Frequently Asked Questions
Find the answer to your question about our Pally software and OPC UA solution
General
A: There are many benefits to of palletizing robots. For example, by automating the task of palletizing, there will be less tiring work for your employees. You also free up employees to do other, more valuable tasks for your business. This article further explores many other additional benefits of automated palletizing.
A: There are several reasons to automate your palletizing. You can free up employees and resources to better utilize them in another work task. Automating also leaves less room for error and downtime, which means better productivity for you! Finally and most importantly, you can create a better occupational health and safety environment for your employees. Palletizing is far from an ergonomically friendly task.
A: Pally is our easy-to-use palletizing software for UR-robots. It is made up of three main components; Pally Pallet Builder (PPB), The Pally URcap and the Pally Operator’s Panel (POP) The PPB is our web-based robot programming tool, where you can create your desired pallet layout. The Pally URcap is the cobot palletizing app allowing it to do palletizing and the POP allows the operator to interact with the cobot though a touch screen. Our software is easy, flexible and you should be able to use Pally with very little training. See this article for more information.
A: There are many benefits of a UR robot using Pally. First of all, it is easy to use and require little training to be able to operate. It’s a custom and affordable palletizing solution where most experience a positive ROI within a year. It takes about a day to get it installed, it requires minimal maintenance and can quickly be adapted to new projects if needed. Moreover, the Pally software provides the cobot with optimal movements which can prolong the lifespan of the cobot. If you are interested, this article looks at benefits of automated palletizing.
A: For pricing, we would love to get in touch with you to discuss your requirements as price might vary depending on needs. As a rule of thumb, most businesses have a positive return after the first year of use. For reference however, beginning in 2023, the starting price of a Pally package starts from 1500€ and the cost of the UR10e cobot itself is about 30000€.
A: We are partners with distributors and integrators in large parts of the world who are ready to help with the installation of your palletizing solution. Even if your company is based in an area where we don’t yet have any partners, we are still most likely able to provide you with a solution. Get in touch with us today, and we’ll find a solution for you and your company!
A: With MyRobot.cloud – The Fast Track to Cobot Palletizing you can quickly get in touch with solution providers based on your region. By only entering basic information about your product, the cobot palletizing search engine tool will help you find, verify and get you in touch with available providers within one hour.
If you are unsure about our self-service platform, you can always contact us. We will get in touch with you shortly to discuss what a good solution is for you and your business. From there, we will get you connected with one of our local partners who will provide you with a turn-key solution.
A: You buy a Pally license by leaving your contact details here and then we’ll get back to you as soon as possible with all the details.
A: It is quite easy to learn! Our Pally Operator Panel makes it easy and intuitive for every single employee. It is also normal to receive some training from the integrator once the solution is installed in your facility. This article presents 5 tips to prepare employees for cobot automation.
A: It is not a complex workflow to create a new pattern in Pally Pallet Builder (PPB) and uploading it to the palletizing robot. Once the pattern is created in PPB, download the .JSON file to a usb stick and upload it to the Pally URcap via the Pally Operators Panel. The whole process can be done within minutes without significant operational downtime.
A: It is a free to use product-service! You can create as many patterns as you want. Try our Pally Pallet Builder to see how your pallet will look with your products.
A: Yes! Every single layer and every single box can be customized for the robot to palletize as you wish. No other UR Palletizing software offers this. Try edit your pallet in our advanced pallet builder here.
A: Unlimited! Create as many unique patterns you want. However, with 500MB of storage you can fit up to 1000 patterns on your robot!
A: We perform a feasibility test of your project to make sure your desired pattern is working properly with Pally and the robot. All you have to do is to leave your package data and pallet requirements in our Pally Pallet Builder and we’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.
A: The only thing we really need are your box dimensions (weight, height, width, length). Other than that, feel free to customize your own project, based on your specific needs, in MyRobot.coud – The Fast Track to Cobot Palletizing.
A: In MyRobot.coud – The Fast Track to Cobot Palletizing, within one hour! With the Digital Twin Simulation, you’ll get to see that it is working before placing your order for a palletizing solution.
