Palletising automation is a strategic precedence for producers and logistics operators seeking to scale back labour prices, enhance office security, and improve output on the finish of their manufacturing traces. As companies proceed to streamline their operations, the selection between collaborative robots (cobots) and conventional industrial robots has change into a key resolution level. Every know-how presents distinct benefits, and understanding these variations is important for choosing the best resolution.
At Granta Automation, we specialize in designing palletising techniques that align with every buyer’s operational objectives. By evaluating components corresponding to throughput, payload, security, flexibility, and out there flooring house, we assist companies establish the palletising strategy that delivers the best lengthy‑time period worth. This text explores how cobots and industrial robots evaluate and gives steering on choosing the proper system on your manufacturing setting.
Cobots vs Industrial Robots: Understanding the Core Distinction
Cobots are engineered to work safely alongside human operators. Their built-in drive‑sensing know-how permits them to detect sudden contact and cease instantly, enabling protected operation with out the necessity for fastened guarding in collaborative mode. This makes cobots significantly effectively‑suited to environments the place individuals and automation should work in shut proximity.
Industrial robots, against this, function inside totally safeguarded cells. This managed setting permits them to run at considerably greater speeds and deal with heavier payloads, making them ultimate for prime‑quantity, excessive‑responsibility palletising purposes the place most throughput is important.
When to Select a Cobot Palletiser
Cobots provide a compelling mix of security, flexibility, and ease of deployment. They’re particularly invaluable in operations the place merchandise are light-weight and human interplay is frequent or product traces change recurrently.
- Constructed‑In Collaborative Security
Cobots are designed with superior drive‑sensing capabilities that enable them to function safely close to individuals. In collaborative mode, they mechanically gradual or cease when interplay is detected, supporting safer workflows with out the necessity for fastened guarding. - Twin‑Mode Operation for Enhanced Productiveness
A significant benefit of Granta’s cobot palletisers is their means to function in each collaborative and industrial modes. When paired with further security techniques—corresponding to guarding, mild curtains, or security scanners—cobots can run at full industrial speeds till an individual enters the security zone. They then mechanically swap to collaborative mode, sustaining security with out compromising productiveness. - Compact Footprint and Fast Deployment
Cobots are sometimes smaller and simpler to combine into present manufacturing traces enabling quick set up, minimal disruption, and seamless integration into house‑constrained amenities. Transportable cobot palletiser techniques are additionally out there from Granta, enabling you to maneuver the system between totally different manufacturing traces. - Intuitive Programming and Quick Changeovers
Granta’s straightforward programming software program allows operators to arrange new merchandise, modify pallet patterns, and modify configurations shortly with out the necessity for specialist programming information. This makes the system quick and simple to reprogram for operations with frequent product modifications or brief manufacturing runs. - Versatile Security Configurations
Cobots will be deployed with a variety of security setups:- Collaborative‑solely operation (no guarding)
- Guarding with mild curtains for full‑velocity operation till the curtain is breached
- Security scanners for dynamic switching between industrial and collaborative speeds
- Ultimate for Agile, Blended‑Product Environments
Cobots excel in operations the place product varieties, pallet patterns, or manufacturing calls for change incessantly. Their flexibility helps agile manufacturing methods and speedy adaptation to new necessities.
When to Select an Industrial Robotic Palletiser
Industrial robots stay the popular selection for prime‑quantity, heavy‑responsibility palletising purposes the place velocity and payload capability are important.
- Excessive Pace and Heavy Payload Functionality
Industrial robots ship the best throughput and may deal with considerably heavier hundreds than cobots. Granta’s industrial palletising techniques are engineered for precision, consistency, and steady responsibility, making them ultimate for demanding, excessive‑output environments. - Sturdy Automation with Full Safeguarding
Working inside a guarded cell permits industrial robots to run at most velocity with out collaborative‑mode limitations. This ensures optimum cycle occasions and dependable, uninterrupted operation. - Superior Finish‑of‑Arm Tooling / Gripper Choices
Industrial robots help a variety of grippers—together with vacuum, beneath grip, row‑gripping, and layer‑forming instruments—enabling excessive velocity and environment friendly dealing with of complicated or excessive‑quantity palletising duties. - Multi‑Line and Autonomous Operation
Industrial techniques will be configured to service a number of manufacturing traces and function with minimal human intervention, supporting totally autonomous palletising and maximising general gear effectiveness. Industrial palletisers can choose a number of product varieties from a number of traces, permitting a single system to handle excessive‑quantity, combined‑product workflows with constant velocity, accuracy and totally automated pallet formation. - Intuitive Programming and Quick Changeovers
Granta’s straightforward programming software program allows operators to arrange new merchandise, modify pallet patterns, and modify configurations shortly with out the necessity for specialist programming information. That is ultimate for operations with frequent product modifications or brief manufacturing runs.
