Project Overview
Bay Cities Packaging & Paper needed to automate the demanding palletizing operation at the discharge of a high-speed flexo-folder-gluer (FFG).
The application required much more than a conventional palletizer. The plant produces a constantly changing range of corrugated products, resulting in virtually unlimited bundle sizes and pallet configurations. Product specifications can change hourly or daily, so the system needed to generate new pallet patterns quickly without complex robot programming.
TransAutomation Technologies designed and deployed a dual-robot solution that positions corrugated bundles, creates complete pallet layers, and palletizes those layers onto wooden pallets.
The Challenge
Before automation, six operators were required to manually handle, arrange, and palletize corrugated bundles.
The process involved repetitive heavy lifting and placed employees near fast-moving production equipment. In addition to the safety and ergonomic concerns, the manual operation had to keep pace with an FFG producing as many as 400 pieces per minute.
- Handle up to 16 bundles per minute
- Support an unlimited range of bundle sizes
- Create virtually any required pallet pattern
- Accommodate frequent product changes
- Reduce dependence on manual labor
- Improve employee safety and ergonomics
- Maintain reliable, high-volume production
- Be simple enough for production personnel to operate
Traditional palletizing systems with fixed or preprogrammed patterns could not provide the required flexibility.
The solution
TransAutomation Technologies developed a coordinated dual-robot palletizing system at the discharge of the FFG.
The first robot receives and precisely positions the corrugated bundles to construct each pallet layer. Once a layer is complete, the second robot transfers and stacks it onto a wooden pallet.
This division of work allows the system to maintain production speed while accurately creating stable pallet loads.
On-the-Fly Pallet Pattern Creation
The most important feature of the system is its ability to accommodate continuous product variation.
A simple HMI touchscreen allows operators to create new pallet patterns “on the fly.” Instead of requiring a robot programmer whenever a new case or bundle size enters production, plant personnel can configure the required pattern directly from the production floor.
This capability enables Bay Cities to manage an effectively unlimited number of bundle sizes and pallet patterns while minimizing changeover time.
System Capabilities
Dual-Robot Handling
Coordinated bundle positioning, layer formation, and palletizing.
Automated Layer Construction
Precise placement of corrugated bundles into complete pallet layers.
Unlimited Pattern Flexibility
Supports virtually unlimited bundle dimensions and pallet configurations.
Touchscreen HMI
Operators create and change pallet patterns directly on the production floor.
Rapid Changeovers
Frequent production changes can be accommodated without lengthy programming.
High-Speed FFG Integration
Designed for bundle rates up to 16 per minute and FFG output up to 400 pieces per minute.
600+ Pallets per Day
Production capacity designed for demanding high-volume corrugated operations.
Safer End-of-Line Operation
Reduces repetitive heavy lifting and employee exposure near moving machinery.
Implementation Results
The completed system transformed a strenuous manual process into a flexible, automated operation.
By automating bundle positioning, layer formation, and palletizing, Bay Cities reduced labor requirements while increasing safety and production consistency. The system can respond to changing product specifications without lengthy programming or equipment modifications.
| Performance Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| FFG production rate | Up to 400 pieces per minute |
| Bundle handling rate | Up to 16 bundles per minute |
| Palletizing capacity | More than 600 pallets per day |
| Manual positions replaced | 6 operators |
| Estimated annual labor savings | $336,000 |
| System investment | Approximately $425,000 |
| Estimated simple payback | Approximately 15 months |
Business impact
Reduced labor dependency
The system replaced a manual palletizing operation requiring six people, helping the plant address labor availability while allowing employees to be reassigned to safer, higher-value work.
Improved workplace safety
Automating the lifting, arranging, and stacking of heavy corrugated bundles reduced employee exposure to repetitive motion, physical strain, and activity near high-speed machinery.
Greater production flexibility
Operators can create pallet configurations for new bundle sizes directly through the HMI. This gives Bay Cities the flexibility to serve a diverse customer base without being limited to a fixed library of pallet patterns.
Consistent pallet quality
Robotic positioning provides repeatable bundle placement and consistent layer construction, producing stable pallet loads while reducing the variability associated with manual stacking.
Rapid return on investment
Based on the reported system investment of approximately $425,000 and annual labor savings of $336,000, the project achieved an estimated simple payback period of approximately 15 months.
The Bay Cities Packaging & Paper project demonstrates how flexible robotics can solve one of the corrugated industry’s most difficult automation challenges: palletizing a constantly changing mix of bundle sizes and patterns at high production speeds.
TransAutomation Technologies, Intelgic’s robotic automation division, delivered a dual-robot system that combines high throughput with operator-friendly pattern creation. The result is a safer, more consistent, and more adaptable palletizing operation capable of processing over 600 pallets per day.
For corrugated manufacturers facing frequent product changes, high labor requirements, and demanding production targets, this project provides a practical model for flexible end-of-line automation.
