Gripper for palletising open top cases

Gripper for palletising open top cases

Keywords: Fanuc, Grippers

Fanuc Robotics have developed a gripper for their M410i palletising robot that offers maximum flexibility for loading different sized open-top cases (see Plate 4). With open tops, the conventional vacuum grippers cannot be used.

 Plate 4The dual case gripper designed by Fanuc Robotics to handle open top cases

In its standard form the gripper can handle two cases at a time. For the largest size, the cases are picked up end-to-end of the conveyor. For smaller cases, a secondary stop on the conveyor stops the second case so that the overall pallet length remains the same.

An indexing mechanism on the gripper places a spacer between the cases ensuring the correct gap is maintained throughout all movements.

The loading sequence starts with the forks that lift the cases being fed under each case by pneumatic cylinders. Retractable side and end plates guarantee that the cases are totally constrained against any movement during all palletising moves. This technique enables faster movements to be programmed without any danger of the cases shifting position.

Once the cases are placed on the pallet and a layer completed, vacuum grippers pick up an interleaving sheet and place it over the completed layer before commencing to build up the next.

To handle different sizes of case it is a simple matter to make the central spacer quick release so that it can be exchanged during product changeover. Fanuc have considered automatically indexing spacers so that case size changeover time is reduced to virtually zero.

The gripper illustrated can carry two x 25kg cases. Maximum load that can be palletised with the M410i robot is 250kg. With a capability of up to 1,800 cycles/hr, the M410i is claimed to be the fastest palletising robot currently available.

Contact Maurice Hanley, Fanuc Robotics (UK) Limited, Seven Stars Industrial Estate, Wheler Road, Coventry CV3 4LB. Tel: +44 (0)1203 639669; Fax: +44 (0)1203 304333.