Proco Introduces Affordable Collaborative Robot Palletizer for Blow‑Molded PET Bottles

A new half‑cube palletizer from Proco Machinery Inc. of Mississauga, Ontario, combines a six‑axis Universal Robots UR‑10 arm with a fully integrated conveyor and pallet‑lift system to automate the palletizing of blow‑molded PET containers. The robot’s collaborative design eliminates the need for safety cages, while still providing full protection through a low‑torque mode that stops the arm after 32 N of resistance.

The UR‑10, known for its reliability and speed—capable of 5 m/s—detects human presence via a sensor and switches to a safe, low‑torque state. According to Proco’s VP of sales, Siva Krish, “the force threshold is well below what could cause injury when handling blunt containers.” If sharp tooling is used, the system defaults to an emergency‑stop response.

Designed for operators with minimal training, the palletizer requires no specialized programming. Maintenance staff can perform quick changeovers, and Proco offers on‑site and off‑site training at low cost. The system’s integrated components—conveyor, pallet‑lift magazine, and slip‑sheet/tray pick‑and‑place—fit onto a single sub‑frame equipped with leveling pads and caster wheels.

With a maximum height of 55 in., the palletizer matches the half‑cube layout used by most U.S. blow‑molders. It automatically handles both slip sheets and trays in 44 × 56 in. and 40 × 48 in. sizes. Only two manual steps remain: loading empty trays into the magazine and replacing the pallet once the alarm signals completion.

The solution is already in use at leading U.S. custom PET blow‑molding facilities and offers cost savings of up to 50 % compared with traditional fully‑automated palletizers.

Learn more about the UR‑10 at Universal Robots.