurl or a
rubber material adhered to it to give it better grip. The moving plate can be designed to
have enough stroke so the mechanical grip can secure cases with different widths. Care
Robotic End-of-Arm Tooling