Automated pallet inspection and repair

摘要

An automatic pallet inspection cell 10 comprises one or two multi axis robot arms 14, 15 which terminate in either internal or exterior pallet grippers. The robots are used to transport a gripped pallet 12 through an automated inspection station 16 which compiles a three dimensional data map of a pallet surface. A processor interprets the map and produces a recipe for the robot(s). One or more stations 17, 18, 19 conduct pallet repair operations that are specified by the recipe. A method for levelling a pallet prior to board removal by a band saw 17 is also disclosed, characterised by rolling the pallet relative to a blade of the band saw to a first and second roll angle, and positioning the pallet at a position which is an average of the first and second roll angles. This application is directed to the above method for levelling the pallet by such averaging.