A leading manufacturer of metal studs and tracks for the building industry engaged Apex Automation and Robotics to design and supply a robotic palletising system for its suspended-roof products.
Suspended-ceiling tracks are produced on a roll former, packed into cartons, and palletised onto wooden pallets. Previously, the handling of these heavy and bulky cartons required two operators and presented a significant risk of manual-handling injuries. The introduction of automation has transformed this process, improving both productivity and workplace safety.
The automation solution delivered by Apex Automation and Robotics incorporates an industrial robot and a pallet conveyor. The robot has a purpose-built end-of-arm tool designed to handle the entire range of products without tool changeovers. As the cartons are heavy and must be positioned accurately on the pallet to minimise overhang, the end-of-arm tool features a mechanical gripper with a clamp and retracting tynes to ensure secure and precise handling.
Empty pallets are loaded onto a dual-chain conveyor at one end of the robotic cell, while completed pallets are unloaded at the opposite end. Each pallet is transferred to the palletising station, where it is accurately aligned and clamped against a fixed reference point.
The robot controller interfaces with the Roll Former and Packer, and when a carton is completed at the Packer, the robot retrieves it and stacks onto the pallet following a programmed recipe for each product. Once a pallet is complete, it is transferred to the end of the line as a new empty pallet moves into the robotic cell.
The system is fully guarded with perimeter fencing, interlocked doors and light curtains. Redundant safety circuits and monitoring devices are implemented in compliance with relevant Australian Standards, including:
AS 4024.1-2014 Safety of machinery
AS 4024.3301-2017 Robots and robotic devices – Safety requirements for industrial robots
A user-friendly colour touch screen provides intuitive system operation, displaying palletising progress and offering troubleshooting capabilities.
Designed and built for 24hr operation, this robotic system is another addition to the portfolio of automation solutions that Apex Automation and Robotics has delivered to the building products industry resulting in reduced labour cost and enhanced Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S).
