Pallet Inverter Buyer’s Guide

Pallet inverters are essential for any time a pallet needs to be turned. Because they provide smooth transfers with just the push of a button or pull of a lever, pallet inverters boost efficiency and reduce waste for your business. Pallet load inverters eliminate the need to stack and re-stack pallets by hand, which reduces the risk of damaging products and means your workers can spend more time completing other tasks. Our top of the line technology provides solutions for tilting, rotating, and transferring loads of any size and content type. We have over 30 years of material handling experience, so you can trust our pallet inverters to get the job done.

No matter the needs of your business, Cherry’s has a pallet inverter for you. And if we don’t — we’ll create one. Choose from our variety of pallet inverter sizes and models or let us customize a pallet inverter just for your business. This pallet inverter buying guide will help show you how pallet inverters can help increase your productivity, improve your workflow and create a safer working environment.

What Is a Pallet Inverter?

Pallet inverters are machines specifically designed to rotate fully loaded pallets with the product on them. They are often used to remove and replace damaged pallets at the bottom of a palletized load but have many other applications to solve tilting and transferring problems in the warehouse. Pallet inverters can be used to turn products to better fit in a storage space or to prevent the contents of pallets from settling or caking over time. Our pallet inverters rotate up to 180 degrees to allow easy exchange between wooden and plastic pallets when moving product between shipment and production zones.

Contrary to their name, pallet inverters can also be used to invert product that is not stored on pallets, such as slip sheets, support boards, or even product without a pallet. Pallet inverters can be adjusted to accommodate a variety of loads, with some having wider ranges than others. Many pallet rotators offer adjustable pressure clamps so you can handle fragile products with care and heavy-duty products with the force necessary to keep the product in place while rotating. Pallet inverters can be used as a free-standing machine or can be incorporated into a production line to ergonomically complete essential tasks.

Pallet Inverter Basic Uses

While the specific uses of pallet inverters vary by industry, here are a few basic uses of pallet inverters:

• Remove damaged product at the bottom of a pallet load.
• Removed and replace damaged pallets.
• Exchange wooden and plastic pallets.
• Rotate or invert product for proper storage.

Pallet Inverter Applications

Pallet inverters have applications for any business that stores products on pallets. Whether you are seeking to reduce the rate of damage to products, exchange pallet types or simply make your company more efficient, pallet inverters are a great solution. Below are some specific uses of pallet inverters in different industries:

• Pallet Transfer: Most food products are shipped on wooden pallets, but often need to be transferred to plastic pallets before they can be stored in production zones or clean rooms where sanitation is a primary concern. Pallet inverters allow wooden pallets to be swapped out for plastic pallets efficiently. Even when food products are stored on wooden pallets, leaks or product spills can require pallets to be replaced. Rather than manually transferring products to a new pallet, using a pallet inverter makes this process faster, safer and efficient.
• Damage Recovery: Many dry ingredients, such as sugar or flour, are shipped in large sacks that are prone to tearing. When a product at the bottom of a pallet is ripped, it is difficult to remove without re-stacking the entire load. Pallet inverters rotate the stack for easy removal of the damaged product. Removing the damaged goods early prevents a mess from spreading as pallets are transferred or shipped. Some dry ingredients will pack tightly and become caked if they are stored for a long time without being rotated. Inverter equipment allows you to rotate dry goods efficiently, rather than spending time flipping products by hand.
• Product Orientation: Some customer applications require them to change the orientation of their product for further processing. These applications include printing, steel stamping, corrugated, and plastic sheet.

Are you curious how a pallet inverter might help improve your business? Browse our selection of pallet inverters to see which is the right fit, or give us a call at 800-350-0011 for a free consultation.

