An automated palletizer system comprises a plurality of container buffers and a sensor for measuring containers in the buffers. A controller computes a selected tier layout for building by a pallet loading machine in a tier of a pallet within a defined periphery. The controller computes candidate tier layouts, each comprising a two-dimensional arrangement of containers in the buffers. The controller calculates a value of a tier quality metric for each candidate layout, representing at least one of stability, area utilization and volume utilization. One of the candidate layouts is selected based on the tier quality metric and the pallet loading machine arranges containers according to the selected tier layout.

An automated palletizer system comprises a plurality of container buffers and a sensor for measuring containers in the buffers. A controller computes a selected tier layout for building by a pallet loading machine in a tier of a pallet within a defined periphery. The controller computes candidate tier layouts, each comprising a two-dimensional arrangement of containers in the buffers. The controller calculates a value of a tier quality metric for each candidate layout, representing at least one of stability, area utilization and volume utilization. One of the candidate layouts is selected based on the tier quality metric and the pallet loading machine arranges containers according to the selected tier layout.

A method of stacking sod rolls on a pallet includes operating a sod handling apparatus of a sod harvester to form a plurality of layers of the sod rolls on the pallet. Each layer contains nine sod rolls comprising a row of five sod rolls positioned next to each other, a first pair of sod rolls oriented perpendicular to the five sod rolls of the row and positioned adjacent an inner end of the row, and a second pair of sod rolls oriented perpendicular to the five sod rolls of the row and positioned adjacent the inner end of the row parallel and in alignment with the first pair of sod rolls. The plurality of layers are flipped relative to each other in an alternating manner to position the row of five sod rolls of each upper layer atop the first and second pairs of sod rolls of a respective lower layer parallel with the row of five sod rolls of the lower layer, and the first and second pairs of sod rolls of the upper layer atop the row of five sod rolls of the lower layer parallel with the first and second pairs of sod rolls of the lower layer.

A method of stacking sod rolls on a pallet includes operating a sod handling apparatus of a sod harvester to form a plurality of layers of the sod rolls on the pallet. Each layer contains nine sod rolls comprising a row of five sod rolls positioned next to each other, a first pair of sod rolls oriented perpendicular to the five sod rolls of the row and positioned adjacent an inner end of the row, and a second pair of sod rolls oriented perpendicular to the five sod rolls of the row and positioned adjacent the inner end of the row parallel and in alignment with the first pair of sod rolls. The plurality of layers are flipped relative to each other in an alternating manner to position the row of five sod rolls of each upper layer atop the first and second pairs of sod rolls of a respective lower layer parallel with the row of five sod rolls of the lower layer, and the first and second pairs of sod rolls of the upper layer atop the row of five sod rolls of the lower layer parallel with the first and second pairs of sod rolls of the lower layer.

An article arrangement determination system includes a determination processor and a modification processor. The determination processor obtains lower-layer arrangement information indicating lower-layer article arrangement that is arrangement of articles included in a lower article layer and upper-layer arrangement information indicating upper-layer article arrangement that is arrangement of articles included in an upper article layer. The determination processor determines, in response to the lower-layer article arrangement having an open area, whether an article included in the upper article layer has a possibility of falling into the open area. The modification processor modifies the upper-layer arrangement information in response to determination that an article has the possibility of falling. The modification processor determines, in response to upper-layer article arrangement indicated by modified arrangement information resulting from modifying the upper-layer article arrangement having no possibility of falling, the modified arrangement information as new upper-layer arrangement information.

An article arrangement determination system includes a determination processor and a modification processor. The determination processor obtains lower-layer arrangement information indicating lower-layer article arrangement that is arrangement of articles included in a lower article layer and upper-layer arrangement information indicating upper-layer article arrangement that is arrangement of articles included in an upper article layer. The determination processor determines, in response to the lower-layer article arrangement having an open area, whether an article included in the upper article layer has a possibility of falling into the open area. The modification processor modifies the upper-layer arrangement information in response to determination that an article has the possibility of falling. The modification processor determines, in response to upper-layer article arrangement indicated by modified arrangement information resulting from modifying the upper-layer article arrangement having no possibility of falling, the modified arrangement information as new upper-layer arrangement information.