Characterization of a Collaborative Robotic System for Industrial Labeling Applications

Collaborative robotics is increasingly adopted in industrial environments where flexibility, safety, and human–machine interaction are required. In intralogistics applications, automated labeling of palletized goods represents a task where traditional fixed automation solutions may lack adaptability, particularly when product layouts or label formats vary frequently. This thesis investigates the feasibility of a collaborative robotic system for automated pallet labeling within an intralogistics context. The work focuses on the design and experimental evaluation of a robotic labeling workstation integrating a collaborative manipulator, industrial label printers, a vacuum-based end-effector, and a PLC-controlled automation architecture. Particular attention is devoted to the interaction between robotic manipulation, label handling mechanisms, and safety constraints typical of human–robot collaborative environments. The study presents the system architecture and the control strategy implemented through PLC coordination and robot motion control. The labeling process, including label printing, pickup, transfer, and application onto palletized products, is analyzed in terms of operational workflow and interaction with safety monitoring systems. Experimental validation was conducted in a controlled workshop environment to evaluate cycle time, handling reliability, and operational limitations of the prototype. Different suction cup configurations and label formats were tested to assess pickup robustness and application quality under realistic pallet conditions. The results confirm the technical feasibility of the proposed approach and highlight both the advantages of collaborative solutions in terms of flexibility and the practical constraints related to safety integration, system layout, and printing subsystem performance.