Because of the benefits and advantages it creates, accumulation conveyors is now, very popular in automated conveyor solutions.
The advantage of Zero-pressure accumulation conveyors. They use photoelectric sensors that allow products to accumulate with, no pressure involved. This means, packages can either have a small buffering space between them or, can rest gently against each other.
Use of accumulation conveyor technology can be a very critical feature to accomplishing a smooth and organized operation. Accumulation solutions vary and may take time to understand so, I’ll try to make this simple to understand.
Goal #1: Prevention of Product Damage
Products are stacking up on traditional conveyor. This product stacking builds up pressure and can damage products. Especially fragile, smaller, or lighter containers.
When a container, like a bin, bucket, or box, where the walls slope inward, backs up, they can buckle up even spilling out over the guardrails. This can frequently dump the container contents onto the floor, causing product damage and/or an unsafe work environment.
Accumulation conveyors is the answer to this problem. They allow products to rest lightly against each other with a minimum pressure or with zero pressure. That is less product damage and less product waste.
Goal #2: Maximization of Product Capacity
A problem in manufacturing and warehousing is, not all of your processes take the same amount of time to move through your system. In a typical, non-accumulation system, if your downstream processes take longer than your upstream processes, automation equipment “has to” stop and wait.
But with an accumulation conveyor system, it holds your products in a buffer zone until the downstream production equipment is ready.
Solution: Your upstream processes will continue to operate. When the upstream processes continue to run, you won’t have your downstream equipment sitting and waiting. Your bottom line is increased production, lower labor costs and, of course, more profit.
Goal #3: Prevention of Equipment Damage
On conveyors that are a non-zero-pressure system, products can back up, often creating so much back pressure that it damages products “but”, this back up can also damage conveyor belts, guardrails, motors, and motor starters, etc. Zero-pressure conveyors can eliminate this danger.
They can also utilize a “sleep” feature allowing the conveyor to shut down after a period of time that it does not sense products. This is a plus and results in a decrease in roller wear, decrease in electricity use, and a decrease in equipment wear. This extends the life cycle of your conveyor and its replacement parts and reduces the cost of maintenance.
Goal #4: Increasing Operator Productivity and Safety
If a proper accumulation system is not put in place, the operators have to regulate the processes themselves. (i.e.) manually removing products, (to only put it back into the production line later.) This takes your operators away from their main job and decreases your productivity.
This adds double, even triple, handling and product processing. Plus, our new zero pressure conveyor styles of are much safer to work around than any zero pressure conveyor.
Goal #5: Maintaining Product Sequencing
This is a typical scenario. Your conveying multiple sizes of cartons along the same conveyor. The smaller cartons can get pushed side-by-side. This can easily cause your products to get out of sequence. Creating data misreads at the scanner. Missed or inaccurate diverts at the sorter and potential jamming in curves.
Zero-pressure conveyors eliminates this side-by-side misalignment of smaller cartons and its multiple associated issues.
Goal #6: Merge Control
With the use of intelligent photoelectric sensors, zero-pressure conveyors can easily adapt for merge control. Merge Control operates much like automobile traffic at an intersection with a traffic light. This makes sure there are no sideswipes and no collisions taking place.
There are numerous ways to utilize and apply a zero-pressure conveyor, with even more benefits to the user with operator safety in mind. Just keeping your products, equipment, and employees safe is worth considering a zero-pressure conveyor solution.
Need more help? Ask our experts.
Do you have a problem? Call any one of our conveyor experts. We are here to help. Our experts have years of experience and knowledge. Give us a call at (866) 403-5232
In-Plant Consultation
An in-plant consultation allows us to provide you with a thorough evaluation of your current system and assess how American Conveyor Group can help improve your operations in ways that can save you money.
We are here to help. Call us toll free at: (866) 403-5232, or email us at: sales@acgconveyors.com
Or browse our website at: www.acgconveyors.com and if you have any questions, give us a call.
Our entire staff are here to help you.