Automation specialist KUKA has unveiled its latest, high-speed palletising solution using a standard robot that's capable of rapidly packing 25Kg sacks as fast as 24 units a minute.
The high payload KUKA KR 180PA robot features a lightweight yet robust carbon fibre arm and specially-designed gripper which makes it ideal for palletising a wide variety of bulk products such as food processing ingredients, aggregates and chemicals.
The versatile 4-axis robot has a working envelope of 3.2m and is capable of stacking euro pallets up to 3m high. KUKA says its new generation palletising robot can operate for 20,000 working hours before requiring a service which typically only takes around 3 hours.
"This new high-speed solution has delivered some impressive results to date, averaging one bag in less than 3 seconds, meaning it can palletise almost 1400 bags in an hour, which is extremely fast," commented Tony Dowling, robot sales specialist at KUKA Automation + Robotics.
"Since this application was unveiled at a recent in-house technology event, KUKA has been inundated with enquiries from leading manufacturers in the food, chemicals and plastics sectors," he added.
More companies were beginning to recognise the advantages of automation not only because of the benefits of better productivity, but also from a health and safety perspective as robots can perform a variety of heavy and hazardous tasks, said Tony.
The new high-speed palletising solution could also be adapted at a later date by fitting a multiple gripper so that the operation could be run to handle even more bags, he stated.
As well as palletising, the KR 180PA is also suitable for depalletising tasks involving mixed or unmixed pallets, cardboard or plastic containers.
More information on KUKA's new high speed palletising solution can be viewed online at www.kuka.co.uk or email sales@kuka.co.uk.