Autotec says its Random Case Palletizer can reduce labor costs, increase throughput, and minimize strain on workers. | Source: Autotec Solutions
Autotec Inc. yesterday released the Autotec Random Case Palletizer, or RCP). The company said it designed the system to streamline the process of palletizing mixed-size cases on the fly.
The Toledo, Ohio-based automation provider worked with Liberty Robotics, a developer of vision-guided robotics, on the Autotec RCP. Liberty Robotics provided an advanced vision system called VPack.
“This isn’t just about the evolution of palletizing, but [also] a significant transformation in the logistics industry,” stated Thomas Crihfield, product innovation manager at Autotec Solutions. “By incorporating Liberty’s advanced vision system, our robots can consistently build stable, mixed-load pallets more efficiently than traditional methods. This not only optimizes space, but [also] significantly reduces labor costs.”
Autotec RCP works without pre-sorting
Autotec equipped its RCP with algorithms and vision systems to enable it to stack cases of varying sizes and shapes without manual pre-sorting or sequencing. This enhances efficiency and space utilization within warehouse and distribution centers, the company claimed.
With a vision system overhead and/or on the robot, Autotec said RCP can adapt in real time to inventory changes. It added that this allows it to handle diverse products precisely with reduced operation costs.
The RCP system can match or exceed the pace of industry-standard manual palletizing, asserted Autotec. At the same time, it can reduce the incidence of labor-related injuries, the company said.
In addition, RCP has a compact design that requires a minimal footprint starting at just 27.87 sq. m (300 sq. ft.). Autotec also offers optional configurations such as stretch wrapping, robot on rails, and mobile robot interfaces.
The company said these features demonstrate its “commitment to offering dynamic and adaptable systems for fast-paced and high-volume environments.”
Liberty Robotics adds vision technology
Liberty Robotics uses 3D volumetric sensors and proprietary algorithms to calculate part offsets in six degrees of freedom. This means that the software provides translation and rotation position data in relation to the robot’s training position. The robot uses that position data to perform a frame offset to adjust the work for the presented part position, it explained.
The Dexter, Mich.-based company said it uses volumetric data to calculate the picked object’s pose relative to the trained position. The robot uses the pose data to make necessary adjustments when moving to interact with the part.
Liberty Robotics claimed that its technology can decrease cycle time, as one image is required to calculate offsets, and the part offset is calculated in less than one second. The vision system doesn’t require any external lights, so the sensors are not affected by ambient lighting.
The company said its vision system can handle large part shifts and rotations that would typically trip up other vision systems. Additionally, it comes equipped with a guidance system that aids in quality control by generating a fault when a sample part is warped compared to the reference part.