BEYOND THE ROBOT
Engineering Beyond Expectations
Understanding Your Process is Just the First Step
Every successful automation project begins with learning how products move through your facility, identifying bottlenecks, and understanding your production goals and future needs. We use that understanding of your process and the application to design an integrated system that brings robotics, conveyors, material handling solutions, and more together to achieve your objectives.
By the time a system is running test cycles on the shop floor, engineers have gained a deep understanding of how the automation system performs, how each component interacts, how timing affects throughput, and where small inefficiencies can quietly limit overall performance.
This level of knowledge is where engineering expertise has an enormous impact on the end result.
BEYOND THE ROBOT: UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEM
A REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE OF ENGINEERING EVERY SECOND
Our customer required a palletizing system capable of 72 cases per minute to meet their pull-ahead rate. The system uses a custom vacuum EOAT that picks two rows, then one row, alternating to build the pallet pattern. An Intralox DARB conveyor sorts cases into the exact sequence needed for optimal robotic picking.
While the system met the customer's specified requirements, the robot's consistent speed at times outpaced the conveyor. This meant the robot periodically had to pause and wait for the allotted layer of cases to arrive during the palletizing process.
Although the system already met the customer's predefined requirements, the engineers became determined to make it work more efficiently. They were convinced they could eliminate the need for the robot to pause when the conveyor fell behind.
They spent the next two days analyzing the interaction between the Intralox DARB conveyor, the HMI controls, and the robot to find a better way, challenging themselves to increase the rate. After running numerous cycles of adjustments and testing, evaluating results, applying lessons learned, and brainstorming new ideas, they achieved the results they wanted.
Standard Transfer Car "Positions" and Why They Matter
Kaufman offers multiple standard transfer car configurations—best thought of as how many loads the car can carry and how it exchanges loads between lanes:
- Single-position car: carries one load/dunnage at a time.
- Two-position, in-line car: carries a load/dunnage on two different conveyor decks and typically the two loads convey on and off simultaneously—useful when space is tight or when the car must pick up a loaded pallet and drop off an empty pallet on either side. This layout is incredibly efficient and is generally used for higher-speed applications where load-per-hour throughput requires delivering loads and empty pallets simultaneously on either the same side or opposite sides.
- Two-position, side-by-side car: carries two loads side-by-side and has the ability to drop the two loads off at the same time, so long as the centerlines of the discharge conveyors are aligned with the centerlines of the side-by-side decks. If both loads are being dropped at one station, or the centerlines of the drop conveyors are not aligned with both decks on the T-Car, one load will be dropped, followed by the second. This configuration is useful when fast lines must be supported alongside slower lines.
- Four-position car: carries two loads on “side A” and two loads on “side B,” enabling multiple drop points and dunnage returns—often selected for multiple production lines and more complex line routing. This configuration is designed specifically for applications with really high throughput requirements.
Conveying Surface on Transfer Cars
A transfer car is “a conveyor deck attached to a traveling base” in many commercial designs. That deck can be engineered to match the facility's unit load and stability needs—commonly roller, belt, or chain conveyor decks.
It is important to note that our transfer cars offer the option to mount high/low conveyor decks. High/low decks are commonly used so that the transfer car can simultaneously pick up a load from the top deck while dropping off dunnage from the lower deck, or drop a load from the top deck while picking up dunnage from the lower deck. This option helps to increase efficiency and throughput.
Speed, Positioning, and Load-Control Features
Kaufman offers low-speed cars up to ~120 ft/min and high-speed cars up to ~300 ft/min, with speed settings selectable across a wide range (60–300 ft/min). For high-speed designs, Kaufman notes laser positioning, load-out-of-position photoeyes, and product containment fencing.
In robotic palletizing system integration, Kaufman describes options ranging from “slow-speed single car” up to “high-speed, 300 FPM quad car laser positioned” with embedded track and overhead power rail. For unstable products, transfer cars can also be outfitted with hold-downs to preserve load stability during motion and stops.
Videos with Automated Transfer Cars
View our Channel
Large Palletizing System with High-Speed Transfer CarClick Here to Open Full Screen
Transfer Car with Hold Down to Securely Transport LoadsClick Here to Open Full Screen
Automatic T-Car Conveyor Delivers Pallets and Transfers Palletized LoadsClick Here to Open Full Screen
Large Palletizing System with T-Car & Pallet Dispenser/StackerClick Here to Open Full Screen
Transfer Car Conveying Loads to Stretch Wrap StationClick Here to Open Full Screen
Transfer Car with Pallet Dispenser/StackerClick Here to Open Full Screen
KPal Robotic Dunnage Depalletizing System (Run Without Product)Click Here to Open Full Screen
Automatic Inline 2 Position Transfer CarClick Here to Open Full Screen
Automatic Two Position Transfer CarClick Here to Open Full Screen
Transfer Car Conveying Tall Loads of Plastic ContainersClick Here to Open Full Screen
Make Multi-Line Pallet Routing Simple, Safe, and FAST
Our transfer car solutions deliver precise, lane-to-lane pallet movement—so you can feed shared wrapping, labeling, stacking, or shipping stations without building long conveyor runs or depending on forklifts for every transfer.
- Throughput stability: configurable speeds (up to 300 FPM), laser positioning, and multi-position cars to keep mixed-rate lines synchronized.
- Footprint wins: centralize downstream equipment and return empty pallets or dunnage efficiently—reducing duplication across lines.
- Safety + forklift reduction: reduce powered industrial truck (PIT) traffic in congested end-of-line areas (where severe incidents still occur) and apply guarding + risk-based safety practices aligned with Occupational Safety and Health Administration and International Organization for Standardization norms.
- Sequencing & compliance readiness: route loads in order through labeling/verification, and engineer for cleanability where U.S. Food and Drug Administration food regulations require it.
From retrofit upgrades to greenfield automation, Kaufman custom-engineers the complete solution—transfer car mechanics, Allen-Bradley controls with safety PLC options, KEYENCE safety scanners, and seamless handoffs to dual-load stackers (pallet-insertion side-entry and in-line) and stretch wrapping.
Next step: schedule a site survey and throughput study, request an ROI/OEE model, and validate performance with a pilot plan and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT).
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