Assembly Planbook - April 2008 - (Page 43) A large industrial manufacturer wanted to move some plastic components across its assembly line. The product was nearly rectangular in shape. The manufacturing site offered no overhead space to accommodate a typical ascending-descending alpine system and floor space was at a premium. To say that this project was intricate would be the understatement of the century. To solve the problem, the company installed an alpine system that included a reverse downward spiral. Product that goes down must come up. To get this design to work, engineers had to incorporate a crossover approach that allowed the product to descend and ascend in a unique parallel fashion. Without this approach, it would have been almost impossible to solve this intricate problem. This modified mass-accumulating conveyor minimizes lost space on the accumulation bed. A large medical device manufacturer needed a way to move syringes in bottles not tip over. As a result, a ser- orientation requirements are clearly pucks. The product was round and thin, pentine system was required. It was understood, in addition to the availand the company was not particularly also important that the leading edge of able space at the manufacturing site concerned about the orientation of the the product be rotated evenly through- and required production speed, most product. However, it was critical that out its travels. conveyor projects will succeed without the syringes not be dumped out of their Each vial was approximately 2 inch- a hitch. pucks. A simple mass accumulation es wide. At a production speed of 300 Problems, glitches and mistakes typsystem using a traditional accumulation vials per minute, some 600 inches of ically occur when one or more parties table approach solved the problem. product would be produced in 1 minute. fail to communicate the required variNormally, mass accumulation is Thus, accumulation of 5 minutes of ables to the other. Clear communication the quickest and easiest form of accu- production time would require 250 feet is critical to the ongoing success of any mulation. Unfortunately, there is a lot of conveyor. conveyor project. of wasted space with most accumulaConquering accumulation intricaBefore tackling a project, engineers tion table scenarios. In this particular cies is not easy. But, as long as the should ask the following questions: case, the intricacies of keeping the product shape, dimension, weight and Have we given the vendor all the information it needs? syringes in their pucks created Have we clearly communia big challenge. cated to the conveyor supplier By carefully considering what parts we need to complete many different variables, such this task? as product weight, height and Has the vendor recommendmanufacturing speed, the engied the best possible conveyor neering team was able to allow system based on the manuthese syringes to gently accufacturing parameters that we mulate in mass without spillprovided? ing over. A host of guards and These answers will pave diverters moved the product the road to a successful projgently to the end of the accuect. While intricacies abound in mulation table. most conveyor projects, an “ask A large pharmaceutical comand thou shalt receive” approach pany needed to move some oddly shaped prescription bottles and This serpentine conveyor features pneumatic product transfer assist goes a long way to ensuring long-term satisfaction. A vials. It was critical that these to maintain orientation and eliminate product-to-product contact. www.assemblymag.com April 2008 / ASSE M B LY 43 http://www.assemblymag.com
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