Robot selection is only one part of a successful palletizing system—choosing the right partner for a robotic palletizing project can be more consequential than selecting the robot itself. The integrator who engineers, builds, programs, and supports the full cell determines whether your system reaches production targets efficiently or requires significant adjustment during startup.
This guide includes key questions to help manufacturers evaluate an integrator’s experience, engineering capabilities, project approach, and long-term support. Each section also includes a brief example of how AMT approaches the issue, giving manufacturers a practical point of comparison as they evaluate potential integration partners.
Key Takeaways
How AMT approaches it: AMT draws on decades of automation integration experience to evaluate palletizing applications based on the product, production requirements, operating conditions, and surrounding equipment.
General robotics experience does not equal palletizing expertise. Your integrator should be able to discuss completed projects that match your product type, case sizes, and line speed requirements.
Ask for customer references in your industry and take the time to speak with them. Inquire about the integrator’s communication, responsiveness, technical problem-solving, and ability to manage challenges during commissioning. Complex automation projects often require adjustments along the way, so understanding how an integrator works through those challenges can be just as valuable as reviewing the final system performance.
How AMT approaches it: AMT designs palletizing tooling as part of the overall system, allowing tooling performance and necessary adjustments to be addressed directly during integration and commissioning.
The gripper or vacuum tool that interacts directly with your product plays a critical role in whether the cell can consistently meet cycle-time and handling requirements. An integrator that designs palletizing tooling in-house can make adjustments more quickly during commissioning and respond directly to performance issues as they arise.
When tooling is designed by a third party, revisions may require coordination with an outside supplier, which can add time during startup. Ask who is responsible for tooling performance and how changes will be handled if the system does not meet the agreed-upon cycle-time or handling requirements.
How AMT approaches it: AMT holds FANUC Level V Integrator status and is also an A3 Certified Robot Integrator. Learn more about AMT’s certifications.
Many major robot manufacturers maintain authorized or certified integrator programs. FANUC, for example, has an Authorized System Integrator (ASI) program that recognizes integrators who meet its requirements for working with FANUC robotic systems. Authorization can provide manufacturers with another way to assess an integrator’s familiarity with a specific robot platform.
The A3 Robotic Integrator Certification Program provides a separate, independent form of verification by evaluating an integrator’s business practices, technical processes, and personnel qualifications.
Authorized or certified integrators may also have access to manufacturer training, technical resources, and support channels that can be valuable during system design, commissioning, and service. Verify an integrator’s current status through the manufacturer’s or certifying organization’s public directory.
How AMT approaches it: AMT incorporates applicable robot safety requirements, risk assessment, and safety validation into the overall system engineering process. Learn more about safety risk assessments in AMT’s eBook.
Industrial robot systems in the U.S. are designed with reference to recognized safety standards that govern how industrial robot applications are engineered, integrated, and validated. The current ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025 standard replaced the 2012 edition and aligns with ISO 10218-1:2025 and ISO 10218-2:2025. Because these standards were recently updated, ask which edition the integrator is following and how those requirements are being applied throughout the system.
Also ask who on the integrator’s team is responsible for conducting and documenting the formal risk assessment, how safety validation will be completed, and whether those activities are included in the quoted scope. For collaborative robot palletizing applications, this review is especially important because operators may work in close proximity to the system.
How AMT approaches it: AMT evaluates the palletizing system as part of the broader production process, considering product flow, material handling, controls, and interactions with upstream and downstream equipment.
A palletizer operates as part of a larger production line, connecting with equipment such as case erectors, packers, sealers, labelers, conveyors, and stretch wrappers, so the integrator should evaluate how the entire process works together rather than focusing only on the palletizing cell.
Ask how the integrator analyzes upstream and downstream equipment, product flow, controls, and handoff points to identify potential bottlenecks or synchronization issues. A strong integration approach should improve the overall process without creating new constraints elsewhere in the line.
How AMT approaches it: For mixed-load applications, AMT can integrate vision, robotic guidance, and specialized software with the palletizing system to address variations in case size, product sequence, and placement requirements.
Mixed-load palletizing requires the system to account for variation in case size, product sequence, and pallet placement rather than relying only on predetermined patterns. Ask the integrator how incoming products are identified, how placement decisions are made, and whether the system can adjust in real time as conditions change.
For applications with significant variation in case size, product sequence, or pallet placement requirements, technologies such as 3D vision and specialized software can help measure incoming cases, determine appropriate placement, and verify that each case is positioned as intended. The integrator should be able to explain how these technologies are incorporated into the overall palletizing process and how the system responds when actual conditions differ from the expected pattern.
