Columbia Machine: Conventional palletizer with robotic capability

Instead of having to combine 2 independent control technologies to manage the functions of the robot arm and the basic machine control, all of that is done through the ControlLogix PLC.  This provides increased reliability and pattern forming capability, and allows plant personnel to easily understand and maintain the system.  Users work with familiar PLC controls and will no longer be required to learn and work with robotic arm proprietary software. R-Factor is available with any of the company’s floor-level or high-level palletizers and can be quickly adapted to frequently changing packaging and palletizing requirements. Packages with high center of gravity, minimal packaging (and therefore protection), or those requiring labels-out pattern forming, can now be handled with ease. Not only does the hybrid technology allow for handling of challenging package types, but it also is able to position cases upright just prior to layer formation. This allows difficult-to-convey products to be conveyed to the palletizer infeed easily and then be simply up-ended in the palletizer.