Aug. 04, 2025
Agriculture
Water utilities are responsible for putting fully treated water into the distribution system, but it can become contaminated after it has left the treatment works if not handled with care. The contamination can originate from several different sources, but it is obviously important to eliminate any introduction of faecal material for health reasons. Research in Sodo woreda, Guraghe Zone, in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) showed that 61% of the water in households was faecally contaminated and for five woredas in Amhara Region the figure was 74% (Kinfegabriel, ). These findings demonstrate that safe water collection, treatment and handling at household level are key considerations for potable water availability in the home.
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This study session will discuss safe water collection methods and the ways in which water can be treated at household level. It also presents the basic principles of safe water storage and handling in the home.
When you have studied this session, you should be able to:
10.1 Define and use correctly the key words printed in bold. (SAQ 10.1)
10.2 List the methods by which households can safely collect water for use. (SAQ 10.2)
10.3 Describe the methods by which water can be treated at household level. (SAQ 10.1)
10.4 Describe the options for safe storage of water. (SAQ 10.3)
10.5 Summarise the methods for safe handling of water in the home. (SAQ 10.3)
Households in urban areas that do not have a tap connection in their house or yard will probably collect water from a water point or kiosk. Even where there is a household connection, residents may sometimes need to use other sources, for example if there is a break in supply. In longer-term emergency situations, safe water may be delivered by tanker to residential areas for distribution to householders. In both of these instances, collection vessels such as those shown in Figure 10.1 will be used to carry water to the home.
A water container has to be clean, and must not previously have been used to contain any toxic material (such as pesticides). Ideally, the mouth of the vessel should be narrow and it should have a lid. It should have handles so that it can be carried easily.
Why is it better to have a container with a narrow opening?
This reduces the chances of contamination because less of the water is exposed. Most importantly, people will not be able to put their hands into the water, which is one of the most likely sources of contamination.
An alternative to the containers shown in Figure 10.1 is the Hippo Water Roller (Figure 10.2), which enables water to be transported more easily and efficiently. It is a 90-litre drum made from UV-stabilised, low-density polyethylene that can be rolled along the ground using a steel clip-on handle. The device is designed to cope with rough surfaces and is very stable in the upright position. The roller is rounded at the shoulders and has hand grips at the top and bottom to make it easier to tilt a full roller when pouring.
What is sedimentation?
Sedimentation is the removal of suspended solids through the settling of particles.
Just as in the water treatment works, if the water is turbid (muddy), then giving it time to settle (become calm) helps in sedimentation. This process can be assisted by adding a coagulant that encourages the formation of larger, heavier particles (flocculation) that then settle easily to the bottom of the container and make the water clear. At the household level, natural coagulants can be used such as the crushed, dry seeds of the Moringa fruit, shown in Figure 10.3 (Davis and Lambert, ). Moringa fruit comes from Moringa trees, which grow in tropical countries
Can you name one of the coagulants used in large-scale water treatment?
As you learned in Study Session 5, Section 5.2.3, aluminium sulphate and ferric chloride are used as coagulants in large-scale water treatment.
After the suspended particles have settled, the clear water at the top can be carefully poured into another container for further processing. The three-pot method is one method of sedimentation.
The three-pot method
The three-pot method (Figure 10.4) is a means of reducing dirt and micro-organisms in water, by storing the water in a container, allowing the dirt to settle, and moving the cleaner water to different containers over time. Water in a container should be allowed to settle for a day before it is decanted into the next container. Only water from Pot 3 should be consumed. The three-pot system is low-cost, easy to use and is something people can do themselves. However, it does not totally remove disease-causing micro-organisms, so some method of disinfection is still needed to remove the risk of disease completely.
Filtration is another method of removing suspended particles and is also relatively easy. There are several different methods of filtration that can be used in the home.
