Pallet sorting system

Pallet inspection and pallet sorting redefined

Pallets are the foundation of industrial and commercial supply chains. Manually inspecting and sorting mixed stacks of empty pallets is time-consuming, physically demanding, and dependent on individual workers.

Our fully automatic pallet sorting systems bring you noticeable cost advantages. Whether you check and sort 500 or 5,000 pallets per day, we have the right system for you.

Fields of application

• Central warehouses in retail / food retail
• Large industrial companies with return logistics (automotive, food & beverages, building materials, chemicals, paper, etc.)
• Pallet pooling companies (CHEP, LRP, IPP, etc.)
• Large logistics centers & 3PL service providers
• Pallet manufacturers, pallet dealers and repair companies

Technical highlights

• Capacity: up to 250 pallets per hour
• Sensors: contactless 2D and 3D inspection
• Modular design: tailored to your individual requirements (hall layout and pallet types)
• Interfaces: Connection to existing IT systems possible (ERP, WMS, etc.)
• Industry 4.0-capable: Data logging, reporting, remote access

Test characteristics and quality criteria

Type recognition

Size, color, labeling & marking, etc.

360° contour inspection

Protruding nails, splintered wood, completeness of blocks, missing components, etc.

Surface condition

Signs of wear, dirt, product residues, foreign objects, cracks in deck boards, etc.

Dimensional stability

External dimensions, fork clearance, block rotation

Technological advantage through contactless quality detection

Our pallet sorting system uses state-of-the-art 2D and 3D sensor technology and industrial image processing to evaluate each pallet quickly, accurately, and without contact. This is where our pallet control system (PACO) comes into play. It is an integral part of the pallet sorting system and ensures reliable and precise quality control.

The advantages of automated pallet inspection at a glance:

• Non-contact testing
  Thanks to modern sensor technology, quality detection is non-contact and therefore wear-free and low-maintenance.
• Precise classification
  Pallets are reliably classified according to your desired criteria (e.g., type, color, quality, size).
• Future-proof technology
  Quality parameters, stack heights, and track assignment for each type can be easily adjusted.

All sorting data live – with our industrial software autfactory

The pallet sorting system not only works efficiently, it also thinks for itself. Our industrial software autfactory records and visualizes all relevant process data in real time:

• Sorting capacity per hour / shift / day
• Share according to quality classes and pallet types
• Misclassifications and rejection rates
• Trends and developments on a weekly and monthly basis

Maintain an overview at all times – whether on the Shopfloor or in the office. Whether for quality monitoring, optimization or proof to customers: autfactory provides you with all key figures at a glance – clearly structured and easy to evaluate.

Our pallet sorting system is available in various sizes. All versions check empty pallets fully automatically using 2D and 3D sensor technology and industrial image processing. Differences exist in daily throughput, installation space, investment costs, and possible autonomy time.

How the pallet sorting system works in detail

1. place pallet stack

Employees transfer complete stacks to the system. The stacks are fed by pallet truck or forklift. The length of the feeding route determines the system autonomy time.

2. automatic separation

The system separates the pallets fully automatically.

3. testing & sorting according to quality and color

The pallet control system analyzes each individual pallet using cameras and sensors. Each pallet is clearly assigned based on predefined criteria such as EPAL conformity, degree of utilization, or color coding.

4. stacking by type

Die Anlage stapelt alle Paletten automatisch nach ihrer Kategorie. So sind Sie bereit für Ihre Intralogistik, Rückführung oder Aussonderung.

Continue to the article: Pallet inspection and sorting: The invisible heroes of logistics

Quick test: Am I a candidate for automation?

Experience shows that automation potential already exists if even one of the statements applies.

• We check/sort > 200 pallets every day.
• We have mixed stacks and various types of pallets.
• Safety and ergonomics in the workplace need to be improved.
• We have high quality fluctuations with pallets.
• Staff is scarce/expensive or is needed for other tasks.
• Complaints relating to load carriers are an issue.
• We require documented quality for pooling billing.
• We have a space problem. We want to reclaim free space.