In context
In early 2023, supply chain disruptions remained a top concern for manufacturers and retailers, with nearly 90% of surveyed companies citing sudden stops as a major risk. Many firms were planning increased investments in automation to improve flexibility and transparency, creating demand for more robust warehouse solutions.
What was reported
Körber Supply Chain introduced Downstream, a turnkey robotic system for de-palletizing pallets to trays. The company claims it is the first automated logistics supplier to offer a complete solution for separating goods from pallet to tray, addressing a common pain point in distribution centers.
The system automatically separates each pallet layer into individual items, which can be turned and tilted to fit into trays before being conveyed for further distribution. It is designed to handle variations in product packaging, slip sheets, and assortment changes—typical causes of errors and downtime in automated logistics.
Downstream is estimated to sort up to 2,400 items per hour, with trays holding between one and six items. The AI-based solution tracks each product throughout the process, enabling fully automatic operation without manual intervention. It can be integrated with other integrator solutions, and its software can be adapted to the specific quantities and sizes of a distribution center.
“We now make the complex easy, and our system effortlessly sorts a pallet into smaller packages for distribution.” — René Kahr, product manager, Körber Supply Chain
Why it mattered
By offering a complete, reliable pallet-to-tray solution, Körber aimed to reduce downtime and improve productivity in distribution centers, addressing a critical bottleneck in automated logistics. The system's adaptability and AI-driven tracking signaled a move toward more flexible, future-proof automation that could handle evolving product assortments, potentially influencing broader adoption of turnkey robotic solutions in warehouse operations.
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2023-03-31 · “Körber develops new robotic system for de-palletizing pallets to trays”