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Manual palletising

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Manual unloading is a labour intensive process that requires workers to lift, carry, and place cartons by hand. Single SKU containers (with only one product type) where products need to be stacked on pallets are very suitable to be unloaded manually.

Manual palletizing involves workers stacking boxes onto pallets by hand. It is labour intensive and requires physical strength, precision, and repetitive motion. Workers must arrange items according to specific patterns to maximize pallet stability and space efficiency. Productivity rates of approx. 400-600 cartons per hour can be achieved for single SKU palletizing. This is much less when sorting is involved.

Manual unloading has some advantages:

  • Cost-effective for Small Operations: No significant upfront investment in automated equipment, making it a practical option for smaller businesses or low-volume operations.
  • Quick adaptation to new SKU: Skilled workers intuitively know which stacking pattern to use for new SKUs based on their past experience. No measurements, master data updates or pattern programming required.
  • Flexibility: Workers can handle different types, shapes, and sizes of products, adjusting their approach as needed. Human workers can easily accommodate mixed loads, fragile items, or irregular stacking requirements.
  • Minimal Setup: Requires little to no specialized equipment or training, making it easy to implement.

Disadvantages of manual unloading:

  • Ergonomic risks: Repetitive lifting, bending, and stacking can lead to worker fatigue, injury, or slowdowns over time.
  • Higher labour costs for larger operations: For large-scale operations, labour costs can add up, and efficiency decreases as fatigue sets in.
  • Inconsistent results: Stacking quality can vary depending on the worker’s skill and physical condition, increasing the risk of unstable pallets.
  • Limited speed: Manual palletizing is slower compared to automated systems, making it less suitable for high-volume operations.

Conclusion

Manual palletising is a cost-effective for low volume operations. However the productivity drastically decreases with increasing amount of SKU.

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Traditional robots are heavy and therefore immobile. Cobots are too slow and therefore unproductive. That is why we have developed a palletizing robot ourselves. The ultimate balance between functionality, speed and precision.

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