Collection and centralised palletisation of boxes

Operating principle

The installation serves 29 production lines, with a possible future expansion to 36.

The building is made up of 3 levels:

• The ground floor, dedicated to processing (14 lines)
• The first floor, dedicated to palletisation
• The second floor, dedicated to additional processing (15 lines)

The ground floor

At the end of each line, the boxes are handled by a vertical lifting device then are injected in a network of aerial conveyors which is developed all around the area to form a collection ring. The end of network is connected to a continuous working elevating machine permitting to raise the cardboard boxes towards the palletisation level.

The second floor

This collection is identical to the one on the ground floor, with an access to the palletisation floor by use of a descending conveyor.

The first floor

The cardboard boxes coming from the ground floor and from the second floor are fed onto a loop of conveyors which in turn feed the palletisation zone. The boxes are identified then directed to the robot antenna designated by the IT system.

The palletisation is ensured by 6 poly-articulated robots. Each is equiped with a specific tool for the prehension of cardboard boxes and empty pallets. Each robot can palletise 6 references simultaneously. The robots grip the boxes which are accumulated on their antennas and put them on a pallet, indexed on the floor. When a pallet is finished, it is evacuated by the operator, the robot takes a new empty one and put it on the available place.

IT management

The software MAESTRO+ ensures:

• The interface with the customer’s superior level
• The OF management
• The management of the palletisation
• The installation supervision