The launch of Haver & Boecker’s AMICUS Advanced Robot Family of de-palletising and palletising equipment has been designed to bring full automation to dry bulk product packing lines.
Until recently, automation in the bulk handling sector often stopped short of the start and end of the packing line. While filling and sealing systems were automated, the tasks of feeding empty bags into the line and stacking filled bags onto pallets still relied heavily on manual handling.
Haver & Boecker’s AMICUS Advanced Robot Family changes this. Comprising the DEPAL and PAL Editions, the new system provides automated bag handling from the moment an empty bag bundle arrives on a pallet and again when filled bags or containers are ready for palletising and transport.
“The AMICUS robots complete the automation puzzle,” Haver & Boecker Australia sales engineer Alexander Santi said. “Paired with an automatic bag handler such as our RADIMAT-PATHFINDER, customers can finally run a fully automated line from start to finish – boosting throughput, improving worker safety, and ensuring consistent 24/7 performance.
“Right now, a lot of bulk handling operations in Australia are dealing with labour shortages. It’s difficult to find and retain staff for physically demanding repetitive roles. Or they need to increase capacity but don’t have the space to do so. The AMICUS robots and RADIMAT-PATHFINDER fill these gaps – they take on the heavy work and allow businesses to redeploy people into higher-value tasks and facilitate greater production in constrained spaces,” Santi said.
Smart depalletising
At the start of the line, the AMICUS DEPAL takes on the physically demanding task of depalletising empty valve bags. Using advanced image recognition and a unique end-of-arm tool, the robot identifies unstrapped bundles of 15 to 20 bags, grips them securely, and transfers them to the automatic bag placer.
Despite its compact design, the DEPAL has the capacity to output up to 6000 bags per hour under continuous 24/7 operation and can accommodate different bag sizes without tool changes.
“Manually handling empty bags can be repetitive and physically demanding work. By automating this step, the DEPAL not only increases efficiency but also reduces fatigue and injury risks for staff. It’s about creating a safer, smarter workplace,” Santi said.
Space constraints are a common challenge in Australian bulk handling plants, where packing lines are often retrofitted into existing facilities.
Haver & Boecker’s RADIMAT-PATHFINDER helps solve this issue by enabling empty bag feeding from outside the immediate packing area, even from another building or floor.
The system works by transporting empty valve bags from the AMICUS DEPAL, where they are separated from a bundle or reel. Each bag is then transferred onto the RADIMAT-PATHFINDER single-bag conveying unit, which delivers it directly to the packing machine. At the end of the line, the single-bag feeder shoots the bags safely and reliably onto the filling spouts, synchronising with the speed of the packing machine.This innovation helps ensure continuous, operator-independent feeding and allows plants to fully maximise packing machine performance. By relocating bag magazines away from the packer, manufacturers can free up valuable floor space while maintaining efficiency.
“The RADIMAT-PATHFINDER gives our customers real flexibility,” Santi said.
“If space is tight, you can place your bag supply in another part of the facility and still achieve seamless, automatic feeding.
“It means you don’t have to redesign your packing hall to benefit from automation.”
Precision palletising
At the other end of the line, the AMICUS PAL palletiser completes the process by stacking filled bags, boxes, pails or drums onto pallets.
Its intuitive human-machine interface adapts to country-specific pallet sizes and diverse container types, while optional slip sheet, film and pallet magazines offer extra flexibility.
Key capabilities include the capacity to lift bags weighing five to 50 kg, supporting a throughput of up to 1200 bags per hour, and can work with one or two packing machines simultaneously.
“The PAL is extremely versatile. We see customers using it not just for bags but for a wide variety of containers,” Santi said.
“Its adaptability means it can fit into almost any plant layout and application.
“When you put it all together, the AMICUS family gives operations more certainty. You’re not relying on manual intervention, and you’re not dealing with bottlenecks. The robots just keep working.”
Both AMICUS® PAL and DEPAL robots are equipped with FANUC Dual Check Safety, allowing safe interaction between operators and machines. By eliminating the need for workers to perform repetitive heavy lifting, the system also improves health and safety outcomes.For operations with limited floor space, Haver & Boecker also offers the AMICUS Smart Cell – a compact five-metre by five-metre fully automatic packing concept.
This system integrates depalletising, bag placing, filling and palletising into a single robotic cell, achieving 120 to 150 bags per hour depending on the product.
By combining multiple functions into one tightly engineered unit, the Smart Cell helps ensure reliable and safe cycles with minimal operator input.
“As customer demands evolve, we’re seeing a real appetite for complete automation,” Santi said.
By closing the final automation gap at both ends of the packing line, Haver & Boecker said it’s helping manufacturers across industries streamline operations, reduce risk, and prepare for a more automated future.