Cloth filtration
Cloth filtration (Figure 10.5) is cheap, easy to carry out and a common water treatment technique. Pouring turbid water through a piece of fine, clean cotton cloth will remove larger contaminants and a certain amount of suspended solids. It is better to use a used, rather than new, piece of cloth.
Why do you think a used, washed piece of cloth is better for filtration?
Once cloth has been washed several times, the gaps between the fibres it is made from are smaller and therefore better for trapping any solid matter.
The steps in cloth filtration are as follows:
Household sand filtration
A household sand filter can usually be made from locally available and inexpensive materials like clay pots or barrels. They are simple and easy to use. One such system consists of a pot and a storage vessel (Figure 10.6).
The details of the system are as follows:
Ceramic filtration
For ceramic filtration, a water filter in the form of a ceramic pot can be made using clay, sawdust or rice husks, and a plastic bucket. The pot is made by mixing clay with the sawdust or rice husks, forming it into a flowerpot shape and then firing it in a kiln. The sawdust or rice husks burn away, leaving tiny pores in the ceramic through which water can be filtered. The small pore size of the ceramic material traps the particles and most micro-organisms.
To use the filter, the pot is inserted into a container so that its lip prevents it from slipping into the container (Figure 10.7). The raw water is then poured into the ceramic pot. Cleaned water percolates out of the pot and is collected in the container below. A tap on the container allows water to be drawn out.
The filter is cleaned by gently scrubbing the surface, and it is recommended that the filter be replaced every 1–2 years, as fine cracks not visible to the naked eye may have developed.
Disinfection is the final stage of water treatment in the home. All water treated using one or more of the previous steps will need to be disinfected to ensure that all pathogens are killed. The three common methods of disinfection are described below.
Boiling
Boiling drinking water is a simple way of killing pathogens and is suitable for use at household level. Boiling destroys pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, and any parasite ova (eggs) present in water. The water should be heated until large bubbles come continuously to the surface of the water (referred to as a ‘rolling boil’), for at least 5 minutes. This has been shown to inactivate cholera and Shigella organisms (Luff and Clarke, ). If the location of the site is at a high elevation (as in Addis Ababa) the water should be boiled for longer. Boiling will make the water taste flat but this can be remedied by shaking the water in a clean bottle, or by adding a pinch of salt to one litre of water. If the water is turbid with particles, it should be filtered before boiling. Water should be boiled, cooled and stored, all in the one container and consumed within 24 hours to prevent re-contamination.
Can you think of disadvantages associated with boiling?
Fuel has to be obtained, and scalding accidents can occur if people are careless. But it is still the simplest way of ensuring that water is safe to drink.
Solar disinfection (SODIS)
Solar disinfection, known as SODIS, is a water treatment method that uses ultraviolet (UV) radiation and high temperature from the sun to destroy micro-organisms in water. The technique requires only some clear plastic bottles (without labels) and sunlight (Figure 10.8).
The steps to take for SODIS are shown in Figure 10.9. In Step 5, the bottles are placed on a corrugated iron sheet (often used as roofing material) which is painted black so that it retains heat from the sun, speeding up the rate of heating of the water.
Chemical disinfection using chlorine
Chlorine solution, also known as sodium hypochlorite or bleach, is the most affordable and widely available chemical for household water treatment. Typically the procedure is to add a capful of chlorine solution to water in a 20–25 litre storage container, then stir and wait for 30 minutes. As you learned in Study Session 5, this period of time is referred to as the contact time. After this, the water can be used.
Chlorination is effective if the water is not turbid. If the water is turbid, micro-organisms can shelter within the particles and escape the effect of the chlorine. Solids should therefore first be removed by sedimentation or filtration. It is important that some residual chlorine remains in the water at the time it is used, so that it stays safe to drink. A minimum concentration of 0.5 mg l–1 is recommended; this will kill any organism that enters the water later.
