Dematic has launched two mixed case palletising solutions, the ErgoPall Ergonomic High Rate Palletising Station and the Automated Mixed Case Palletising (AMCAP) system.
According to Dematic, the ErgoPall and AMCAP solutions will provide high volume distributors with smarter, safer and more cost-effective alternatives to manual mixed case palletising.
The systems are said to use a combination of automated storage, buffering and sequencing systems, advanced software as well as automated materials handling equipment.
The ErgoPall allows operators - one or two per station depending on the application - to ergonomically build mixed stock keeping units (SKU) pallets.
Dematic says the stations are built on a mezzanine with integrated conveyors delivering a constant flow of mixed cases to the operator. The operator then slides the sequenced cases into position on the pallet.
According to Dematic, lifting is virtually eliminated and, as each layer of cases is completed, the pallet automatically lowers, enabling assembly of the next layer to begin.
In addition, each AMCAP cell comprises two six-axis, servo-driven articulated arm robots installed on a mezzanine.
Two conveyors automatically deliver the SKUs to the work cell, where they are aligned, oriented and presented to the robots for pick up, with the two robots building each pallet cooperatively.
Dematic claims the combined dual-robotic cycle of feeding, grabbing and placing the SKUs means the system has a high throughput rate of greater than 1,000 mixed SKU cases per hour.
As per the ErgoPall solution, once stacking is complete, the pallet is automatically lowered through the mezzanine floor by an integrated lift. It is then stretch wrapped and labelled before exiting the system.