Qimarox introduces palletizer for frozen foods

Qimarox – which manufactures standard components for material handling systems and offers solutions for internal logistics, packaging and the supply chain – has expanded its product portfolio with a palletizer for frozen foods (IQF products). 

The Qimarox Highrunner HR8 palletizer is capable of stacking boxes of frozen foods into sturdy and stable pallets, even if they are not form-fixed or not fully filled. The unique pattern generator allows easy generation of new stacking patterns without the intervention of a software specialist, the company said.

The handling of boxes of frozen foods causes headaches for businesses. The problem concerns the quality of the boxes, which are far from being structurally stable. The weight of the frozen foods can cause the boxes to expand, which means they are no longer within the tolerances with which conventional palletizing solutions work. And if the boxes are not filled to the max, they can collapse under the weight of the boxes above them. The result: product/packaging damage, unnecessary shrinkage and, ultimately, dissatisfied customers.

Stable pallets with less film

The Qimarox HR8 offers a solution to these problems. The patented technology used to form pallet layers makes it possible to adjust the spacing between boxes to the nearest millimeter. As a result, all boxes of frozen products can be stacked without problems, even if they are not completely formable. The palletizer also takes into account the ribs that give the boxes their strength. By placing the boxes with their ribs exactly on top of each other, the Qimarox HR8 prevents boxes that are not completely filled from collapsing since this part of the box is structurally robust. The result is a pallet so stable that wrapping the load requires less film than usual, the company said.

Smart pattern generator

The Qimarox HR8 features a smart pattern generator that automatically generates stacking patterns based on the box size. This means that when using a new box format, no software specialist is needed to program a new stacking pattern. All the operator has to do is select the desired stacking pattern. The HR8 does the rest and automatically translates the stacking pattern into instructions for the machine.

Minimal chance of product damage

Qimarox has been developing palletizers for many years, which are used worldwide by dozens of consumer product manufacturers. Because these robust, low-maintenance plate palletizers carry the products at the bottom, the chance of product damage is minimized. This is particularly relevant in deep-freeze environments, where a vacuum gripper may not function properly due to ice buildup on the boxes.

The Qimarox HR8 has a modular design with the same low-maintenance, standard components found in Qimarox’s other palletizers, such as the successful Highrunner HR7 and Highrunner HR9 for container unloading. In other words, the HR8 is built with proven technology that guarantees high availability and low operating costs.