Americans throw away 69 million tons of used packaging every year, accounting for 31% of all household waste. In England, this share is 25%, in France – 24%. Most of the packaging is made from materials that are difficult to disintegrate, are not biodegradable, and can lie in landfills for automatic palletizer machine for decades.
What types of packaging are more environmentally friendly? Plastic is lightweight and requires relatively little energy to manufacture. But it takes a very long time to decompose. Nall types of plastics can be melted and reused. Glass bottles are heavy, making and even melting glass requires a lot of energy. But glass containers are reused many times. Paper packaging is recyclable, and the raw materials for it (trees) are self-healing in nature. But hazardous chemicals are used in papermaking. The production of aluminum is very energy-intensive and leaves a hazardous waste, but aluminum scrap is easy to remelt with little energy and almost no harm to the environment.
It’s not just about environmental pollution.
Making a tin can for corn kernels takes a third of the energy that went into producing all of this commodity. So by buying corn on the cob, you are saving energy. The production of 350 milliliters of carbonated soft drink costs 2,065 kilojoules, and the production of an aluminum can for this drink costs 6,690 kilojoules. Polymer bottles are cheaper. It is almost twice as expensive to pour a liter of lemonade into three jars as into one bottle.
But, for example, in the energy cost of a loaf of bread (including delivery to the store). The energy consumption for making a plastic bag in which the loaf is packed is only 7%. Members of a women’s organization in England picketed supermarkets last year to protest overuse of packaging.
For example, is it necessary to roll up coconuts. That are perfectly packed by nature itself in shrink wrap?
And the Minister of the Environment recommends that buyers, after paying for purchases, rip off all the packaging from the goods, leaving heaps of paper, cardboard and plastic film in the store – it is easier to pick them up from there for recycling.
From transporting items in production to palletizing on the way to warehouse doors, manufacturers are looking for automated material handling systems to boost their bottom line. But when the speed increases or the product becomes complex, industrial packaging robots are already a necessity that will increase profitability.
Until recently, a conventional palletizer could adequately fulfill this task. As the product moves, the palletizer places it on a stripper plate and then places it on a pallet. Low-speed palletizers stack 1-10 boxes per minute, high-speed palletizers over 150 boxes per minute.
Modern palletizing solutions
Today, robotic technology is challenging the traditional high-speed palletizer. Newer palletizing robots in Ukraine are using an end effector (or gripper) to grip the product entering the conveyor and place it on a pallet.
Robotic palletizing solutions come in four basic designs:
- straight;
- SCARA (lever system moving along the plane with rotational movements);
- telescopic;
- suspended.
The most common palletizing robot is the articulated arm: it is the fastest and most flexible.
How to choose a palletizer
When considering a robotic palletizing solution, use the following guidelines.
- Make a thorough technical assessment of the alternatives for your specific application before making your final decision. Study the market.
- Check the availability of a warranty for robotic models, service and post-warranty service.
- Do not rush to buy the most expensive car – clearly select the device to suit your needs in terms of speed, performance and other characteristics.
- Make sure your staff are properly trained. No robotic system is as easy to operate and troubleshoot as advertised.
- Find a robotics installer who has the relevant knowledge and experience who can also provide instructions on how to use it.
Reviews, forums, exhibitions and presentations, including remote ones, can also help to choose an industrial robot manipulator in Ukraine. It will have to serve for a long time and efficiently.