The Bishan Gari Water Purifier (Figure 10.10) is a combined coagulant–flocculant–disinfectant powder mixture produced in Ethiopia for water treatment. Bishan Gari comes in a 2.5-g sachet, which is used to treat 20 litres of water. The sachet contains aluminium sulphate as coagulant and a flocculant for reducing turbidity, and calcium hypochlorite as a disinfectant to kill bacteria and viruses.
The directions for using Bishan Gari powder are as follows:
Aquatabs is the brand name of a solid form of sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC), a disinfectant. The tablets (Figure 10.11), which have to be imported, are easier than bleach to store, handle and transport. One tablet contains 67 mg of NaDCC and can treat 20 litres of clear water. The tablet has to be dissolved in the water by vigorous mixing, and a contact time of 30 minutes is necessary. If the water is turbid, two tablets will be needed.
P&G Purifier of Water is the brand name of a combined coagulant, flocculant and disinfectant product produced by Procter & Gamble (Figure 10.12), which is imported into Ethiopia. The coagulant/flocculant is ferrous sulphate and the disinfectant is calcium hypochlorite. It can be used to treat raw source waters with a wide range of turbidity and pathogen load. This water treatment chemical allows flocculation to take place and helps to remove Giardia and Cryptosporidium cysts that are resistant to chlorine disinfection. (A cyst is a dormant stage in the life cycle of some protozoa and bacteria that is resistant to adverse environmental conditions and therefore difficult to destroy.) P&G Purifier of Water comes in sachets and one sachet is needed to treat 10 litres of water.
The procedure for using P&G Purifier of Water is illustrated in Figure 10.13.
The most desirable specification for a water storage vessel for households is that it:
Why is the recommended upper limit for the water storage vessel 25 litres?
The weight of 25 litres of water is 25 kg. This is just about manageable for an adult to lift.
Having collected, transported, treated and stored the water, households have to handle the water carefully so that it does not become contaminated. It is essential that hands are not put into the treated water. The best option is to use a tap. If the container does not have a tap, and the container has a narrow neck, the water can be poured out carefully. If the container has a wide neck, a long-handled ladle (Figure 10.15) should be used to take the water out of the container. This is preferable to using a mug or jug, because hands can inadvertently contaminate the water.
In Study Session 10 you have learned that:
Now that you have completed this study session, you can assess how well you have achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions.
This SAQ is based on key words you have come across in earlier study sessions as well as this one.
Kedir Seid, a Senior Environmental Health Officer, has been informed that there has been an emergency regarding the water supply in his town. The main pipeline has been breached by an excavator at a construction site and mud has been drawn into the water supply. The muddy water is now reaching homes. Kedir puts together a leaflet to tell people what to do with the muddy water to make it safe to use. Help him in this task by inserting the correct words (from the selection given below) into the gaps in his message:
a cloth, Bishan Gari, boiling the water, ceramic filtration, clear plastic bottles, coagulants, contact time, disinfected, filtration, five, household sand filter, Moringa fruit, pathogenic, sedimentation, settle out the mud, six, solar disinfection, three-pot method, two, Wuha Agar.
Dear Householders,
The water supply is presently muddy due to an accidental breakage of the main water line. Do not worry. We have ways of making the water safe. The first thing to do is to ……………… This can be done by a process called ……………… To encourage this, we can use ……………… The crushed seeds of the ……………… can be used as a natural coagulant. If many containers are available in your household, the ……………… is an option. In this method, the water is settled for at least ……………… days before consumption. Another way to get rid of the mud is by ……………… The simplest way is to use ……………… If you have time, you can make your own ……………… using a pot and a container, sand and gravel. A third option is to use ……………… but this involves setting up a new system that is more costly than the two mentioned just now.
