Executive summary The push-type pallet changer transfers fully stacked pallet loads horizontally from incoming pallets onto target outgoing pallets without tilting or inverting the cargo. Operating as a stationary handling unit, the system pairs a full-face pusher plate with an integrated pallet collection device that automatically stacks empty pallets for batch removal. Forklifts or connected infeed lines supply the load, and the system discharges the palletized goods ready for warehousing, cleanroom entry, or downstream transport.
Table of Contents
- What the machine does
- Why change pallets
- Time per load
- What we set per site
- Selection checklist
- Safety
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What the machine does
| Step | Machine action |
|---|---|
| Infeed | A forklift sets a carton load on an incoming pallet into the transfer station |
| Push | The full-face pusher plate slides the whole load horizontally onto the receiving pallet |
| Collection | The empty pallet moves into the collection device, which stacks it automatically |
| Outfeed | The forklift lifts the transferred load on its new pallet from the discharge station |
| Layout | The machine operates freestanding on the warehouse floor with pallet collection at the outfeed side |
One cycle moves the whole load: the palletized cargo enters on the incoming pallet, the pusher plate advances across the bed and slides the complete stack onto the receiving pallet, and the emptied pallet is carried into the collection device. Because the load stays bottom-supported throughout the stroke, cartons, boxes and shrink-wrapped goods keep their alignment instead of being picked and restacked by hand.
Why change pallets
- Hygiene. Swap wooden or dirty pallets for clean plastic ones before storage or production areas.
- Pallet pooling. Return your own pallets and ship on export or pool pallets.
- No hand restacking. The whole load moves in one push.
- Tidy pallets. Empty pallets stack in one place for forklift pick-up.
During the entire transfer stroke, the load remains bottom-supported without rotation or tilting. The mechanical travel is driven by an industrial hydraulic cylinder equipped with heavy-duty leak-resistant valves, engineered to operate either as an independent standalone workstation or integrated into a broader conveyorized fabric flow system [manufacturer rating].
Time per load
Worked example (illustrative).
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Loads to change per shift (illustrative) | 120 |
| Hand restacking per load (illustrative) | 10 min |
| Hand time per shift, 120 × 10 | 1,200 min, 20 labour hours across the crew |
| Machine cycle per load (illustrative) | 1 min |
| Machine time per shift, 120 × 1 | 120 min, 2 h |
Read against each other, the two rows are the whole case for the machine: the same 120 loads that cost a crew 20 labour hours by hand take 2 h of machine time, a saving of about 18 h per shift in this illustrative count. The real figure depends on loads per hour, load stability and the distance between infeed and discharge points, so we confirm the cycle per site in the proposal rather than quoting one number for every layout.
What we set per site
| Setting | Depends on |
|---|---|
| Push stroke | Pallet size |
| Pusher height | Load height |
| Collection | Pallets per stack |
| Infeed | Forklift or conveyor |
Push stroke follows the larger of the two pallet sizes so the full load clears the bed in one pass. Pusher height follows the tallest load, and the collection capacity is set by how many empties you want buffered before a forklift collects the stack. Where loads arrive on a conveyor instead of a forklift, the infeed height and roller section are matched to the upstream line.
Selection checklist
- Pallet sizes in and out.
- Load height and weight.
- Loads per hour.
- Pallet types, wood or plastic.
- Forklift or conveyor feed.
- Floor space.
Safety
- Keep clear of the pusher while it moves.
- Stay out of the machine while the forklift sets a load.
- Lock out before clearing a stuck pallet.
- For CE markets, the machine is designed to ISO 12100 and EN 415-10.
Engineering FAQ
Q: What does a pallet changer do? A: It moves a whole load from one pallet to another.
Q: How does the push type work? A: A full-face pusher plate slides the bottom-supported load across onto the new pallet without tilting it.
Q: What happens to empty pallets? A: The collection device stacks them for forklift pick-up.
Q: How much time does it save? A: About 18 h per shift in the worked example.
Q: Can it feed from a conveyor? A: Yes, forklift or conveyor feed can be set.
Q: Which standards apply? A: For CE markets, ISO 12100 and EN 415-10.
Next step
We match a pallet changer in three steps:
- Submit your layout drawing with pallet sizes, load heights and loads per hour, to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a proposal within 48 hours with the machine data and layout.
- Book a site survey so we confirm the warehouse layout.
Related reading
- Pallet Inverter for Load Turning
- Inline Turntable Pallet Wrapper
- Pallet Wrapping and Strapping Machine, M Type
- Automatic packing lines
Sources
- Machine content: FHOPE engineering team, 2026-10-10
- Product specification: Pushing Type Pallet Changers – Packing Machine By Pushing Method
- Clip: the video on YouTube
- Time per load: our worked example, illustrative values
- Standards scope: ISO 12100:2010; EN 415-10:2014
- Proposal timing: approved house CTA (proposal within 48 hours)
Last reviewed: 2026-10-29
