Zeta Group Fully Automated Palletizing and Depalletizing System

FANUC’s Authorized System Integrator Zeta Group Engineering designed and built the Zeus Automation Series – a fully automated depalletizing/palletizing system featuring two FANUC M-410iB/140H robots. The robots are each fitted with a custom end-of-arm-tool to handle 40lb cases of cheese and slip sheets. The depalletizing tool also manages freezer sheets.

An infeed conveyor brings full pallet loads into the depalletizing zone where the robot, equipped with a custom EOAT handles 40lb cases of cheese and freezer sheets. FANUC iRVision assists the robot with SKU verification and depalletizing. At the depalletizing station, cases are picked and placed on a “smart conveyor” which then reorients the cases to be picked and palletized by the second robot. Between depalletizing and palletizing, a pallet accumulator/dispenser buffers the pallets as needed between the two. After the cases are repalletized, the load moves to a stretch wrapper to secure the cases to the pallet. An outfeed conveyor then brings the stack out of the cell to allow a forklift to safely remove.