Key Components to Think about When Selecting
Deciding on between a cobot and an industrial robotic is dependent upon your operational priorities:
- Manufacturing Throughput
Excessive‑quantity operations sometimes profit from industrial robots. Cobots with guarding can obtain comparable speeds whereas retaining collaborative flexibility. - Payload and Attain
Cobots typically deal with lighter payloads with the Granta cobot in a position to deal with a payload of 30kg, whereas industrial robots can deal with 140 kg and help row or layer selecting. - Security and Human Interplay
Cobots are ultimate the place operators incessantly work close to the palletising space. Industrial robots go well with remoted, excessive‑velocity environments. - Flexibility and Changeovers
With the Granta straightforward programming system on all our palletising techniques, each techniques are effectively suited to speedy product changeovers, enabling operators to regulate pallet patterns, introduce new SKUs, and reconfigure layouts shortly with out specialist programming information. - Complete Price of Possession
Cobots typically present decrease preliminary funding and sooner ROI for versatile operations, nonetheless a compact industrial robotic palletiser can typically be comparable pricing to a cobot palletiser. Industrial robots ship robust lengthy‑time period worth in excessive‑output environments. Each techniques will be employed or leased, eliminating the necessity for big upfront capital funding.
Cobot vs Industrial Robotic: At‑a‑Look Comparability
| Standards | Cobot Palletiser | Industrial Robotic Palletiser |
| Major Energy | Flexibility, security, ease of integration | Excessive velocity, heavy payloads, most throughput |
| Typical Payload | Low–medium (30kg) | Medium–very excessive (140Kg) |
| Working Pace | Lowered in collaborative mode; full velocity with guarding or security | Full industrial speeds |
| Security Strategy | Constructed‑in drive sensing; non-obligatory guarding | Guarded cell with security interlocks |
| Human Interplay | Designed for shut operator interplay | Minimal or no human presence |
| Footprint | Compact | Small to bigger relying on the cell kind |
| Programming | Intuitive, quick changeovers with the Granta straightforward programming software program | Intuitive, quick changeovers with the Granta straightforward programming software program |
| Throughput | Average–excessive | Average – Very excessive |
| Set up | Quick, minimal disruption | Depending on the cell complexity however will be as fast as a cobot for low complexity cells |
| Complete Price of Possession | Decrease entry price, quick ROI | Smaller cells have a low entry price with quick ROI, bigger cells have the next preliminary price with robust ROI at scale. |
Use This Comparability
In case your operation requires flexibility, frequent changeovers, or shut human–robotic interplay, a cobot palletiser—particularly one configured with guarding for greater speeds—presents a superb stability of security and productiveness.
In case your precedence is most throughput, heavy payload dealing with, or totally autonomous operation, an industrial robotic palletiser is essentially the most strong and scalable resolution.
At Granta Automation, we work carefully with clients to judge each choices and, the place applicable, design hybrid options that mix collaborative flexibility with industrial‑stage efficiency.
Conclusion
There isn’t any single “greatest” palletising resolution—solely the answer that greatest aligns together with your throughput necessities, security wants, product traits, out there house, and lengthy‑time period operational technique. Granta Automation’s strategy is to match your operation with the system that delivers the best return on funding, whether or not that’s a versatile cobot palletiser or a excessive‑efficiency industrial robotic.
In the event you’d like help in figuring out the precise resolution on your facility, our crew is prepared that will help you assess your wants and suggest a tailor-made palletising system. Contact us on 01223 499488 or helpline@granta-automation.co.uk and we shall be joyful to debate.
Watch automation movies…
