Optimum palletizing for the corrugated board industry
“Increased efficiency through smart automation.” Dücker Prefeeder and cellumation have worked closely together to develop a space-saving high-speed palletizing system that takes corrugated board processing to a new level. Thanks to the symbiosis of both systems (cv.PAL + PAF1600), corrugated board bundles are palletized consistently quickly and precisely in a significantly smaller space than with conventional automation solutions.
Challenge at Dücker Prefeeder
Precise pallet layer pre-forming – ideal for large cardboard bundles
The e-commerce boom has significantly changed the packaging industry. The demand for corrugated board is high because it is versatile, resource-saving and one of the most important materials for environmentally friendly packaging. One particular challenge is to transport corrugated board safely and gently without damaging it.
In the field of palletizing, Dücker Prefeeder has developed the PAF1600, a fully automatic palletizer that is specially tailored to the requirements of corrugated board processing. The system was designed to palletize finished corrugated cardboard bundles in a wide range of format sizes efficiently, precisely and reliably.
The company became well-known thanks to the “Prefeeder” developed in 2016.
This is an automation solution that, at the beginning of corrugated cardboard production lines, ensures the separation of raw corrugated sheets and their continuous, precisely timed feeding into the subsequent processing system (e.g., a printing, die-cutting, or folding machine).
The finished bundles do not come out of a processing machine precisely oriented and can also be slightly curved due to moisture. To stack these corrugated bundles accurately on a pallet, precise pre-shaping of the pallet layers is required – each bundle must be positioned and aligned with exact precision.
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The cv.PAL handles this task with the highest accuracy, enabling stable and precisely shaped palletizing, even with changing formats and sizes.
The combination of the machines offers the unique opportunity to upgrade existing systems as part of a retrofit and increase the efficiency of the line in the smallest of spaces.
The Solution
More efficiency through automation
In 2022, corrugated cardboard packaging manufacturer Fris Karton is investing in an “EMBA QS Ultima” – a high-speed casemaker – to automate corrugated cardboard processing. However, as production volumes increased, so did the demands for speed and process reliability in the palletizing area. The manual process limited throughput and became a bottleneck in the material flow. Particularly challenging for employees was the stacking of large, bulky corrugated bundles.
In order to relieve the employees and increase production capacity, Fris Karton worked with Dücker Prefeeder and cellumation 2024 to implement an innovative automation solution. The solution consists of a combination of the celluveyor PAL (cv.PAL) for precise layer formation and the PAF1600 from Dücker Prefeeder, which stacks the formed layers onto the pallet.
The modular cv.PAL, consisting of 130 identical cells, forms the central interface between production and palletizing. It reliably ensures the exact alignment of the corrugated cardboard bundles and prepares them optimally for the downstream palletizing process. The compact celluveyor can orient up to seven bundles simultaneously and enables flexible order changes without any setup time.
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More InformationParallel palletizing of bundles
System Integration
IP54
IP PROTECTION CLASS
< 70 dB (A)
MAX. LOUDNESS cv.PAL
The Players
Dücker Prefeeder: Integrator
Dücker Prefeeder BV is a leading company based in the Netherlands, specializing in solutions for the corrugated board industry.
Dücker Prefeeder BV is the right partner, especially for its own so-called DPF and DLF solutions (for seamless corrugated board feeding, whether for continuous speed or space-saving lateral precision).
Fris Karton: End user
Fris Karton is a Dutch family business with over 35 years of experience in the production of sustainable corrugated cardboard packaging. With its own production facility in Bladel, it supplies customers in the Netherlands and Belgium flexibly and quickly – from classic folding cartons to customized specialty solutions.
cellumation: Provider
cellumation is an innovation driver in the field of material flow technology and is known for its advanced solutions for the automation of logistics processes. The patented celluveyor technology developed there enables complex material flow movements in the smallest of spaces at high speeds. Thanks to its modular design, the celluveyor has unlimited layout flexibility, is easy to maintain and quick to set up.
“By combining our expertise in the corrugated cardboard industry with cellumation’s advanced conveyor technology, we can offer our customers real added value and also automate existing cardboard production lines in the smallest of spaces.“
“With our “Flexo-Folder-Gluer” that we installed in the year 2022, we have not used the potential of the machine. We were limited to a certain number of packages per minute.
With this new system, we can easily handle one truck per hour going out.”
Modular celluveyor PAL
3D-Vision-System: Monitoring of the Pal process. Collects position data for the software to calculate the optimum path of an object.
Cardboard bundle
cv.PAL 3D-VISION SYSTEM: LAYER PATTERNS AND PALETTE FORMATS
The special feature
The cv.PAL enables effortless addition of new object and layer patterns as well as pallet formats and requires no set-up times as it is controlled by a vision system in combination with intelligent software. The data from the 3D vision system, which provides information about the shape and position of objects, is used by the software for path calculation. Based on this, the individual cells are controlled to perform movements, ensuring that each object is always precisely and correctly oriented when discharged from the celluveyor. This works for a very large corrugated cardboard bundle as well as for up to seven small ones in parallel – a game changer for palletizing speed and constant material flow.
Conclusion
A joint development that will revolutionize the packaging industry
Dücker Prefeeder has found a reliable partner in cellumation.
By integrating the celluveyor, corrugated bundles are optimally aligned for the subsequent palletizing process. Flexible switching between different orders or bundle sizes is possible at any time – completely without changeover times. This allows Dücker Prefeeder’s palletizer to fully realize its potential.
100% Fully electric
The celluveyor is purely electric and has no hydraulic or pneumatic components – this ensures reliable, low-maintenance palletizing and constant performance even with heavy carton bundles.
Simple layer forming
The cv.PAL enables simple layer forming of different layer patterns. The celluveyor can move a wide variety of objects in the packaging industry. Even large and bulky items are processed safely and efficiently.
High performance and space-saving
The compact design of the celluveyor reduces the space required and optimizes the use of space. Long conveying distances are eliminated.
No set-up times
No changeover times are needed between objects, layers, or pallet sizes. This is often not the case with older pneumatic or hydraulic systems.
Intuitive user interface
Layers can be created, saved, and easily accessed in the dedicated app.
Quiet and safe
The cv.PAL operates at a noise level of less than 70 dB(A) and requires no additional protective housing. Employees benefit from a safe, open working environment without the need for additional personal protective equipment (PPE) or fencing.
Flexibility
The cv.PAL is flexible, suitable for almost any layer pattern and pallet size (Euro, CHEP, Australian, etc.).
Simple maintenance
Easy maintenance and spare parts management are enabled by the modular design based on the celluveyor cells.
cv.DEPAL
The compact & powerful system for depalletizing
cv.PAL
Automated forming of any pallet layer
cv.GO
Corner transfer, diverter, rotation and more
Let’s talk!
Let’s talk about how we can achieve the highest performance in your material handling system with our powerful celluveyor technology.
