Gantry vs robotic palletizer
The short answer: choose a gantry for a low- to medium-speed line with cases up to 65 lb and stable pallet patterns. Choose a robotic palletizer when cases are heavier, the line is faster or SKUs and patterns change often. At Odecopack the gantry starts at $99,000 and the robot at $165,000, both excluding installation.
Gantry vs robotic palletizer compared
Odecopack's two palletizers, on published figures only. Where a number is not published, the last column says what decides it for your line.
| Factor | Gantry (Cartesian) | Robotic | What decides it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $99,000 — single pallet, standard safety, excl. installation, US only | From $165,000 — standard safety, excl. installation, US only | Equipment only. Compare installed budgets, not list prices. |
| Planning budget with installation | About $118,800 | About $198,000 | Our ROI calculator's 20% installation allowance, before conveyors, site work or custom integration. |
| Payload | Up to 65 lb (32 kg) | Higher payload capacity | The loaded weight of your heaviest case, plus the gripper that has to lift it. |
| Line speed | Built for low- to medium-speed lines | Faster cycle times | Sustained cases per minute on your hardest SKU, not the peak rate on the easiest one. |
| SKU and pattern changes | Best with stable products and repeatable pallet patterns | Flexible palletizing configurations for mixed patterns and frequent changes | How many SKUs and patterns you run today, and how many you expect to launch. |
| Operation and training | Simple to operate, minimal operator training | More configuration to set up per SKU and pattern | Who will run and adjust the cell on every shift. |
| Maintenance | Nearly maintenance-free | No separate figure published; robot, gripper and controls follow a preventive plan | The maintenance capacity you have in house, and the service plan around it. |
| Floor space | Linear frame over the pallet position | Articulated arm reaching from a fixed base | Not a fixed number for either. It depends on conveyors, pallet positions, guarding and forklift access in your layout. |
How to choose in five steps
The same order our engineers work through on every palletizer quote.
Weigh the heaviest case
This is the first fork in the road. At 65 lb (32 kg) or less, the gantry stays on the table. Above that, the answer is a robotic palletizer. The gripper counts against payload too, so a case close to the limit needs a closer look.
Measure the rate you actually need
Take sustained cases per minute at the end of the line, including peaks and pallet changes. A gantry is built for low- to medium-speed lines; when the rate outruns it, a robot's faster cycle times earn their price.
Count SKUs and pallet patterns
List every case size and pattern you run, and what is coming in the next few years. Stable, repeatable patterns suit a gantry. Frequent changes and mixed patterns favor an articulated robot.
Map the real layout
Mark infeed conveyors, pallet positions, empty-pallet supply, full-pallet removal, stretch wrapping, guarding and forklift paths. Floor space is decided here, not on a brochure.
Compare installed cost and payback
Compare equipment, installation, integration and maintenance against the labor removed. On the default assumptions in our ROI calculator, the gantry pays back in about 14 months and the robot in about 23 months. Then test a conservative case with your own numbers.
Common mistakes when choosing a palletizer
Choosing on list price alone
Both starting prices exclude installation. The comparison that matters is the installed project: equipment, installation, conveyors, guarding and controls integration.
Forgetting the gripper weight
Payload is case plus tooling. A case that looks comfortably under the gantry's 65 lb ceiling can end up near it once the gripper is included.
Sizing for today's SKUs only
A gantry that fits today's single pattern can become a constraint if new case sizes or mixed pallets are already on the roadmap. Ask what the line will run in three to five years.
Assuming heavier always means gantry
General guides often say gantries are the choice for heavy loads. That depends entirely on the machine. Our gantry is rated to 65 lb; heavier cases go on our robotic palletizer.
Comparing peak speed instead of sustained output
Rate claims are usually best-case. Size the system on sustained output with your heaviest, hardest SKU and real pallet changes.
Run both options through your own numbers
The ROI calculator runs either machine on your labor cost, shifts and case weight, and flags when a case is too heavy for the gantry.
Gantry vs robotic questions
Not sure which one fits your line?
Send your heaviest case, rate, pallet pattern and layout. An Odecopack engineer will tell you whether the gantry or the robot fits, and what the installed scope looks like.
Tell us about your line
Submit your details here. Our team will respond within one business day.
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