The ABB Robotic Depalletizer is a solution for handling complex depalletizing tasks in the logistics, e-commerce, healthcare, and consumer packaged goods industries; it replaces heavy manual lifting and significantly improves efficiency. Using machine vision software, this solution can quickly assess a wide variety of box types, enabling users to efficiently process assorted loads with little engineering effort and short set-up time.
The solution uses advanced machine vision and machine learning algorithms to quickly and efficiently process pallets of up to 9.2 ft (2.8 m) high. The software uses the information gathered by the vision sensor to provide the robot with a suitable grasping point for each box. The robot can then pick up the box – weighing up to 66.1 lb. (30 kg) – and can place it on either another pallet or an outfeed conveyor. It can 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. These include 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 simple or more complex depalletizing tasks. ABB’s RobotStudio digital twin software is also available, allowing users 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. The solution is also easy to integrate with ABB AMRs.