Now, after sedimentation or filtration the water will look clean – but it probably isn’t, because of micro-organisms that may be present. To get rid of any ……………… micro-organisms, the water has to be ……………… Perhaps the easiest, most effective and fastest way of doing this is by ……………… In a city like Addis Ababa, which is at high altitude, we need to boil the water for ……………… minutes. If we do not have fuel at hand, or want to save fuel, we can use ……………… For this we need to put the water into ………………, with their labels removed, and expose it to sunlight for ……………… hours. Another way is to use Aquatabs, which require a ……………… of 30 minutes.
We will do our best to repair the pipe as soon as possible but if we can’t, we will deliver water treatment chemicals like ……………… and sachets of ……………… to you. With these we will send technicians to give guidance on how they are to be used.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Kedir Seid
(Senior Environmental Health Officer)
Here is Kedir’s completed message.
Dear Householders,
The water supply is presently muddy due to an accidental breakage of the main water line. Do not worry. We have ways of making the water safe. The first thing to do is to settle out the mud. This can be done by a process called sedimentation. To encourage this, we can use coagulants. The crushed seeds of the Moringa fruit can be used as a natural coagulant. If many containers are available in your household, the three-pot method is an option. In this method, the water is settled for at least twodays before consumption. Another way to get rid of the mud is by filtration. The simplest way is to use a cloth. If you have time, you can make your own household sand filter using a pot and a container, sand and gravel. A third option is to use ceramic filtration but this involves setting up a new system that is more costly than the two mentioned just now.
Now, after sedimentation or filtration the water will look clean – but it probably isn’t, because of micro-organisms that may be present. To get rid of any pathogenic micro-organisms, the water has to be disinfected. Perhaps the easiest, most effective and fastest way of doing this is by boiling the water for five minutes. If we do not have fuel at hand, or want to save fuel, we can use solar disinfection. For this we need to put the water into clear plastic bottles, with their labels removed, and expose it to sunlight for six hours. Another way is to use Aquatabs, which require a contact time of 30 minutes.
We will do our best to repair the pipe as soon as possible but if we can’t, we will deliver water treatment chemicals like Wuha Agar and sachets of Bishan Gari to you. With these we will send technicians to give guidance on how they are to be used.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Kedir Seid
(Senior Environmental Health Officer)
An emergency has occurred with the water supply and a tanker is coming to your area to distribute water to the residents. If you were an Environmental Health Officer, what advice would you give the residents as to the best type of container to use to collect the water?
The water collection container should be clean, have handles and not have contained anything toxic before. The mouth of the container should be narrow and have a lid.
Which of the following statements are false? In each case, explain your answer.
A is false. The plastic should be resistant to oxidation so that it lasts a long time.
C is false. The opening should be 6–9 cm wide to facilitate cleaning of the container.
E is false. This method of taking the water out is likely to lead to the transfer of contamination from hands to the water within the container.
Palletizers have become a staple for many manufacturing businesses around the world. The power and versatility of these machines has revolutionized several industries by increasing productivity while improving safety standards in the workplace. Their characteristics and features allow for a wide array of products to be stacked and shipped more quickly and securely than ever before.
We’ve rounded up the most frequently asked questions we encountered on the web and answered them to create this helpful overview of what palletizing is all about.
Table of contents
1. What is a palletizer?
2. What is the history of palletizing systems?
3. What are the types of palletizers?
3.1 Manual and semi-automatic palletizers
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3.2 Conventional palletizers
3.3 Robotic palletizers
3.4 Hybrid palletizing
4. What are the key differences between conventional and robotic palletizers?
5. What arerobot end effectors and end-of-arm tooling (EOAT)?
5.1 What is an end effector?
5.2 Every type of end-effector, listed.
6. Types of pallets
7. What are the benefits of palletizers?
8. What is a unit load?
9. What is the role of a palletizer operator?
10. How much does a palletizer cost?
A palletizer is a machine that arranges and stacks products onto pallets in order to create a stable unit load for transportation and storage. The terms palletizer or unitizer may be used interchangeably. That being said, there is a small distinction between the two; palletizers typically place loads on a pallet, while unitizers may place loads on a sheet or directly on a conveyor. Either way, these come in two main functioning methods:
Conventional palletizers handle products such as bags or cases that are fed into the machine. Units are positioned to create layers and then stacked to create a complete unit load. Conventional palletizers consist of standard components that include:
Robotic palletizers function in a similar way with differing components. The key difference is that robotic palletizers utilize robotic arms, which pick up the units and stack them onto the pallets. There are, however, some hybrid models that incorporate both palletizing styles within one machine.
