Depalletizers in Houston, TX — Empty Bottles, Cans & Glass Onto the Line at High Rates
Bulk depalletizers are designed to handle empty round or non-round PET bottles, cans, or glass containers at high rates — sweeping the load off layer by layer, stripping the dunnage automatically, and stacking the empty pallets. Lone Star Automated Systems supplies, installs, and integrates the complete system.
Every Station of a Bulk Depalletizer, Labeled
One machine, one continuous cycle: pallets in on conveyor, containers out in single file, dunnage stacked, and empty pallets away — no operator inside the guarding.
How a Layer Comes Off — Step by Step
Full pallets arrive on pallet conveyor. Product pre-squaring prior to entering the hoist insures the containers are within the sweep area before the sweep cycle — pneumatically operated pivoting side walls and entry doors are standard on most machines.
A heavy-duty hoist (elevator) indexes the load up so the top layer sits level with the discharge bed — one layer height at a time, every cycle.
The sweep carriage, with product capture flaps steadying the containers, pushes the entire layer across the load support table onto the accumulation bed.
Automatic dunnage removal is provided with grippers — typically pneumatically operated — for chipboard removal and stacking, with tier sheet fingers handling the exposed sheet each cycle.
Each layer lands on a discharge accumulator bed designed to a required length, metering containers onto the take-away conveyor — usually cable or air conveyor — toward the filler.
An empty pallet stacker and pallet conveyor finalize the process — pallets accumulate in a stack for forklift removal instead of one-at-a-time handling.
Round in Mass, Non-Round by the Row
Full-Layer Mass Sweep
Round PET bottles, cans, and glass sweep off as complete layers onto the accumulation bed, where mass flow meters them into single file downstream. Adjustments are usually available to run various products on the same machine — changeover, not replacement.
Stripper Mechanism, Row by Row
A stripper mechanism is required for non-round containers — stripping a row from each layer onto the take-away conveyor, usually cable or air conveyor. Squares, ovals, and F-styles get the controlled handling their geometry demands.
Downstream, the depalletizer feeds your filler; upstream it pairs with pallet conveyor and forklift staging. Its mirror twin — the palletizer — closes the loop at the other end of the plant, and one controls package can run both.
Depalletizer FAQs
What is a bulk depalletizer?
A machine that takes pallets of empty containers — round or non-round PET bottles, cans, or glass — and feeds them onto the line at high rates, layer by layer: hoist indexes up, each layer sweeps onto an accumulation bed designed to a required length, and dunnage strips automatically.
How does a depalletizer work?
Pallets arrive and are pre-squared into the sweep area → the hoist raises the load → the sweep carriage pushes the top layer onto the discharge accumulator bed → grippers remove the tier sheet → the hoist indexes up → repeat. An empty pallet stacker and pallet conveyor finalize the process.
Round vs. non-round containers — what changes?
How are tier sheets and dunnage handled?
Automatically — pneumatically operated grippers remove and stack the chipboard each cycle, with optional picture frame and tier sheet handling, so operators never climb into the machine.
Can one machine run different container types?
Usually yes — adjustments are available to run various products on the same machine, with pneumatic pivoting side walls and entry doors standard on most machines and pre-squaring keeping every format within the sweep area.
Do you install depalletizers in Houston?
Yes — supplied, installed, and integrated with take-away conveyor, pallet stacking, and controls throughout Houston, the Gulf Coast, and all of Texas. Call 713-532-4444 for a quote.
Depalletizing System Design & Installation Across Texas
Lone Star Automated Systems is headquartered at 2500 Citywest Blvd., STE 150, Houston, TX 77042 and serves bottlers, canners, food and beverage plants, and consumer products manufacturers throughout the Gulf Coast and statewide.
Feeding a Line From Bulk Pallets?
Tell us your containers, rates, and dunnage format. We'll size the depalletizer, spec the take-away conveyor, and quote the complete infeed system.
713-532-4444