The video shows the universal six axis robot 1820A developed by Braun applied in the sericulture industry. The robot is using palletizing technology to load and unload silkworm babies, greatly freeing up tedious and repetitive manual handling work.
Stacking, palletizing is the process of neatly stacking goods in a certain order and hierarchy. Stacking is not simply placing items on an empty pallet, in fact, it is a very complex task. It involves stacking many (usually differently shaped) boxes or items on a pallet. This pallet will move a long distance during transportation and will be affected by various external forces along the way.
So, learning some palletizing knowledge can make your "building blocks" more stable in structure and function during transportation, saving more time and budget, and reducing unnecessary waste. By utilizing automated technology for palletizing, this advantage can be further amplified. Robot palletizing is suitable for all scenarios that require palletizing, such as the chemical industry, building materials industry, feed industry, food industry, beverage industry, automated logistics, and so on. The automation of palletizing tasks using robots is becoming a competitive demand. Why? Below, we will introduce some knowledge about "robot+palletizing" to you.
Classification of stacking types for palletizing
Stack type refers to the stacking style in which materials are regularly, neatly, and smoothly stacked on pallets. There are usually four common stacking types, namely overlapping stacking, criss crossing stacking, forward and reverse interlocking stacking, and rotating interlocking stacking.
1. Overlapping stacking: It is one of the main forms of mechanical operation, which is to stack the code height layer by layer, and is suitable for hard and neat material packaging.
Operation characteristics: Fast operation speed, high load-bearing capacity, and easy occurrence of pile collapse. Good stability of cargo volume and effortless loading and unloading operations.
2. Cross cutting stacking: The placement of adjacent layers of goods is rotated 90 degrees, with one layer placed horizontally and the other layer placed vertically, stacked in a cross cutting pattern.
Characteristic: It has bite effect, but the stability strength is not high. Suitable for automatic disk loading operation, this method is relatively stable, but inconvenient to operate
3. Forward and backward staggered stacking
Goods of the same layer and different columns are stacked vertically at a 90 degree angle, while goods of adjacent layers are stacked in a 180 degree rotation on another layer.
Features: High interlocking strength between different layers, high stability, easy operation, and mutual compression between packaging bodies, with the bottom easily crushed
4. Rotating staggered stacking
The two adjacent packaging bodies on the first layer are 90 degrees apart from each other, and the stacking between the two layers is 180 degrees apart, so that the adjacent layers interlock and cross each other.
Characteristics: The stability of the cargo body is high, it is not easy to collapse, the difficulty of stacking is high, and a cavity is formed in the middle, which reduces the utilization efficiency of the pallet
Classification of fixtures for robot palletizing
Claw type: suitable for woven bags, cement bags, etc. with heavy product weight
Sponge bottom type: suitable for grabbing heavier cardboard products
Bottom support type: suitable for heavier cardboard products, cardboard paper is soft and easily changeable, without bundling, etc
Suction cup type: suitable for cardboard products with hard materials, less deformation, and lighter weight (requiring a high flow vacuum generator)
Square suction cup type: suitable for products with large deformation, compensating for product deformation through suction cup height
Clamping bottom support type: using a cylinder to support the bottom
Sponge suction cup type: suitable for grabbing lighter or bundled cardboard products
Vacuum elliptical sponge type: suitable for suction of woven bags that have undergone plastic treatment
Composition of palletizing robot system
Stacking robot: including robot body, robot fixture, guardrail and base, as well as single/double grasping conveyor lines.
Automatic tray conveying system: including tray storage, light/heavy load conveyor, heavy load drum line, and lifting/lowering transplanting machine.
Material conveying system: including various conveying equipment such as belt conveyor lines, pneumatic pushing devices, linear slides, etc.
Electrical and pneumatic systems: composed of control cabinets, transformers, air circuit bridges, etc.
Key points to note when palletizing
When carrying out palletizing operations, it is necessary to have a detailed understanding of the product characteristics, including weight, pallet size, palletizing type, and palletizing height. Through 3D simulation, verify the achievement and motion range of the robot at different positions, ensure that the robot is not in a singular point position, and ensure the safety and efficiency of palletizing operations.
In the current wave of industrial automation, the combination of robot technology and traditional material handling and stacking (palletizing) processes is gradually changing the production landscape of various industries. The following is a detailed explanation of the application of the universal six axis robot 1820A developed by Braun in the sericulture industry, as well as an analysis of robot palletizing technology.