Overall, palletizers are programmed to configure pallet patterns, or in other words, the optimal disposition of products to be well protected and stable during transport or storage. Conventional palletizers specialize in creating cubed loads, whereas robotic palletizers specialize in precise pattern formation. These patterns are programmed into the system and stored as recipes, which can be called up and even edited with a few clicks on a human-machine interface (HMI).
At its core, the palletizing process is the stacking of products to make shipping and storing more efficient. The creation of a well-cubed loads through specific pallet patterns allows businesses to ship more products with less loss due to damage.
Transporting and storing products on pallets became a standard during World War II. Shortly after, in , the first mechanical palletizer was invented for the military by Lamson Corp. This was done in an effort to increase productivity and relieve the physical strain of workers from manually stacking boxes onto pallets. The first commercial palletizer was built for Coca-Cola by George vonGAL, founder of vonGAL Palletizers, in .
As global shipping started to evolve in the s, demand for enhanced operational efficiency was needed, for which the in-line palletizer was introduced. This machine used conveyors to guide products to a layer-forming table, which then stacked the products onto the pallet.
Then, the s saw the introduction of computers and robotics in the workplace. This innovation brought the creation of robotic palletizers to further increase productivity and precision in the industrial sector.
The s were marked by the high adoption rate of companies acquiring robotic palletizers to meet the rising demand of the market. As more and more industries adopted robotic palletizers to improve their workflow, a variety of end of arm tooling had been invented so that robotic palletizers could solve specific problems.
Conventional palletizers have also evolved over the years and are still very competitive in today’s market. While robotic palletizers have the advantage of precisely forming certain patterns, conventional palletizers have the upper hand in terms of speed and throughput. Either type of system could suit your needs depending on the product being palletized and operational requirements.
A manual palletizer may simply be moving product by human force or it might consist of a system that helps humans to manually stack products on a pallet. These systems can take the form of a conveyor and pallet lift table or a vacuum lifter. The pallet lift allows the height of the pallet to be adjusted so the operator can easily place each unit onto the pallet.
The second type would be a vacuum-assist lifter. Vacuum lifters are hung from a fixed or mobile metal rack, or hung from the ceiling, using a long tube with a suction cup at the end. This latches onto products gently and securely with a fraction of the normal physical effort it takes to move them to their desired location. The benefit of using this type of system is reducing physical strain and workplace injury.
Manual palletizers represent a cost-effective solution, but there are still limitations in terms of throughput speed and they always require labor.
Conventional palletizers are fully automatic systems that receive products (bags, bales, boxes, trays, etc.), form layers and stack them into a unit load. These machines operate very quickly and are suited for a single SKU at a time. Pallet load patterns and configurations are selected on a screen called a human-machine interface (HMI). Current systems may be tied to a warehouse management system to change SKUs and patterns on the fly.
This type of palletizer consists of high performance machines that have the ability to process up to 40 bags or 200 cases per minute. The traditional mechanics of the system means that very little special knowledge is required to properly maintain these machines. Conventional palletizers can produce stable pallets, which save space for warehousing or transit.
There are two types of conventional palletizers: high-level and low-level systems. The choice between these two options depends on the configuration of your plant and the required throughput.
High-level palletizers are fed by a metering belt conveyor with items such as boxes, bags, or trays from the top of the machine; typically seven to eight feet in the air. The operator platform is also located at the top of the machine and the machine’s entire perimeter is secured with hand rails.