How AMT approaches it: AMT defines the proposed system scope, responsibilities, and project requirements so customers can understand what is included and how potential changes will be handled.
Quotes from different integrators can vary significantly. In many cases, some of that difference may come from what each proposal includes or excludes. Comparing the total scope—not just the quoted price—can give you a more accurate picture of the true project cost. Items such as electrical hookup, compressed air, foundation work, freight, installation labor, and additional operator training may be handled differently from one proposal to another.
Request a clearly defined scope from each integrator covering both included and excluded items. Ask how engineering change orders are handled, how additional costs are determined, and what types of changes fall within the original project scope. A transparent change-management process helps the manufacturer and integrator maintain alignment throughout the project.
How AMT approaches it: AMT establishes project-specific testing and acceptance requirements so system performance can be evaluated against agreed-upon criteria during FAT and SAT.
A robotic palletizing project should include clearly defined factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT), with measurable criteria established before the system is built. Those criteria may include throughput, uptime, reject rate, product handling, and other application-specific performance requirements measured over a defined production run.
FAT verifies the system at the integrator’s facility before shipment, while SAT confirms performance after installation in the manufacturer’s production environment. Because conditions at the plant may differ from those at the integrator’s facility, some adjustments may still be required after FAT. If payments are tied to acceptance milestones, the project agreement should specify what payments are due after successful FAT and SAT.
How AMT approaches it: AMT provides ongoing field support for troubleshooting, debugging, system changes, and new product introductions.
Even a well-engineered automation system may require programming adjustments, tooling changes, maintenance, or support as production requirements evolve. Ask what ongoing support is available after commissioning and final system acceptance, including remote diagnostics, response times, spare parts recommendations, and support for future product or process changes.
How AMT approaches it: AMT designs automation systems for specialized production environments, including cold, wet, food and beverage, dusty, and chemically corrosive conditions, with equipment, materials, and controls selected to meet the demands of the operating environment.
Production environments can introduce requirements that affect equipment selection, materials, controls, and system design. Cold storage, washdown areas, food and beverage facilities, high-temperature environments, dusty conditions, and other specialized applications may require specific ratings, materials, or design standards.
Ask the integrator about experience in environments similar to yours and how those conditions will be addressed during system design. Environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, sanitation requirements, dust, corrosion, and exposure to chemicals can influence both system reliability and long-term maintenance.
Choosing a palletizing integrator can affect far more than the initial installation. The decisions made during system design and integration can influence production performance, ease of maintenance, future product changes, operator interaction, and the total cost of ownership over the life of the system.
The questions in this guide are intended to help manufacturers look beyond the initial proposal and evaluate how an integrator approaches application experience, tooling, robot-platform expertise, safety, line integration, product variation, project scope, acceptance testing, ongoing support, and specialized operating environments. Answers to these questions can provide a clearer picture of both technical fit and how the integrator is likely to manage the project from design through long-term support.
AMT has integrated automation systems across a wide range of manufacturing applications since 1989. If you are evaluating a robotic palletizing project, contact AMT to discuss your application and system requirements.
Look for experience with applications similar to yours, a clear engineering and project-management process, defined safety and acceptance criteria, and a plan for long-term support. The strongest evaluation considers how the integrator approaches the complete system rather than focusing on any single factor.
Manufacturer authorization or certification can provide another indication of an integrator’s experience with a specific robot platform. Authorized integrators may also have access to manufacturer training, technical resources, and support channels that can be useful during design, commissioning, and service.[CM1]
Request a clearly defined scope from each integrator, including both included and excluded items. Normalize proposals for differences in tooling, installation labor, training, safeguarding hardware, and other scope items before comparing total project cost.
Define measurable performance criteria for both factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT). Depending on the application, those criteria may include throughput, uptime, reject rate, product handling, and other agreed-upon performance requirements. The project agreement should also identify which payment milestones are tied to successful completion of each test.
Yes. Mixed-load palletizing systems can use technologies such as 3D vision and specialized software to identify varying case sizes, determine pallet placement, and adjust as product sequences change. The specific approach depends on the product mix, pallet requirements, throughput targets, and level of variability in the application.
Ask about response times, remote diagnostic capabilities, spare parts recommendations, preventive maintenance, and support for future product or process changes. Also clarify how service is provided after final system acceptance and who will be responsible for ongoing technical support.
Ready to Evaluate Your Palletizing Application?
Choosing the right integration partner starts with understanding your application, production requirements, and long-term goals. AMT can help assess your palletizing needs and identify the automation approach that best fits your operation.