Automated Tote Tipping in Large Distribution Centers

For the engineering team at Fortna, the challenge was clear: design an automated "tipper" capable of lifting heavy totes and emptying them onto a conveyor belt within a strictly defined cycle time.

Fortna designs and implements complex distribution center solutions to help companies optimize their logistics operations. For this specific deployment at a major U.S. logistics company, the automated tippers needed to handle high-throughput demands reliably. Todd Fuchs, Senior Manager of R&D Controls and Mobile Robotics, required a motion control architecture that provided high torque—utilizing the upper end of a NEMA 34 frame size—while remaining cost-effective compared to conventional servo systems he had used in the past.

To achieve the necessary power density without the complexity of traditional cabinet-mounted drives, Fortna selected Teknic’s ClearPath-SD series.

Unlike conventional servo systems that require separate motors, amplifiers, and feedback cables, the ClearPath-SD (Step & Direction) integrates a high-performance brushless servo motor, high-resolution encoder, and sophisticated vector drive into a single, compact package. This "all-in-one" design allowed Fortna to significantly reduce control cabinet space and wiring complexity while delivering the high peak torque required to lift and tip heavy totes.

The primary engineering goal was ensuring the motion profiles could meet the rigorous throughput metrics of the logistics facility. According to Todd, the switch to ClearPath-SD was successful in hitting these targets. "The motion profiles are doing well," Todd said. "They're giving us the acceleration and total cycle time we need."

To integrate these servos into their existing industrial control network, the team utilized ClearLink, Teknic's EtherNet/IP motion controller.

ClearLink serves as a critical bridge, allowing the ClearPath motors to interface seamlessly with the facility's Rockwell Automation (Logix) PLCs. It handles up to 4 axes of motion and provides optically-isolated, industrial-grade digital I/O (24V). This allowed Fortna to maintain their preferred high-level control architecture while leveraging the cost and space-saving benefits of the ClearPath system at the machine level.

Adopting this integrated architecture required a shift in perspective. "It is a little bit of a different paradigm... especially around the tuning and the different setting of the parameters," Todd explained. However, the system's internal auto-tuning algorithms proved effective, optimizing the motor for the heavy load variations without the manual gain adjustments often associated with conventional servo technology.

Beyond technical performance, the commercial advantages were a decisive factor. When comparing Teknic to traditional servo manufacturers, Todd found the value proposition compelling.

"In the past, if I ever needed small servos, I would go to something like a [conventional competitor] servo," Todd noted. "The cost and features of [ClearPath] were a much better bargain than what I could have ever gotten" from those conventional product lines.

Additionally, for equipment destined for regulated industrial environments, component certification is non-negotiable. "Definitely being American made with UL and CE marks on it—that's always good," Todd added.

Fortna is evaluating the ClearPath-IP series to further enhance diagnostics on future machines.

ClearPath-IP retains the same all-in-one form factor as the SD series—combining motor, encoder, and drive—but replaces the Step & Direction interface with a native EtherNet/IP networked motion controller. This architecture leverages Teknic’s library of rich EDS files, L5K files, and Add-On Instructions (AOIs) to streamline integration into the Rockwell Automation environment.

By moving to this networked approach, Todd anticipates gaining deeper diagnostic data—such as real-time torque, RMS load, and specific fault codes—directly at the PLC level. "Opening it up more for us to do the monitoring ourselves," Todd explained. This data visibility would allow the engineering team to build more advanced error recovery scenarios, ensuring the system can identify and resolve issues like jams or overloads with greater precision.