The products are arranged in the proper configuration in the row forming area and pushed onto the layer forming table. These layers are formed on an apron that opens over the hoist. The hoist is responsible for raising and lowering the pallet to allow the layers to stack on top of one another. Once the pallet load is completed, it is either picked up by forklift or moved away by conveyors.
The main difference between the high-level and low-level palletizer is the infeed point. While high-level machines typically receive products around eight feet above the floor, low-level machines receive products around three feet above the floor. Rows and layers are built in the same fashion. Once a layer is formed, it is lifted to the top of a pallet and placed as the apron slides away. Due to this extra motion, low-level palletizers are often slower than their high-level counterparts.
Both low-level and high-level conventional palletizing systems offer great reliability and longevity. From a high quality provider, these machines can have up to 99% uptime. In terms of their technical lifetime, some systems remain operational for several decades with proper maintenance.
Robotic palletizers use a robotic arm that lifts the products either one by one or in batches, stacking them on a nearby pallet. With this type of process, products can be palletized either one at a time, by row, or by layer depending on the type of end-of-arm tooling. These robots can also be equipped with vision systems to stack products very precisely and even overlap bags.
Advanced models can be equipped with a slip sheet dispenser, a pallet dispenser, and an exit pallet conveyor to move the load to the pallet wrapping machine. These features improve the utilization and speed of the machine. Compared to conventional palletizers, they also provide great handling and versatility thanks to the end of arm tooling and software.
Robotic palletizers are also extremely reliable with MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) rates, reaching up to 80,000 hours. Additionally, they have very short MTTR (Mean Time To Repair) rates. Having both a reliable palletizer supplier and the appropriate spare parts in inventory significantly increase uptime.
Although there is a wide range of configurations of robotic palletizers, here are two examples at each end of the spectrum:
The most basic versions of robotic palletizers include:
Obviously, the entry-level models will have more basic functionalities since they aren’t equipped with slip sheet or pallet dispensers, and the pallet will be located on the floor. Instead of being moved onto conveyors, the pallet would be picked up by a hand truck or forklift and manually replaced. Every time a pallet needs to be replaced, the robotic palletizer's operations must be paused until an empty pallet is replaced.
Fully automatic palletizers come with:
The palletizing process begins with an entry conveyor, which carries the products to the robotic arm while the pallet dispenser carries an empty pallet to the palletizing station. Then, the slip sheet dispenser layers a sheet over the pallet for the robotic arm to load the items. Once the empty pallet and the slip sheet are in place, the robotic arm starts picking and placing the items from the entry conveyor to the pallet until the pallet is fully loaded.
The exit conveyor moves the loaded pallet towards a stretch wrapping station. A forklift is then used for storage or transit, after which the process starts all over again. A great benefit of the fully automatic robot palletizer is that the pallet magazine can be refilled without stopping the system’s operations.
Some automatic palletizing systems replace the standard robotic arm with a cobot, which stands for collaborative robot. Cobots collaborate with plant staff instead of substituting them. Cobots add great value to a palletizer because it increases safety for all the employees surrounding the palletizer, as there are sensors in the arm that detect whether any people or objects are in its surroundings.
The main benefit is that cobots enable staff to work alongside the machine safely and maximizes floor space. It removes the need for any security fencing around the palletizer. The main disadvantages of Cobots compared to the standard robotic arms is in terms of efficiency. They have significantly lower weight capacities and do not operate as quickly.
Hybrid palletizing refers to the combination of high-level conventional and robotic palletizers on a single production line to achieve a custom palletizing process. The hybrid palletizer will generally utilize robotic arms to feed a conventional palletizer and form layers. Once the layer is formed, the apron on which it sits releases the load onto the pallet hoist. Finally, the palletized unit load moves along the conveyor to be wrapped, stored or transported.
