Speedy pallet handling system has long reach

The PPR50 pallet system from Micromech achieves an amazingly high throughput and can be installed in buildings of restricted height because it uses telescopic actuators.

The PPR50 pallet system from Micromech achieves an amazingly high throughput - down to seven seconds per container for a payload of up to 50kg - and can be installed in buildings of restricted height because it uses telescopic actuators.

Easy to operate with its PC-based interface and multilingual dialogue, freely selectable programmes, it incorporates a large upgradeable library containing pallet-handling images.

It has tech-in, automatic and manual operating modes, giving operator guidance with text messages, graphic displays, as well as host computer linking via Ethernet interface.

The critical components used are for the X-axis (horizontal) a traversing range over 2, 3 or 4 pallets at a speed of 2.5m/s and acceleration 3m/s/s.

The Y-axis (horizontal) has a traversing range of 2300mm, top speed 2.5m/s, the acceleration 3m/s/s and the Z-axis (vertical) is the telescope unit with 3 parts, traversing range 2000mm at 2.0m/s and acceleration 5m/s/s.

For the C-axis (axis of rotation) fitted with a servo drive has a rotation angle of 360 degrees and all these combined give an average cycle time of seven seconds per box.

A typical application for such an arrangement would be in the pharmaceutical industry of 'self-medication' for placing finished products on pallets and so-called folding cartons.

Tablets in the form of bundles or shipping cartons are fed into to the systems via various conveyor belts and then stacked one after the other onto two Euro pallets.

At the same time the upstream packaging machines in plastic boxes from a separate belt supply the folding cartons.

The returning empty folding cartons are set down on another pallet waiting for their next journey.

To complete the automation process driverless transport vehicles are used to supply and remove the Euro pallets.

This example has for the X-axis a stroke of 4.6m, speed 2.0m/s and acceleration 3m/s/s, and the Y-axis has a stroke of 1.9m, speed 2.0m/s at an acceleration of 3m/s/s.

The Z-axis stroke is 1.8m, its speed 1.5m/s, acceleration 3m/s/s, with the C-axis having the 360 degree rotation.

The turnkey package has a payload of 12kg with a repeatability of +/-0.2mm.

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