The challenge: palletise 24 hours without errors
The client operated a consumer goods distribution warehouse with strongly seasonal production peaks. Palletising was done manually across three shifts. The issue was not just labour cost — it was variability in pallet quality: uneven heights, unstable loads and a transport incident rate that was generating end-customer complaints.
The goal was to automate end-of-line palletising across three different production lines, handling over 30 box formats without manual reconfiguration stops, and with full traceability for every pallet built. The main technical challenge was the format variety — a fixed-position solution was out of the question. The robot needed to "see" each box before picking it.
Solution architecture
We designed an integrated cell with four main components. A Kuka KR 210 R2700 with sufficient reach to cover all three infeed lines and the pallet output zone, programmed in modular KRL to allow new palletising patterns to be added without reprogramming the core logic. A fixed-mount 3D ToF camera that detects the exact position, orientation and dimensions of each box before it reaches the robot's pick point — data sent to the PLC via OPC-UA so the robot adjusts its pick trajectory on every cycle. The vision system also detects deformed, open or incorrectly labelled boxes, diverting them to a rejection conveyor before they enter the cell.
A Siemens S7-1500 safety PLC coordinates the entire cell: robot, vision system, infeed conveyors, empty pallet management and outfeed stacker crane. All safety logic runs on the F-CPU in the same rack. WMS integration uses OPC-UA — the WMS sends palletising orders (reference, pattern, destination) and receives pallet-complete confirmation with full traceability. Finally, a Siemens Comfort HMI with a recipe manager allows operators to select the active palletising pattern, adjust parameters and review the pallet history log.
Commissioning and validation
Commissioning ran in two phases: first in simulation mode to validate all system communications and WMS order reception; then with live production at reduced speed to tune vision parameters for all 30 box references and validate pallet stability. Validation included simulated communication drop tests, emergency stop and restart sequences, and vision-rejection behaviour. The full commissioning process took three weeks, including maintenance team training.
Results after six months of operation
- 600 boxes/hour sustained throughput across three shifts, up from 280 boxes/hour manually.
- Zero palletising-related claims in the six months post-commissioning, down from 8–10 monthly claims previously.
- Full traceability — every pallet has an associated record with box contents, supervising operator, pattern used and build timestamp.
- Format changeover in under 2 minutes from the HMI, down from 20–30 minutes of manual reconfiguration.
- ROI under 18 months factoring in reduced palletising labour, eliminated claims and improved pallet space utilisation.
What made the difference
Beyond the numbers, what set this project apart was the full integration approach. This was not about installing a standalone robot — we designed the cell as part of the plant's information flow, connected to the WMS, with real traceability and a recipe system the client's team can manage independently.
Industrial robotics delivers its maximum value when it is properly integrated with the rest of the automation and management systems. A robot without a well-programmed PLC, without vision and without ERP communication is an island — powerful, but limited.
If you are considering automating palletising or another repetitive operation in your plant, share the details with us. We will assess technical and economic feasibility at no obligation.