A: In MyRobot.coud – The Fast Track to Cobot Palletizing, you are able to receive a Digital Twin Simulation within one hour. Successfully running a simulation like this means that the solution you want is tested on a digital cobot palletizer. This digital solution runs on the exact same software and hardware, meaning it is as close to reality you can come within the digital realm. As we usually say; if it can be done in our simulations, it is feasible. As this can be done on your own and be delivered within only one hour, we can say that a successful simulation will act as an upfront verification of the project.
A: There are several factors that have an impact on the delivery time of the hardware, but once we place an order for a palletizing solution with a reseller, they can usually deliver the set-up within a month or two. The installation itself can be done within just one workday.
A: It is very reliable, but don’t take our word for it. Instead listen to what our end customers have to say!
“The UR cobots have been running around the clock for two years, without any sick leave.“
– Knut ThomassenHead of Production at Maskinpakking AS
“The cobot palletizers are the robots we have with highest operating time and lowest running costs.”
– Inghild Lysne Sanden, Factory Manager Nortura Sogndal
The technical stuff
A: Since the integrator will be installing a collaborative robot, employees can still work in close proximity. Therefore, the production does not need to be affected by the installation phase. Once the physical palletizing solution is ready to use, you’ll be having your products stacked on pallets autonomously within minutes. The downtime in production is reduced to a minimum.
A: You will get a error message to point you in the right direction. If the error message is unclear or you cannot fix it, please contact the solution provider. With a backup file of your system, we can also easily identify issues in our virtual simulation tool.
A: You can find the backup function under “Installation-Urcaps-Pally-Advanced.” please add the following:
-Pattern names
-URP you are using for the project
-Installation file
-TCP offset
A: Collaborative robots are designed to work side by side humans. Therefore it does not require a lot of floor spacing or cages. This is especially useful for small and medium manufacturers with limited floor space available. The smallest footprint that has been installed with Pally is 0,16 m2 + the space used by the pallets.
A: You only need a basic course to operate a cobot palletizing solution using the Pally software. A cobot is designed to be easy to use through its simplistic interface and stands in contrast to other traditional robots. However, if you are eager learn more about editing settings on the cobot, we recommend UR’s Robot Academy.
A: Universal Robots have a promise of 35 000 hours of use for their robots. This equals to around 4 years if the robot is running 24/7! By using the Pally software, movements of the cobot will be optimized for your palletizing project, resulting in less tear on the cobot. Your cobot could therefore be operational for even longer than UR’s promise of 35 000 hours.
A: The UR robot has sensors embedded. By using the OPC UA URcap you can access these sensors and read the values in real time. This enables predictive maintenance.
A: Within the collaborative settings, Pally can do approx. 7 cycles/min. If the project allows for multi grip it can palletize 14 boxes/min with double grip, 21 boxes/min with triple grip, and so on.
A: Pally can lift as heavy as the robot can. Keep in mind that the weight of the gripper is part of the total sum of kgs the robot can lift. Most grippers weigh around 1kg. If you have a UR16, Pally can lift 15 kgs with the 1 kg gripper, if you have a UR10, Pally can lift 9 kgs with the 1 kg gripper, and so on.
A: Pally is tailor-fit for cobots from Universal Robots. You can use the hardware of your choice as long as it’s compatible with Universal Robots. Our distributors and integrators are ready to give you advice on what will be the best hardware set-up for you.
A: Most businesses use Pally for cardboard boxes, but there are really no limits to what Pally can palletize as long as you choose the right gripper for the job.
A: Yes, it is possible to move your palletizer around in your facility to palletize from various conveyor belts. Our software Pally is designed to handle the moving procedures.
A: Yes, user-friendliness is very important to us. That’s why we have developed the Pally Operator Panel. Anyone with minimal training should be able to run the palletizing solution.
A: Yes, you can connect Pally to the Manufacturing execution system in your facility via our OPC UA solution.
A: Yes, we have made it possible for you to connect to Pally remotely.
FAQ for OPC-UA UR-Cap
This FAQ is available on our OPC UA VDMA Product Page.