Product-stacking and case-packing system and method

A method, comprising:

• moving a first flight using a down-stacking motion to receive a first group of items, wherein items are incoming on a conveyor assembly;
• moving a second flight in a down-stacking motion to receive a second group of items;
• moving the first group of items into a lower flight operational zone, wherein the lower flight operational zone includes a third flight and a fourth flight, and wherein the first group of items is moved by releasing the first group of items from the first flight, to drop the first group of items under power of gravity from the first flight to the third flight, and wherein simultaneously:
• the first group of items on the third flight is within the lower flight operational zone;
• the second group of items is being received by the down-stacking motion, wherein the second group of items is vertically in-line above the first group of items;
• and
• a third group of items and a fourth group of items are in positions to be moved by a robotic arm and an end-of-arm tool, and wherein the third and fourth groups of items are vertically in-line below the first and second groups of items;
• and
• moving both the third group of items and the fourth group of items from the lower flight operational zone and into at least one case, by operation of the robotic arm and the end-of-arm tool, wherein moving the third group of items and the fourth group of items into the at least one case makes room for the first group of items and the second group of items to be moved into the lower flight operational zone.