loading and unloading column palletizer (also known as a pillar or rotary palletizer) is a specialized robotic system designed to handle flat, large-surface materials like plywood, metal plates, glass, or plastic sheets.
Unlike standard “articulated arm” robots, the column design uses a central vertical pillar and a horizontal sliding arm, which allows it to lift heavy, wide sheets while maintaining a very small floor footprint.
The system typically operates on a 4-axis coordinate system optimized for vertical stacking and horizontal feeding:
Rotary Axis (Column Base): The entire pillar rotates 360 degree to pick material from an infeed stack and move it to a machine or a pallet.
Vertical Axis (Z-Axis): The horizontal arm slides up and down the pillar. This is crucial for handling high-density stacks of sheets.
Horizontal Axis (X/Y-Axis): The gripper moves along the horizontal arm to reach across the width of a sheet or into a machine’s loading bay.
Rotation Axis (Gripper): The “hand” rotates to align the sheet with the pallet or the machine’s orientation.
Since sheet materials are often heavy but delicate or prone to bending, these palletizers use specialized End-of-Arm Tooling (EOAT):
Vacuum Suction Spiders: A large frame equipped with multiple suction cups. These can be “zoned,” meaning the robot only activates the cups that are in contact with the material, allowing it to handle different sheet sizes (e.g., 4ft*8ft vs 2ft*4ft) without changing tools.
Sponge Grippers: Used for textured or porous surfaces (like raw MDF or OSB) where standard rubber cups might lose suction.
Magnetic Grippers: Specifically for loading/unloading ferromagnetic metal sheets in laser-cutting or punching cells.
Woodworking: Feeding “nesting” CNC machines with MDF or plywood panels.
Metal Fabrication: Loading sheets into fiber laser cutters and stacking finished parts.
Construction: Palletizing drywall, cement board, or insulation panels.
Glass Industry: Handling large architectural glass panes with high precision and “soft-start” movements to prevent cracking.
Based on the product information, usage conditions, installation site environment, and layout provided by the customer, we provide customized solutions for free.
For complex on-site conditions or special workpieces, Tongli can provide on-site investigation and measurement services to make appropriate solutions.
All accessories have passed factory testing and meet specifications, enabling continuous and unobstructed operation.
Having a professional equipment installation team, with excellent skills and tools, we provide fast and reliable robotic arm installation services.
