ABB Robotic Depalletizer Reduces Complexity in Logistics

Replaces heavy manual lifting and significantly improves efficiency

The ABB robotic depalletizer handles complex depalletizing tasks in the logistics, e-commerce, healthcare, and consumer packaged goods industries. Using machine vision software, ABB’s new solution can quickly assess a wide variety of box types, enabling customers to efficiently process assorted loads with very little engineering effort and short setup time.

The robotic depalletizer uses advanced machine vision and machine learning algorithms to quickly and efficiently process pallets of up to 2.8-m high, the only solution currently capable of operating at these heights.

The palletizer software uses the information gathered by the vision sensor to provide the robot with a suitable grasping point for each box. The robot then picks up the box—weighing up to 30 kg—and places it on either another pallet or an outfeed conveyor. The speed and accuracy of the system enables it to work at a peak rate of up to 650 cycles per hour, 24 hours a day.

The vision sensor enables the robot to detect specific carton boxes on pallets, allowing reliable depalletizing of several different load types, including pallets comprised of a single type of box in defined layers; “rainbow” pallets containing a number of different box types; and mixed pallets, which have a wide range of boxes with varying weights, shapes, and materials.

The solution can be supplied with a range of four and six axis robots to provide the flexibility required to perform either simple or more complex depalletizing tasks. ABB RobotStudio digital twin software is also available, allowing customers to build bespoke application simulations with their own box dimensions, weights, and pallet patterns.

Modular collaborative layouts can be tailored to suit customer needs and incorporate advanced laser and radar scanner and light curtain systems to scan the robot’s surroundings, ensuring the safety of workers. To further enhance flexibility, the depalletizer can also be integrated with autonomous mobile robots to produce a highly capable, flexible goods handling system for warehouses and dispatching centers.