A pallet inverter or pile turner is a machine that is used to turn over full
pallet
A pallet (also called a skid) is a flat transport structure, which supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, a pallet jack, a front loader, a jacking device, or an erect crane. A pallet is the structural foundat ...
loads of packages or products.
The term pallet inverter is also used to cover machines that turn the palletised load through 90 degrees only.
Use
The reasons for needing to turn over a pallet are varied. The primary reason is have access to the bottom of the load without having to manually unload all of the boxes or bags. If a pallet or slip sheet is damaged. it can be replaced by inverting the load, replacing it, and re-inverting the load. Sometimes a manufacturer simply needs to turn their products to stop their contents settling. In some industries, it is necessary to transfer goods from one type of pallet to another – for example, when plastic pallets are used for on-site storage and wooden pallets are used for shipping.
Some products require rapid freezing immediately after production and packaging. Processes can utilize ''freezer spacers'' between each tier of boxes on a pallet: these promote air flow for controlled and accelerated refrigeration. Prior to shipping, these spacers can be removed using a pallet inverter. This rotates the load ninety degrees to allow easy removal and reuse.
Pallet inverters can be built into
production line
A production line is a set of sequential operations established in a factory where components are assembled to make a finished article or where materials are put through a refining process to produce an end-product that is suitable for onward c ...
s or be used as a stand-alone product.
See also
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Bulk material handling
Bulk material handling is an engineering field that is centered on the design of equipment used for the handling of dry materials. Bulk materials are those dry materials which are powdery, granular or lumpy in nature, and are stored in heaps.http: ...
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Conveyor system
A conveyor system is a common piece of mechanical handling equipment that moves materials from one location to another. Conveyors are especially useful in applications involving the transport of heavy or bulky materials. Conveyor systems allow ...
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Palletizer
A palletizer or palletiser is a machine which provides automatic means for stacking cases of goods or products onto a pallet.
Manually placing boxes on pallets can be time consuming and expensive; it can also put unusual stress on workers. The f ...
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Slip sheet
Slip sheets are thin, pallet-sized sheets made of plastic, heavy laminated kraft paperboard, or corrugated fiberboard and are used in commercial shipping, replacing traditional wooden pallets. The unit load is usually stretch wrapped or shrink ...
References
External links
* Removing freezer spacer
Pallets
Packaging machinery
Industrial equipment
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