With the "Variostack", IEF-Werner has developed an open and modular palletizing system that can be tailored to any task. The user can operate the palletizer with integrated product handling or connect it to an existing robot or handling system. In addition, the extremely compact palletizer can be loaded as standard with pallet trolleys or conveyor belts - with the belt loader version even from the side. This palletizing system is already in use at a manufacturer of medical technology products, for example.

Raw parts that are to be transported from a production line to an affiliated assembly line, the user can provide oriented with the palletizing system Variostack and feed in a predetermined position for further processing. After assembly, the palletizing system retrieves the finished parts from the processing line.

Depending on the application, the palletizer is equipped with single or multiplegrab fitted. It can be adapted to different tray sizes - in particular to quarter or eighth euro pallets. The system processes loaded pallets with a maximum weight of up to 10 kg. The repeatability of the pallet table is ± 0,05 mm. The pallet change takes less than 4 s.

IEF-Werner GmbH from Furtwangen in the Black Forest has designed the palletizing system in such a way that the user can respond flexibly to different space conditions and conditions in the production hall. For example, the system can be loaded with pallets from the front via a conveyor belt as well as a cart or from the side via a conveyor belt - with the same basic design. In addition, several palletizing systems of this type can be combined with each other.

Space-saving design

To make the system as space-saving as possible, the control cabinet was installed in the system. This is made possible by intelligent components - for example, motors with integrated amplifiers or special cabling. In addition, all danger spots are covered. With space requirements of less than 1 m², the palletizer can be easily integrated into any existing production structure.

The system is controlled either with a control provided by the customer or with the PA-Control Touch from IEF-Werner, which combines the positioning and sequence control with the display medium in one device. This means that the palletizing system can be operated effortlessly and in a way that is easy to understand. Commissioning and programming take place via an Ethernet interface with the manufacturer's own software package "Winpac". The PA-Control Touch combines the advantages of an NC control with those of a PLC. In this way, it guarantees a high level of machining accuracy and repeatability.

Insert endoscopes for laser marking

This palletizing system is used, for example, by a manufacturer of medical technology products in order to feed pallets filled with endoscopes with dimensions of 600 x 400 mm to a robot for laser marking. To do this, the operator places a stack of loaded pallets on the infeed conveyor, which then automatically feeds them into the system. In order to separate the pallets, a lifting axis moves down to the pallet stack.

Since three different pallet heights are to be processed unsorted in the stack, there is a barcode on the front of each pallet containing information about the pallet height and the exact content. To read this information, a barcode reader was installed on the pallet grabber. This sends the information to the PA-Control Touch control, which in turn transmits it to the robot controller via the bus system.

1 mm² image sensor enables the world's smallest digicam

Subsequently, the isolated pallet are transported upwards and brought into the processing position. There, a robot from the customer takes the products, labels them and then places them back in the pallet. Another lifting axis with pallet gripper picks up the machined pallet and places it on a conveyor belt that drives it out of the system. A crash lock on both pallet grabs prevents a collision when driving down when a stack of trays is not positioned correctly.

So that the pallet grippers do not collide with the tray stack - if this is not positioned correctly - they are equipped with a crash safety device. For the special protection of the operator, the specialists have also secured the danger zone behind the feed chutes of the infeed and outfeed conveyor with a light curtain. An additional, movable protective cover allows a car or stack change without interrupting the parts handling.