KUKA Introduces Two New Heavy-Duty Robot Families for Palletization

In the manufacturing space, products are shipped to wholesalers via pallets, making getting hundreds of products on a pallet in a timely manner a necessity. The goal of palletizing is to grip many products at once and stack them onto a pallet. The pallet is then wrapped to secure the products, which are then sent out for shipment. What makes a palletizing robot special is its ability to lift heavy objects while still having a decent reach to stack products vertically. KUKA has recently released two new robot families specifically designed to meet the demands of heavy-duty palletizing.

KUKA’s KR FORTEC PA and KR FORTEC ultra PA industrial robot lines are designed for heavy-duty palletizing applications. Image used courtesy of KUKA

Heavy-Duty Palletizing Robots

Factories often make small items like chocolates or cans of beverages. Individually shipping small items would cost much more than shipping one big item, so factories will stack their items on pallets to save shipping costs. As the need for products grows and the speed of manufacturing equipment grows, so do the requirements for palletizing. Lifting heavy objects and stacking them onto a pallet requires heavy lifting and repetitive motion, two things humans are not great at. This is where an industrial robot shines. Enter KUKA's new KR FORTEC PA and KR FORTEC ultra PA line of industrial palletizing robots.

The KR FORTEC PA 340 and 470 palletizing robots. Image used courtesy of KUKA

KR FORTEC PA

Whether your factory is stacking columns of cans or boxes, the KR FORTEC PA robot family is designed to help you get your product to sellers faster. The KR FORTEC PA is specifically made for palletizing, with a maximum payload of 470 kg and a reach of 3200 mm. The overall design of the arm allows for motion in tight workspaces, and the low energy consumption reduces the total cost of ownership.

The KR FORTEC PA comes in two models: the KR 340, which has a payload of 340 kg, and the KR 470, which has a payload of 470 kg. The KR C5 controller can be used to control the KR FORTEC PA robots. It offers compact and low energy consumption while still providing a stable control platform for the robot arm.

The KR FORTEC ultra PA 550 and 800 palletizing robots. Image used courtesy of KUKA

KR FORTEC ultra PA

When your palletizing needs require a little more gusto, the KR FORTEC ultra PA family has a payload of up to 800 kg. To allow the robot to maintain this high payload and remain accurate, axes two and three are joined together with a double link design. This provides stiffness with a reduced overall weight.

Similar to the KR FORTEC PA, the ultra comes in two models: the KR 550, which has a 550 kg payload, and the KR 800, which has an 800 kg payload. Both models have a maximum reach of 3200 mm and also use the KR C5 controller.

Linear Unit Extended Reach

Both the KR FORTEC PA and KR FORTEC ultra PA families are capable of extended reach with the use of a 7th axis, also known as a linear track. The KL 4000 and the KL 5000 both offer the ability to increase the robot's workspace up to 31 m. To do this, the robot is mounted to the carriage, and each track can have up to four carriages per track, thus improving the overall throughput of your palletizing needs.