The basic purpose of pallet changer system is to automatically transfer any work piece towards the working area. Generally, in the production setting where absolute automation is needed, this is needed.

By using a certain pallet changer, which in French is called retourneur de palette you can ensure a smooth exchange of the finished product with an unfinished piece of product that needs to be processed further. These systems can be manual or automated.

Let us discuss the concept of a pallet changer in the background of a manufacturing process line where machined products are manufactured out of a raw material piece. 

Pallet Changers Types

In a manufacturing line, pallets are always used in transporting finished products or raw parts from once place to another. These pallet systems lessen the time for loading and offloading.

There are 3 types of pallet turners or changers that you can find in several industries.

  • Manual pallet systems

In this situation, an operator needs to physically load and unload every pallet in the production line, with the raw or finished parts, from or to a docking station that is located and mounted on the top of the machine table. 

Out of all the options that we will discuss, this is going to be the most laborious and also the least automated version. However, a certain amount of reduction in downtime can be achieved with this system.

  • Automated pallet systems

These kinds of pallets will normally be already built into your machine and can be operated automatically by your machine itself.

The human intervention will only come while loading and unloading the raw as well as finished parts at the pallet station.

  • Robotic pallet systems

In this system, a human operator is replaced by a robot, which will load and also unload pallets. Often such robots can serve one to multiple machines if the situation ever demands. 

However, this kind of system can be quite expensive and only suitable for a very high–volume production setup. For any cost–sensitive market where production capacity is not very high, this may not be pragmatic to use them.

However, the technology is constantly improving and in near future, there may also be a cost–effective solution will be available where a robotic pallet system can be used even for a low production setup.

Usually, such systems are preferred where the cost of labour is very high or there is a shortage of skilled manpower. When highly specific and customised manufacturing requirements are needed, these systems may encounter difficulties.

Choose the right pallet changer solution


With the right selection of your equipment, the efficiency of your production line and also workers can be enhanced. Investing in old equipment that needs regular repairs and modifications cannot improve the productivity of the company. 

The latest up–to–date technologies are what your production line will need. Using any obsolete equipment in your production line will reduce productivity, waste your time on futile repairs, and hence will cost more money, and put your company at disadvantage against your competitors.