Pallet Systems

[heeler]

Our management is looking to get a palletizing system. We generally make small quantity parts. What is everyones views about using a pallet system? Pro's? Con's?

[Jim Whipple]

I was firsr exposed to them a number of years ago and what most impressed me was the large number of different parts and families of parts you could run at the same time

Jim

[MACHINEMASTERG]

the pro's great for production and grouping of parts but we found the best part being quick change over from job to job one pallet holds our rotary one pallet has the vices other pallet hold repeaters etc.. etc..the cons some after market systems are cumbersome in front of the machine. if it comes from the manfacture built on there good. but what we did was buy an after market pallet reciever and there cart recievers and made a 2 paalet recieving cart on a die table able to load it and unload by spining cart and put pallet on storage racks easily great for setup reduction... sorry for the rant but this gets me going

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Linear Pallet Pools are AWESOME! I wish we could get one here. We NEED it.

 

Pro's - quick change over, job scheduling, quantity scheduling, operator intervention in the process is unnecessary. etc... ad infinitum

 

Con's - pricey, take up lots of space, operator intervention can cause some real problems if they intervene at the wrong time.

[Lucky]

Once you've used a pallet system there's no going back. We use a system made by System 3R. Repeatable clamping within 0.0002. We will often remove a partially done part to make way for a rush job knowing we can re-clamp the original part instantly with no loss of accuracy. We have incorporated the pallet system on our CMM as well. We can mill, inspect, then mill some more, inspect some more.....all without fear of accumulated set-up errors and operator goof-ups.

[Rusty Spark]

I'll make it simple, you got to try it. But before you do, gather all your parts and pick one part you like to use.Let the vendor lay it out on their system then and let them show you the pro's. And I mean PRO'S. It saves use machine time may be alittle more engineering to lay out multiple parts. Have fun challenge the vendor.