Hybrid palletizers are best for certain scenarios where a customized option is required. For instance, if the required throughput rate for your operation’s needs is significantly higher than what robotic palletizers offer, then the hybrid variety may be for you. If overlap is required for the products you are palletizing, that would be another great reason to opt for a hybrid palletizer.
Conventional and robotic palletizers share some common utility, while also having their own distinct use cases and advantages. They vary in terms of:
The table below compares the capabilities of both conventional and robotic palletizing systems:
ConventionalRoboticProducts Handled & VersatilityHandles 1 SKU at a time.End-of-arm-tooling (EOAT), also known as end effectors, refers to the various tools that can be installed at the end of a robotic palletizer arm. They allow the machine to handle:
End effectors can be swapped out to do multiple jobs and are often made for specific product types or situations. Let’s look at the most common types that are used.
A clamp gripper uses metal plates to press either side of the bag or box to lift it.
A finger gripper lifts products via tines that slip under the packaging from either side. This EOAT is very common for bags as it can easily handle various sizes with a few quick adjustments.
Fork grippers are used mostly for oversized bags and open-top boxes that must be lifted from the bottom.
As its name implies, this gripper uses strong magnets to pick up metal products like cans or building materials. This ensures they’re carried safely without the risk of scratching or denting the products.
As the name implies, this gripper is made specifically to pick up pails by the lip under the top of the container.
This circular tool is explicitly used for drums and other round containers to lift them from the top to carry them.
This tool is generally added to a regular gripper to make it more versatile and able to handle pallets, slip sheets and loose products. This option is valuable for operations without a pallet and/or slip sheet dispensers.
This gripper uses vacuum technology to pick up products gently and safely. This tool is primarily used for products that can only be lifted from the top.
Pallets come in a variety of shapes and materials, and choosing the correct one is an important aspect of the palletizing process. Here are the most common pallet types in the industry:
These pallets have four points of entry so forklifts can use them from all sides. They can be made out of wood, plastic or plywood and they get their name from the 9 blocks of material that form the structure of the pallet.
These pallets get their name from the 3 planks of wood that hold the slats. Stringer, or GMA pallets, may be designed as either two-way or four-way pallets, depending on whether or not they have notches. You may also see some where the top boards extend past the stringer. These are referred to as Winged-Pallets and are primarily used in the military.
These pallets don’t have slatted tops, but instead, have a full square of plastic or wood, sometimes with small openings to allow for drainage. They are often used for products that don’t need the aeration or drainage of a regular pallet, but instead require added protection.
All the previously mentioned pallets can come in a double-faced version. This simply means they have slats positioned across at the top and bottom of the pallet, whereas a regular pallet only has slats on one side. This design allows for more versatility and speed since the pallet can be used from either side and no time is wasted flipping it into position. This also makes the pallet much more structurally sound for heavier loads.
This is the standard pallet type across North America and comprises 30% of the market. It has dimensions of 48 x 40 inches and a safe working load of up to 4,600kg
This pallet style is the standard across European countries, it’s a 4-way pallet in a rectangular shape with dimensions of 1,200 mm × 800 mm × 144 mm and a safe working load of 1,500kg
Another common pallet size in Europe used for larger loads.
This type of pallet is used for smaller loads that wouldn’t fill a full pallet but still need to be shipped. They follow the standard of a pallet in their region, which means in North America a half pallet is 40 x 24 inches and 800 x 600 mm in Europe.
The throughput is incomparable to manual solutions, as palletizing machines can process up to 200 units per minute. A palletizer with proper maintenance can run 3 shifts a day for many decades and achieve very high production rates throughout its life.
Loading pallets manually is strenuous work that is inherently dangerous to the human body if done long enough. Using a palletizer to load products gives your employees a better quality of life and reduces the risk of injury by reducing repetitive movements.
