UltraPAL

The UltraPAL’s patented Ball Belt Rotator allows high speed bundle rotation.  This device allows for fast and accurate rotation of one or more bundles without having to lift the bundles off the conveying surface. Once rotated, cross conveyors realign the bundles to create the desired layer pattern. The cross conveyors permit 90 degree orientation of the product relative to the flow direction.

Also, depending on the layout configuration, the cross-conveyors can be located to allow a quality-check station. When the operator requests a bundle for inspection, it will be conveyed to the edge of the conveyor for inspection and then reintroduced into the automatic system without interrupting the sequencing of the layer formation.

Once the layer pattern is complete, the layer forming/squaring station accumulates all the bundles against a stop. Side plates move in from the conveyor edges to square up the layer. This layer squaring action not only squares the load but for lower quality bundles, can also help to improve individual bundle quality.

If tie sheets are required for load stability, a tie sheet is placed on top of the layer before the layer is deposited on to the load. For low bundle count applications, an optional bundle doubler/tripler module can be added to keep the throughput of the entire system at higher levels on these challenging orders.

An optional Layer Inverter can be added to invert complete layers. When installed downstream of the layer formation station, any or all layers can be inverted to give the end user the most stable units possible.

The dual lift system transfers one layer onto the unit independent of the layer being squared. The patented low profile design of the belt-over-forks placement assembly lifts the newly formed layer and deposits it onto the unit. The forks retract while the belts drive forward so that the belt surface does not slide against the box. The layer is essentially “conveyed and gently set” onto the unit.  This is particularly important when palletizing high-graphic boxes where any scuffing of the print results in damaged boxes for the end user. While the next tier is acquired, the Squaring Lift conditions the load with built-in four-sided squaring.

After the previous layer has been squared, the squaring device lifts out of the way to allow the unit to exit and the pallet and/or bottom sheets to be conveyed into position for the next unit to be built.

Both lifts are driven by high performance regenerative drives. When the lifts are traveling downward, the drives convert their kinetic energy into electrical energy, feeding power back into grid.

For most die cut and some flexo applications, bundle breakers or separators are easily integrated into the UltraPAL system to optimize productivity and flexibility.