Executive summary A 180° load inverter turns a stacked load upside down so the pallet ends up on top, for pallet exchange, for damaged bottom layers or for a process that needs the other face up. In this clip our ring-type inverter completes the turn in about 26 s. Our FPFZ-1 180° pallet inverter is specified for loads up to 1.2 t and about 50 s per turnover, configured per project.
Table of Contents
- What the clip shows, in order
- What a 180° load inverter does
- Turnover cycle time
- FPFZ-1 specifications
- Takt check
- Selection checklist for a 180° load inverter
- Controls and safety
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
What the clip shows, in order
The clip shows one machine from one camera position. It is a large white ring-type frame with a toothed ring on its outer face, carried on pairs of support rollers, with a blue geared motor at the lower left. The load is a stack of dark boards on a pallet, held between two inner support beams.
- 0 to about 6 s. The ring is already turning, with the stack tilted at roughly 45° to 60°. A person crosses the background on the far side and does not approach the machine.
- About 6 to 12 s. The ring keeps turning and the stack passes the horizontal position.
- About 12 to 26 s. The ring completes the 180° turn. The stack is now upside down and the pallet sits on top, fully exposed. The motor runs without a visible pause.
What a 180° load inverter does
A load inverter clamps a stacked load between two platens or beams and rotates the whole package through 180°. Typical uses:
- Pallet exchange. Turn the load over, lift off the old pallet and set the load down on a new one, for example a plastic pallet for a clean area.
- Bottom-layer access. Damaged or wet bottom layers come to the top for removal.
- Process orientation. A board or sheet stack that needs its other face up for the next station.
The ring type in the clip turns on its outer ring and support rollers, so the load stays centred while it rotates and the frame needs no overhead structure.
| Inverter element | Sized by |
|---|---|
| Inner beams or platens | Load footprint and stack height |
| Clamping travel | Height range of the load |
| Ring, gear ring and rollers | Load weight and centre of gravity |
| Geared motor | Turnover time |
Turnover cycle time
| Step on the clip | Time window | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Turning, stack tilted | 0 to about 6 s | about 6 s |
| Passing horizontal | about 6 to 12 s | about 6 s |
| Completing 180°, pallet on top | about 12 to 26 s | about 14 s |
| Whole visible turn | 0 to about 26 s | about 26 s |
The clip starts with the ring already in motion, so clamping before the turn and unclamping after it are outside the 26 s. Our FPFZ-1 page quotes about 50 s per turnover, which is the figure we plan with.
FPFZ-1 specifications
| FPFZ-1 180° pallet inverter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Load size | L1200 × W1100 to 1200 × H1200 to 2000 mm |
| Turnover capacity | max. 1.2 t |
| Turnover time | about 50 s |
| Turnover angle | 180° |
| Motor power | about 2.2 kW |
| Power supply | 380 V, 50 Hz, three phase five wire |
| Operation | wireless remote control |
Takt check
For an illustrative target of 30 loads per hour, the takt is 3,600 ÷ 30 = 120 s per load. At about 50 s per turnover there are about 70 s left for the fork-lift or conveyor to bring the load in and take it out. That is comfortable for one inverter. If the pallet is exchanged inside the cycle, add the time for that step.
Selection checklist for a 180° load inverter
- Load length, width and height range, with the pallet.
- Load weight and how stable the stack is.
- Purpose: pallet exchange, bottom-layer access or face-up change.
- Loading method: fork-lift, pallet truck or conveyor.
- Floor space and clearance around the rotating ring.
- Takt, including clamping, the turn and unloading.
Controls and safety
The rotating ring, the support rollers and the gear ring are the danger zones. In the clip nobody comes near the ring while it turns. Keep everyone outside the rotating area while the inverter runs, and use the wireless remote from a position with a clear view of the whole ring.
Stop, isolate and lock out the inverter before anyone reaches into the ring or works on the load, and never leave a load clamped and turned with the drive isolated unless it is mechanically supported.
The standards that apply depend on the destination market. For CE markets, EN 415-10 covers general requirements for packaging machines and ISO 12100 sets the risk-assessment method, which fixes guarding and the emergency-stop arrangement.
Engineering FAQ
Q: How long does a 180° turnover take? A: On the clip the visible turn takes about 26 s. Our FPFZ-1 page quotes about 50 s per turnover, which we use for takt planning.
Q: What load does the FPFZ-1 take? A: Up to 1.2 t and L1200 × W1100 to 1200 × H1200 to 2000 mm, turned 180°, with a 2.2 kW motor.
Q: Why turn a board stack over? A: To exchange the pallet, to bring damaged bottom layers to the top, or to present the other face to the next station.
Next step
We size a 180° load inverter in three steps:
- Submit your layout drawing with the load size, weight, purpose of the turn and takt, to info@fhopepack.com.
- Receive a proposal within 48 hours, including the clamping arrangement and the cycle check against your takt.
- Book a site survey so we confirm the loading method, the floor and the clearance around the ring.
Related reading
- 180° pallet inverter FPFZ-1
- Coil upender and tilter machines
- Coil tilter with sliding table
- Coil tilter and upender for palletised coils
Sources
- Inverter specifications: 180° pallet inverter FPFZ-1 product page
- Clip timing: frame timings taken from the clip, 2 s between frames
- Machine in action: our video on YouTube
- Standards scope: ISO 12100:2010, EN 415-10:2014
Last reviewed: 2026-10-05
