Blog from August, 2024

They say only fools do the same things twice and expect different results. If so, Universal Robots may be fools in releasing UR30 using the same HW as UR20. But so am I.

The UR30 is simply another great contribution to the “palletizing class” of cobots from UR.

There was a time when the max payload capacity of the UR cobots was 10kg. UR released UR16 using the same HW as the UR10 to increase the payload, shortening the reach to achieve the extra payload.

For palletizing, those extra 6 kgs would make a lot of difference for numerous use cases. But despite being perfectly capable of reaching the far corners of an EU-sized pallet with the right accessories in the palletizing market, it literally fell short.

Now, the same strategy is used again in the launch of UR30 on the same HW as UR20.

And we applaud it! 

Please pause and read this article I (Halvor, CIO) wrote on the UR20 when it launched for a more in-depth background.

A market-proven reach

The crucial difference is that the UR30 has a market-proven track record of having sufficient reach for palletizing, thanks to the palletizing workhorse UR10; both reach 1300mm. 

With UR10 already being sold successfully for palletizing, often with a 7th axis lift if the pallets are wide or tall, the UR30 already has the proof it needs to be perceived as a robot with sufficient reach for most use cases. Particularly in Europe, where the EU1-sized pallets are about 200mm slimmer than in the US1.

To be perfectly fair, though, and to geek off, the practical reach of UR30 for palletizing is slightly less than UR10. As the base joint has a wider radius, empty pallets would need to be placed about 80mm further away from the base of the robot to avoid collisions between the base joint and a full pallet, practically reducing the reach by about 100 mm compared to the UR10. 

However, our simulations in MyRobot.cloud show, we still have plenty of reach to play with.

The extra 10kg

So what does ten more kg really mean? Well, you can, of course, lift 27kg of products compared to only 18kg, leaving 10% for accessories like grippers, sensors, and cameras. 

But more importantly, it allows you to palletize five 5kg products at a time with a UR30 vs three 5kg products on a UR20. In other words, the extra payload is transferred into 60% additional throughput in that scenario, allowing higher production speed. In many cases, this is far more groundbreaking than going from 18–27kg products. 

It might not be immediately obvious, but this magical transformation from payload to throughput also exists in the form of payload to safety.

Can be the friend you need

To keep this article shorter than the UR20 one, I’ll conclude by saying that the UR30 may not be designed for palletizing like its predecessor, the UR20, and may not be the preferred choice for many customers. 

But as a complementary offering, covering holes in the market that UR20 can not, UR30 can be the friend you need.

If you’re wondering if the UR30 cobot can meet your needs, we have some great news for you! Experience it firsthand on myrobot.cloud.

Sign up now for a 30-day free trial if you’re eager to put it to the test.

A wish to take care of its employees was the driving force that made a small brewery invest in a new worker to do the heavy lifting: a palletizing robot.

The American Ewan Lewis made a brave choice in 2007. Together with his wife Aud Melås, he established Ægir Breweri in the small village of Flåm, deep into Norway’s Sognefjord. 

Ægir is the ruler of the sea in Norse mythology and he had the world’s biggest brewing kettle. According to Odin, he was the best brewer in the world. 

–  He was known for being a good host, and that is what we strive to be for our guests, says Evan.

Greater production – more heavy lifting

The brewery in Flåm became an instant success.  Rumors about the Norse beer started to spread outside the vicinity of the Sognefjord. This led to a need for bigger facilities, which in turn made it possible to produce thousands of cans both for the Norwegian and the international markets. 

An increase in production also meant more heavy lifting at the end of the production line: getting the beer from the conveyor and on to a pallet. That’s when Evan started to consider a palletizing solution from Rocketfarm. 

Limited extra space is no show stopper

Even if Evan knew he wanted a palletizing robot to do the heavy lifting, he was unsure whether the brewery was a good fit for a robot. They had limited extra floor space and he also feared the investment in buying a robot would be too big for a small company like Ægir. 

