Not all automation is complex. Simple can be better. Many small and mid-sized pallet shops have found success using semi-automated machines to boost production. One of the leaders in this area since it first came on the scene in 1994 is Bronco Pallet Systems.
Morris Self, owner of Bronco Pallet Systems, recounted that he and his father, the late M.L. Self, started the company while trying to boost pallet production at their own plant. Morris Self said, “We ran a pallet shop and built the first machine for ourselves with no intention of getting in the pallet machinery business. Our prototype ended up cutting our labor in half while boosting production, so we built three more. Then, word of mouth just spread as our nail supplier started talking about our success to other pallet manufacturers.”
Simple Is Better for Many Pallet Shops
Since its early days, Bronco has focused on simple solutions to solve ergonomic problems especially related to nailing and stacking pallets compared to hand-built tables. Morris explained, “We’re building pallets, not pianos. If we had piano lumber and piano specs, then you could build everything with robots. It’d be no problem. But you know how the pallet world is. They have some irregular lumber they’re trying to squeeze through there just to make it work and make money. Bronco nailers are ideal for these situations. I don’t want them to have to change their lumber, their people or make things more complex just to ‘automate.’”
And there are many happy customers that agree. Greg Palmer, pallet plant supervisor for Ground Zero Wood Products of Saginaw, Michigan admitted, “I have looked at more automated systems and don’t want one. I believe I can produce a better pallet on a Bronco by ensuring proper board and nail placement and checking the quality of each board that I use.”
Greg has been with the company for over seven years. He recounted, “Our Bronco nailer is a very robust, durable piece of equipment. I have built about three million pallets on the Bronco nailer and haven’t spent too much on it in terms of maintenance and have only had two minor breakdowns during that time.”
Ground Zero Wood Products bought a refurbished Bronco 2001 nailer years ago and has received speedy support from Bronco’s staff. Greg stated, “Even brand new, the Bronco units are much more affordable than other solutions on the market. We bought a used system in the past, which is very affordable. My boss tells me that the Bronco nailer has paid for itself 100 times over.”
The basic Bronco nailers provide a movable jig that makes it easy to change over in 10 minutes or so to new designs. Ground Zero produces a lot of 32×48 and 40×48 pallets using softwood produced from its sawmill. The company procures cants and cuts them to make pallet stock for its own operations and other pallet companies in the area.
Greg likes the simplicity of the machine and its dependability. He said, “The Bronco nailer is very simple to use. I can make a lot more pallets on the machine than by hand, and the Bronco system reduces the wear on me.”
Ground Zero is looking to upgrade its system to a newer model to add capacity and provide a backup as the company looks to do some well-deserved maintenance on the old system. Greg said, “Getting a new Bronco will help us keep people and ensure that they are fresh for the job each day.”
Greg added, “Bronco nailers require little maintenance and keep on producing pallets day-in and day-out.”
Simple Automation Works
Morris Self believes in the reliability of simple automation. He revealed, “What has attracted customers to our simple solutions is that you can basically double production over what you can achieve with hand-built pallets on tables.”
Some companies are eyeing these semi-automated solutions looking for versatility and ease of use. Morris explained, “Many customers are looking for fully automated solutions to save labor. But I am able to show them how our systems are simpler to operate, easier to train, easier to maintain with similar production per person. Maintenance downtime and costs are much higher on a fully automated line. Plus, those systems take much longer to change over per pallet compared to 10 to 15 minutes max for a Bronco nailer.”
Bronco offers ten different models. The two standard models are the 3001 and 3006 semi-automated nailing systems. Operators build the bottom first and then they flip it over to finish the top deck. They just pull it toward them and let it slide. And it flops over. Then they finish the top and then it sends it in stacks automatically. These units come with a movable jig that can be quickly repositioned for various size configurations. The jig has board spacers for top and bottom boards.
Morris said, “Although we offer fully automated lines, our most popular models are the 3001 and 3006 semi-automated nailers which use nail guns hanging from a tool balancer. These systems are extremely versatile. Customers can build 350-400 pallets per shift on one machine with one operator.”
The 3001 and 3006 have a very small footprint and can be easily moved and repositioned. They only require 7×11 feet in floor space. A big labor saver is that the machine stacks the pallets taking the wear and tear off the worker. The stacks are nice and neat unlike what is typical with hand construction. When you have the machine stacking it, they’re straight. Operators don’t waste any time fiddling with the stack. The 3001 and 3006 models can produce a wide variety of sizes from 36×36 to 52×52 in footprint.
Morris explained, “The 3001 and 3006 models are very versatile. Some people even pick them up and put them in place, use them for a week and then move to another location. And use them somewhere else.”
