Motion Controls Robotics adds recipe-driven HMI control to mixed-SKU palletizing

Motion Controls Robotics has introduced a mixed-SKU palletizing system that uses HMI-controlled recipes to manage product release, layer setup and pallet build sequencing. The approach is aimed at manufacturers that need retail-ready mixed pallets with less manual handling and fewer sequencing errors.

Why it matters: - Mixed-SKU pallets for grocery stores, club stores and other retail channels often require exact product counts and layer patterns. - Many facilities still rely on manual handling to build those pallets, which can increase the risk of errors. - Motion Controls Robotics’ approach is designed to remove a manual decision-making step, not just a manual labor step.

What happened: - Motion Controls Robotics unveiled a mixed-SKU palletizing system built around HMI-controlled recipes. - The system coordinates product movement, layer setup and pallet build sequences for manufacturers handling multiple product types. - The system was designed for a cereal application that uses trays. - The same approach can apply to multipacks, mixed tray products, cases and packaged goods.

The details: - Operators load product into dedicated lanes. - The HMI recipe determines which tray or product moves down the conveyor next. - The system makes multiple SKUs available to the automation cell at one time. - Trays are released based on the active pallet recipe. - Product is delivered to the robot in a controlled sequence. - The robot builds the pallet in a continuous flow. - The HMI controls product setup, layer build and pallet recipe. - Eric Hohman, lead PLC programmer at Motion Controls Robotics, said the challenge in mixed-SKU palletizing is controlling the sequence of feeding and tracking product through the system. - Hohman said the HMI gives operators a visual interface to set up the pallet recipe while the system orders product feed to the robot for a repeatable and error-free unit load. - James Skelding, vice president of sales and marketing, said the platform is standard and can be redeployed for other customers at an affordable, full turnkey price.

Between the lines: - The system leans on software and sequencing logic as much as robotics hardware. - That matters because mixed-SKU palletizing is less about raw throughput than about accuracy, repeatability and order control. - The design suggests Motion Controls Robotics is packaging a repeatable platform for broader reuse, not just a one-off custom installation.

What’s next: - Motion Controls Robotics expects the platform to be redeployed for other customers. - The company is positioning the system for broader use across retail-oriented palletizing jobs. - Scott Lang, president and CEO, said control strategy becomes just as important as the robot when product mix, order accuracy and continuous flow matter.

The bottom line: - Motion Controls Robotics is using recipe-driven HMI control to make mixed-SKU palletizing more repeatable, less manual and easier to scale across different retail packaging applications.