plastic pallets

Partnering for Success: Plastic Pallets and Robots

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Implementing plastic pallets is one of the most cost efficient way of saving space and operational costs for companies that handle and ship merchandize. Pallets have demonstrated their versatility in all industries, and meet the demands of intense use over a long period of time.

However, the benefits of using plastic pallets as the main packaging solution for storing and moving goods do not stop here. In this article, we want to highlight the role of plastic pallets in robotized production and material handling facilities.

Automation Is the Future in All Industries

The specialists at Logistic Packaging have recommended our clients to reduce manual labor and replace it with robots and automated vehicles. This is the general trend in all industries, for several reasons:

  • Automated machines can lift and carry very heavy loads
  • Robots can perform repetitive tasks with 100% accuracy
  • Robots can perform tasks faster than people
  • Robots can work non-stop
  • There is no risk of accidents and injuries.

At the same time, all industries are faced with a shortage of manual labor, as older generations retire and younger ones focus on jobs that require their talents and intelligence. In this context, automation of warehousing and manufacturing operations ceases to become an option and becomes a requirement.

How Do Plastic Pallets Integrate in Automated Operations?

Since the early days of their existence on the market, pallets were designed for machine handling. As early as 1915, when the forklift was invented, pallet design changed to facilitate handling by this type of machine.

By 1960, two important things happened in the global supply chain: industrial robots and plastic pallets appeared on the market. From that moment onward, the packaging industry cooperated closely with the robot industry. In this way, many models of returnable packages incorporate features that allow handling by robotic arms and other automated vehicles.

Plastic Pallets and Robots Increase Productivity

Now we come to the core of the article: how plastic pallets and automated machines help increase productivity. In this case, standardization and predictability are the key factors that influence this benefit.

Robots are programmed to operate in a predictable manner, performing repetitive tasks. To achieve maximum efficiency, robots need to handle uniform loads, arranged in a manner that offers a good grip. And this is exactly what plastic pallets are recommended for: arranging items in an even and stable stack. Plus, the base is designed either with feet or with skids. Thus, depending on the type of robots a company uses, they can find the best type of packaging solutions for maximum productivity.

Safety at the Highest Standards

In the context of the current COVID pandemic, more and more sensitive products, such as foods and pharmaceuticals, will require a “no-touch” production method. This means that no person should be in direct contact with the raw materials and the finished product before it is placed in its primary packaging.

Using hygienic plastic pallets in the production cycle for material handling becomes one of the most effective solutions for the food production and pharma industries. The robotic arms can easily load semi-finished products, then move them on to the next production phase and finally to the end of the production cycle on the same batch of plastic pallets. These operations do not require any kind of human presence.

Plastic Pallets – Strong Built and Reliable

The plastic pallets produced by Logistic Packaging are designed for handling by robotic arms. We use high quality raw materials and continually research to discover design features to add strength, space saving capabilities and improved handling to our pallets.

These pallets to not crack or splinter under intense use and have a relatively low own weight compared to their maximum load capacity. They have been tested and proven by many clients in various industries that use industrial robots in their manufacturing and material handling operations.

The team of packaging experts at Logistic Packaging is always ready to help you select the best models of plastic pallets for your needs. We invite you to send your inquiries on our email address or schedule a Skype video call with us.