Most palletizers are equipped with safety features such as light-curtains at entry and exit points that trigger the machine to stop if an object is detected. Trapped key interlockings, which are a series of locks placed on palletizers, require a key to be removed from the HMI and placed in the gate lock in order to operate specific portions of the machine. This ensures operators are kept safe and unable to access dangerous areas while the palletizer is in motion.
When palletizing is done by a human, there’s a higher margin of error than a system that has been programmed to execute the task at hand. The consistency of conventional or robotic palletizers allows them to produce loads that are compact, shaped, and stable. Properly palletized loads reduce damaged products during transportation within the plant or during shipment.
A unit load is a set of items such as boxes, trays, or bags, that are set and wrapped onto a pallet or slip sheet in various patterns. It ensures stability, even weight distribution, and the smallest possible footprint with the purpose of being handled as a single unit for warehousing or transit. The unit load may be wrapped manually or automatically by a stretch wrapping machine or a hooding machine.
A palletized unit load consists of 4 core elements:
The three most common pallet patterns are brick, pinwheel and block. Brick and block are mostly used for cases, while pinwheel patterns are more often used for bags. These patterns not only provide more steadiness to the load, but also ensure the products remain in an efficient square shape and under the height requirements of transporters to fit in trucks.
Let’s take a look at each unit load pattern type
Here are some tips to avoid in terms of patterns and unit load:
Palletizers, whether conventional or robotic, are designed to not have constant supervision because automation is the ultimate goal and is the case with automatic palletizers. If it is a semi-automatic robot, where pallets are constantly loaded and unloaded, then an employee must be there constantly. Essentially, the higher end the robot, the less supervision is required.
For most operations, the palletizer operator role isn’t necessarily a dedicated one, as the knowledge required isn’t too demanding once the palletizer is built and configured. For instance, a stock person, fork truck driver, or a warehouse supervisor could also be responsible for operating the palletizer. However, when there are multiple machines involved, this increases the need for a dedicated operator.
A palletizer operator selects a pattern configuration that has already been stored on the Human-Machine Interface at a push of a button. They also ensure that there are enough pallets and slip sheets in the magazines for all the loads being created. The operator must perform routine checks to ensure that the equipment is fully operational. Fully loaded pallets are then moved to storage or loaded for transit, typically with a forklift or pallet jack.
If the product on the line changes, then the operator must go into the HMI and reprogram it according to the new product. Lastly, maintenance is a key role in the palletizer operator’s job description, as they may have to replace certain components and clean the equipment when necessary.
Learning to work on these machines can be done by any employee given the proper training. When shopping for palletizers, it is crucial to ask vendors about their training programs. They should have a well-defined series of lessons to bring your employees up to speed on the machine you purchase.
A palletizing system’s total cost of ownership depends on operational needs in terms of:
Pricing will also vary on whether the system will be manual, conventional, robotic, or hybrid.
Palletizing machines are a long term investment, which includes many factors to consider when making such a purchase. One of these being the upfront cost of the machinery, including shipping, duty, taxes, installation, and employee training. Another is the material and overhead costs, such as electricity, depreciation, and other utilities, which should all be factored into the total cost of ownership. Lastly, upkeep and maintenance costs, along with spare parts, should also be held into account.
For simplicity, we’ll only address the acquisition costs of both conventional and robotic palletizers, as hybrid palletizers are a complex custom solution. The following table breaks down the price of conventional bag and case palletizers, as well as robotic bag and case palletizers, by production rate:
*Price range varies according to speed, level of automation, units handled, and other variables
Production RatePrice Range* (USD)Conventional bag palletizersUp to 40 BPM$275,000 - $450,000Conventional case palletizersUp to 200 CPM$200,000 - $1,000,000Robotic bag palletizersUp to 40 BPM$175,000 - $675,000Robotic case palletizersUp to 80 CPM$175,000 - $900,000Boost your packaging operations
Whether you're looking to increase production capacity, replace older units, or improve working conditions, Premier Tech is ready to respond with a state-of-the-art palletizing machine that suits your needs.
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