The big difference between these two popular models is that the 3006 actually ejects the stack. While the 3001 stack pallets, each stack has to be unloaded manually. Bronco also offers additional conveyance if needed.
Bronco nailers are designed to conserve energy, Morris said, “The motor only runs when the pallet is moving. The air is only used when the pallet is moving. Compared to some of the other machines, it uses less energy and less air.”
“Another benefit of Broncos is you can use lumber that doesn’t function well in fully automatic nailers. You can mix those ugly boards in the middle and the Bronco nailers work great,” said Morris.
Over-sized Pallets Without the People and Pain
One of the biggest challenges for many pallet companies is the production of over-sized designs. These designs also are among the most profitable if done right. Over-sized pallets are becoming more common and are desirable to create a niche that others cannot easily copy.
Morris commented, “The nailers that are selling the best right now are our machines to build over-sized pallets. There’s not many of the other pallet machinery manufacturers that offer machines for producing really large pallets. Many companies are completely making these by hand with four to six people. It’s very labor intensive. We offer solutions that allow companies to produce over-sized pallets with one to two people.”
Bronco’s standard system for over-sized pallets produces a 60"x10’pallet although it has constructed a system capable of making a 60"x30’ pallet. There are some limitations on human reach and pallet size. Morris explained, “When you get past 60 inches, standing up one person can’t hardly reach it. About 65 inches is the largest footprint that our system can feasibly produce. Otherwise, you have to bend over to get to the bottom.”
This system can produce one pallet every minute with minimal machinery footprint. It also works well with recycled lumber.
Block Pallet Production
If you want to jump into block pallets without a huge investment, Bronco offers a three-station block pallet assembly system. Morris said, “We take a simple approach. You make the top on one station, the bottoms on the other and put them together in the middle station. If you have three workers, you can build one pallet every minute.”
This Bronco nailer comes with a stacker and bin for blocks. It can be used to produce a wide variety of block pallet styles including ones that require a clinch nail for the top deck. Morris commented, “We can clinch a nail on our system. You just shoot the nail at an angle. It’s a quarter inch thick metal table. And there are some nails that are made to clench, but you can take your regular nail and shoot it with just a slight angle. And it’ll curl it right back into the board and make a nice, smooth connection. There’s no sharp metal sticking out.”
Pallet Recycling Lines Too… Simplified
Although Bronco established its reputation in the new pallet side, Bronco also offers pallet recycling equipment as well. Instead of doing a presort before the recovery line. Bronco tries to reduce the times you touch a pallet. Morris explained, “Everything comes to the repair system. If it’s a good pallet, it’s sent off to be re-stacked. If it’s a recycle pallet, they fix it. If it’s a pallet to be completely dismantled, they put it on a stack to be sent to the dismantler. That’s all done in one swoop.”
Bronco recovery lines include conveyors, repair tables, a dismantler and stackers. Bronco also uses a leverage force dismantler versus a bandsaw approach. Commonly referred to as a Minick style dismantler, the benefit is there are no bandsaw blades to replace regularly. The one drawback is you do have to perform additional cutting and prep work on any boards that you intend to reclaim.
Easy Financing and Solid Warranty
Even though Bronco solutions are fairly affordable, anyone who wants to buy a system using credit and financing can talk with Ian Liddell of Accord Financing Group for assistance. For more information email ian@accordlease.com or call (513) 605-1059. Morris said that Bronco's finance partner, Ian Liddell, has a solid reputation for working with people that have not traditionally financed and want to put no money down on the equipment
Another reason you can rest easy is that all Bronco systems come with a five-year parts warranty. If a part breaks during the coverage period, Bronco will replace it free of charge, customer only pays the shipping costs. The machines are designed to require minimal maintenance. Basically, you clean out the air lines, drain the filter and fill up the oilier occasionally and you put grease on the fittings every two months. Morris said, “Our systems are pretty simple. While they aren’t bulletproof, they are robust and require minimal maintenance.”
Morris suggested, “I have some customers who have sold their, high-maintenance, fully automatic nailers and put three to four workers pumping out pallets on Broncos. They’re making the same per man production. The maintenance and upkeep is much easier even on multiple Bronco nailers. You can produce a lot more sizes at one time with faster changeover times. Broncos are simpler to use and train. It’s a different way to look at automation. But it just works.”
Morris summed up the current labor shortage. “Today, it is hard to hire skilled labor; it’s hard to hire any labor, and our automation solutions help you reduce headcount for less than other solutions on the market.”
For more information on Bronco Pallet Systems, call (800) 458-5462 or visit www.broncosys.com.