But with the abilities of a collaborative robot, you don’t need a lot of extra space to install a robot. The outcome of a palletizing solution from Rocketfarm is also quite enjoyable – most businesses experience a positive return of investment during the first year of use!

A diligent robot = happy employees

The solution for Ægir was a robot that replaced the hard, manual labor of moving the boxes of beer over to a pallet. This was especially favoured by the packaging manager Claus.

Claus told me that if we hadn’t gotten the robot, he would have eventually left the job, says Evan. 

Since then, the palletizing robot – now named Stacky McStackface – has palletized thousands of boxes of  Ægir’s beer. In a small business it is important to utilize the number of hands in the smartest way possible. By eliminating the manual palletizing Claus could focus on other, more interesting tasks at the brewery. 

If it wasn’t for our robot Stacky, I would have quit my job. I hate stacking cases of cases of cases on a f******g pallet, Claus says. 

Bob’s Red Mill, a globally recognized producer of nutritious grains and food items, has modernized its palletizing process using advanced cobot technology, meeting its production line’s speed, safety, and efficiency requirements.

“Instead of stacking pallets all day, the operators can now focus on more value-added tasks, such as quality inspection, instead of something boring,” says Nick Chow, engineering and fabrication manager for Bob’s Red Mill, to Materialhandling247.

Watch the business case made by our partner Universal Robots:

From tradition to innovation

Bob Red Mill was founded in 1978 and has grown massively since. The company now operates an 800,000-square-foot facility with over 700 workers and produces more than 200 different products.

During the pandemic, they initially began using industrial robots to address labor shortages. However, they soon discovered these robots were too large for their production lines and needed a more flexible solution. They needed a robot that could operate closer to operators and fit within a smaller footprint.

Chow discovered the soon-to-be-released UR20 cobot at Columbia/Okura’s booth at Pack Expo in fall 2022. It quickly became apparent that Columbia/Okura’s turnkey palletizer miniPAL+ proved to be the ideal solution for their needs. Their solution features a UR20 cobot arm, safety area scanners, radar, guarding, built-in pallet jack pockets, a PIAB vacuum gripper, as well as Rocketfarms Pally software.

Implementation of the miniPAL+

The miniPAL+ system was quickly integrated into Bob’s Red Mill’s production floor. The UR20’s 20 kg payload was a great match for them, as the payload capacity enables double-picking of boxes, significantly increasing efficiency.

“We appreciate the simplicity, their track record, and the out-of-the-box features,” Chow says.

All programming on the miniPAL+ is done through Rocketfarm’s Pally software directly on the cobot’s touchscreen. Chow mentions that it took them roughly 60 minutes to get trained through a multitude of scenarios and that he anticipates hundreds of product change-overs with the system.

Learn more about Palletizing solutions powered by Pally here.

More efficient and safer for workers

The future of Bob’s Red Mill looks bright – both for the employees and for the company. Automation equals happy and safe workers and is key to helping the company grow.

Their new palletizing system has freed operators from repetitive manual tasks, allowing them to focus on more value-added activities like quality inspection. The implementation of the cobot system has freed up four operators across four shifts in the company’s 24-hour operation.

By integrating cobot technology, Bob’s Red Mill has enhanced its palletizing efficiency and created a safer and more fulfilling work environment for its employees, positioning the company for continued growth and success.

Learn more about the installation, and read MaterialHanding247’s original article.

Automate your palletizing, too

Are you intrigued by Bob’s Red Mill’s story? If you are also considering automating your palletizing process, you should check out the online cobot search engine MyRobot.cloud fast track.

When you enter basic information about your product into the cobot palletizing search engine, you will receive a digital video that showcases a cobot palletizing solution tailored to your needs. Additionally, you will receive a detailed performance report and assistance in connecting with available solution providers. This service is free and includes everything you need to advance your project!

Getting started has never been easier or faster.

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