Benefits of Buying a Pallet Inverter

Pallet inverters can greatly increase your company’s efficiency and save you money and time. Here are some of the primary benefits of using a pallet inverter to rotate and transfer your product:

• Reduce Risk of Injury: When workers must lift and move heavy products by hand, they have an increased risk of workplace injury. Pallet inverters provide an automated process that is a safer way to rotate loaded pallets.
• Reduce Risk of Product Damage: Pallet inverters reduce the risk of product damage by allowing you to replace damaged pallets before products are stored in high loading bays or shipped to your clients. Moving loaded pallets that are damaged is an unnecessary risk to your product and to your workers that can be eliminated by the use of pallet inverters.

• Increase Productivity: Many of our pallet inverters can rotate product 180 degrees in under 20 seconds — which is much faster than unstacking and restacking pallets by hand. Less physical handling of the product means less opportunity for human error to cause damage to the products. Pallet inverters permit a fully automated process that is less prone to error and much faster than traditional methods of pallet rotating or transferring.
• Save Space: Pallet inverters can be used in tight spaces where lift trucks cannot fit. Our pallet inverters offer a variety of sizes and models so you can choose how to organize your facility and command workflow.

How to Use a Pallet Inverter

Pallet inverters are fairly straightforward to use and integrate well with existing warehouse equipment. Below are the basic steps for using a pallet inverter to remove and replace pallets:

1. Load the pallet inverter with the product by using a pallet jack or forklift.
2. Close the inverter clamping plates to secure the product.
3. Rotate the pallet 180 degrees.
4. Release the clamping plate to remove a damaged pallet, remove damaged goods or exchange a wooden pallet for a plastic one.
5. Close inverter clamps and rotate the carriage back to upright.
6. Remove the pallet from pallet inverter.

To see one of Cherry’s Industrial Equipment’s pallet inverters in action, check out this product demonstration video.

Types of Pallet Inverters

Cherry’s Industrial Equipment offers an extensive selection of pallet inverters. No matter the job, Cherry’s has a pallet inverter that will exceed your expectations.

• Single Clamp Pallet Inverter: The SC pallet inverter model is a standard option available in any size necessary to get the job done. This popular model has a 180-degree rotation and can be loaded easily with a forklift. SC pallet inverters are easy to use and maintain and are best suited for lighter loads. Our stock models accommodate three different load heights of up to 4,400 pounds of product. If your business needs to do heavier lifting, you can upgrade a single clamp pallet inverter to hold up to 8,800 pounds. SC pallet inverters are operated using push-button controls or manual levers that can be operated without leaving your forklift. SC models include adjustable clamp pressure so your loads will be secure without being crushed.
• Dual Clamp Pallet Inverter: The DC pallet inverter is a higher grade model with a larger range than the SC model. DC pallet inverters can handle taller loads of up to 104 inches, while still supporting small and partial pallet loads. The versatility of dual clamp pallet inverters makes them perfect for companies that handle a variety of different products. DC pallet inverters also provide smoother transitions due to their more balanced center of gravity. This makes dual clamp pallet inverters the best solution for transferring products that need to be handled with care, such as chemicals or pharmaceutical products.
• Ground Level Loading Inverter: Ground level loading pallet inverters have a loading dock that is level with the ground to allow the inverter to be loaded and unloaded with a pallet jack instead of a forklift. Ground loaded pallet inverters are perfect for areas that are too small for a forklift to access or areas where forklifts are prohibited, such as clean rooms or production floors. When considering a ground loading inverter, keep in mind that pallet transfer must be done on the top of the load with an overhead manipulator or by hand. Depending on your specific needs, a Pallet Changer may be a better solution for you.

