Conveyor Cart Sequencing for Palletizing Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for loading pallets with individual packs are inefficient, as they often require manual sequencing and alignment, leading to increased operational time and potential backlog issues, especially when dealing with diverse and partial orders.
Innovation Solution
A method and device utilizing a conveying system with multiple levels of storage compartments and an endless conveying loop, allowing palletizing robots to access and stack individual packs efficiently, with the option of using monorail suspension trackways or driverless floor vehicles, enabling continuous and level-by-level feeding of packs onto a pallet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual sequencing and alignment methods are used for loading pallets, then the system is simpler to implement, but operational time increases and backlog issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary sequencing and alignment of individual packs on the conveyor cart before palletizing begins. The conveyor cart pre-organizes packs in the correct sequence and position, so that when palletizing starts, no additional sequencing time is needed during the actual pallet loading process.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor cart serves as an intermediary device between storage and the palletizing robot. It receives packs from storage, sequences and aligns them, then delivers them to the robot in the correct order, eliminating the need for manual sequencing and reducing operational time.
2Productivity
If individual packs are sequenced and aligned manually, then device complexity is reduced, but backlog minimization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor cart performs self-service sequencing and alignment functions. As packs are loaded onto the cart from storage, they are automatically positioned and sequenced in the correct order without requiring external manual intervention or complex additional devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor cart is designed as a multi-functional device that combines storage, sequencing, alignment, and transport functions in a single unit. This universal approach enables continuous palletizing while managing complexity by consolidating multiple functions into one device.
3Ease of operation
If conveyor carts with compartments are used for singularization, then individual pack handling is improved, but the system requires complete emptying and reuse of carts
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a fleet of conveyor carts that are continuously circulated. After a cart completes its function of delivering packs to a pallet, it is discarded (sent back to storage) and recovered (refilled with new packs). This allows parallel operation of multiple carts, eliminating the time loss from emptying and reusing single carts.
4Productivity
If multiple conveying devices are used for continuous loop operation, then productivity increases, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic coordination of multiple conveyor carts in a continuous loop. Rather than static fixed-position devices, the carts move dynamically through the system, allowing flexible resource utilization. This enables high productivity while managing complexity through dynamic rather than static architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for loading a pallet with different individual packs of a picked order includes a first method step in which the individual packs to be palletized are delivered in a conveyor cart, a second method step in which the individual packs are separated, positioned and prepared for palletizing in such a way that a palletizing station has access to all of the individual packs and a third method step in which the individual packs are picked in a sequence predetermined by the palletizing station and stacked on the pallet. A device for performing the method includes one or more palletizing stations with a storage device for the individual packs and with a continuous conveying loop acting as a conveying path for the conveyor cart.