From: Packaging World

If pallet layer patterns can be automatically formed upstream from the palletizer, great efficiencies can be gained.

A Krones Modulpal palletizing system sits near the end of a new canning line at Founders Brewing in Grand Rapids, MI. Before multipack cartons or corrugated trays reach the palletizer, a metering belt indexes them according to the pattern required by the Modulpal. Also, a counter keeps track of how many cartons go by and at the appropriate time activates a mechanical tool that sticks out to cause three or four multipacks to turn 90 degrees. In this way, the desired pallet pattern is created before the cartons even reach the palletizer’s sweep table. Also mounted on the conveyor just ahead of the palletizer is a Mettler Toledo checkweigher that kicks out any cartons that might be missing a can.

The Modulpal consists of three major pieces. One is a sweep arm that waits until a row of cartons has been metered in on a roller conveyor. The arm then sweeps that row onto a pallet pattern table. Once a complete layer is on the pallet pattern table, the sweep arm pushes that layer into a transfer device that lifts, pivots, and drops the layer on a waiting pallet. The transfer device then returns to the pallet pattern table and the cycle repeats itself.