• Ramp Loading Inverter: A ramp loading pallet inverter is designed with difficult-to-handle materials in mind. Its increased clamping force makes it the perfect solution for corrugated plants and commercial printers. Our ramp loading inverters are loaded using a 6- or 8-foot ramp and offer adjustable range for a variety of products. Ramp loading inverters are great for plastic sheets, high gloss materials, and newspaper inserts.
• Stainless Steel Pallet Inverter: Our stainless steel pallet inverters allow you to turn combos and Gaylord boxes for pallet transfer without causing damage. These inverters are equipped with a movable sidewall to cradle product to prevent separation. They offer ground level loading, and their stainless steel construction makes them easy to clean.
• Low Duty Pallet Inverter: Are you a small to medium-sized business looking to solve your pallet transferring needs? The low duty pallet inverter may be the perfect solution for you. This economical option can invert ten to fifteen loads per day to help increase the efficiency of your production line or warehouse. Save money by reducing product damage and labor costs by incorporating a low duty pallet inverter into your business’s workflow.

Custom Pallet Inverters for Any Business

At Cherry’s Industrial Equipment, you don’t have to settle for a pallet inverter that doesn’t provide a solution to all of your needs. Any pallet inverter can be customized to suit larger load sizes or heights or provide a larger clamp range to accommodate your variety of loads. You can add a variety of other features including pallet grippers, moving sidewalls, guides, supports, standoffs and conveyorized automation.

We have already designed a line of specialty pallet inverters that make some of these dreams come to life:

• Pallet inverter with extra wide basket: this modification of a single clamp pallet inverter can handle increased loads and unusually shaped loads with ease.
• Pallet inverter with pallet grippers: SC and DC models can be modified with pallet grips that eliminate manual handling of the pallet for a fully automated system.
• Portable pallet inverter: Perfect for loading docks, this pallet inverter can safely and easily carry loads throughout your business.

Start with one of our specialty inverters and add features to suit your needs. Or, you can design your own pallet inverter from scratch. Are you dreaming up a custom pallet inverter to suit your company’s needs? Give us a call and let us make your design come to life with a custom pallet inverter machine.

Choosing the Right Pallet Inverter for Your Needs

When purchasing a pallet inverter for your business, here are a few questions to ask yourself about your transferring and tilting needs to help guide you to the correct choice:

• What size pallet load do I need to accommodate? If you are transferring or inverting pallet loads of generally the same size, a pallet inverter with a regular range will be sufficient. To choose a height range for your pallet inverter, consider your largest pallet load and add at least five inches to accommodate for transfer of pallets.
• Do I need to accommodate a variety of different loads? If your business requires the transfer of a variety of different sized and shaped loads, you may want to consider a dual clamp pallet inverter with a larger clamp range.
• What type of product will I need to rotate? Consider whether your products are sturdy and durable or need to be handled more gently. Look for a pallet inverter with an appropriate clamp pressure option.
• How much product will I need to rotate on a daily basis? If you are a major distributor or manufacturer, your pallet inverter will need to be fast to keep up with your workflow demands. Opt for a heavy duty pallet inverter that rotates product 180 degrees in just 17 seconds to maximize your company’s efficiency. If you are a smaller company, you may want to consider the low duty inverter as an appropriate option for you.
• How will I be loading my pallet inverter? Pallet inverters are available in models that do not require a forklift for loading. These options are perfect for small areas or small loads that can be maneuvered easily with a pallet jack.

When investing in a pallet inverter for your business, there are many features to consider. Our representatives are here to help with a free consultation at any time. Give us a call at 800-350-0011 or contact us online for more information.

Pallet Inverters From Cherry’s

Pallet inverters are an essential machine for any manufacturer or distributor who wants to increase efficiency and safety in their workplace. Pallet inverters reduce the strain on your workers and reduce the risk of costly product damage.

Buying your pallet inverter from Cherry’s Industrial Equipment ensures it will not only meet but exceed your expectations. We created the pallet inverter sector in 1982 and have continued to produce innovative pallet inverters ever since. Cherry’s strives to produce high-quality machinery to create a more productive and safe workplace for you.

If you have any questions about finding the right pallet inverter, give us a call at 800-350-0011 or get a quote online. Our specialists are here to help ensure you find the perfect machine for your business.