Haver & Boecker adds robotic depalletizer and palletizer

The equipment can be used on valve bags that hold sugar, flour, or other ingredients.

Haver & Boecker launch advanced robot family — Courtesy of Haver & Boecker

Haver & Boecker, maker processing, storage, handling, mixing, filling, packing, and palletizing equipment, has launched the Amicus Depal Edition and Amicus Pal Edition. The robotic depalletizer and palletizer can complement and completely automate packing lines from empty to full bags, aiming to enhance productivity and safety for customers, the company says. The Amicus robot family can be used for palletizing and depalletizing paper valve bags for filling, with the bags being filled with ingredients like sugar or flour.

“Robots improve the efficiency of processes, provide more work capacity and create a stable, reliable, and safe packing cycle. The Amicus—which is the Latin word for ‘friend’—complements existing packing lines,” says Bernhard Pagenkemper, chief sales officer at Haver & Boecker Machinery Division. “The advanced technology increases efficiency by precisely handling the bags, drums, and other materials, leading to less downtime due to manual processes and required monitoring by employees.”

The Amicus Depal utilizes image recognition, which allows the Depal to detect bag bundles quickly and effectively, then securely grip them using the End of Arm Tool (EOAT) developed by Haver & Boecker before transferring them from the pallet to the automatic bag placer, integrating with an existing packing line. When paired with a packing machine and bag applicator, the Depal reportedly offers an output of up to 6,000 bags per hour. The end-of-arm tool has the ability to grip unstrapped empty bag bundles of 15-20 bags and accommodate different bag sizes without the need for a tool change, the company says.

The Amicus Depal offers a compact design allowing for integration to any packing line, even those with limited space. Setup requires little downtime. According to the company, in addition to providing increased precision, the Depal is easy to operate and simple to maintain, resulting in enhanced efficiency and increased uptime.

Continuing Haver & Boecker's focus on end-to-end automation, the Amicus Pal robotic palletizer completes the packing/filling process by taking filled bags, pails, canisters, and drums and stacking them on a pallet. The smart HMI can allow for intuitive adaptation to customer containers and pallet sizing. The end of arm tool can adapt to container type and production needs. Haver & Boecker offers optional slip sheet, film, and pallet magazines for the Pal.

The Pal can integrate with Haver & Boecker's full line of bulk packing equipment to provide customers with a tailored solution and full system integration. Custom-built tools are available for specific customer applications. Like the Depal, the Pal can work with two packing machines at the same time, and can also be configured to work with a variety of packing machines.

The Amicus robots provide 24/7 functionality, ensuring maximum uptime. To learn more about the Amicus robot family and how to completely automate a packing line, click here.