Transportation, relocating assemblies and parts from one location to another, is one of the seven wastes defined in lean manufacturing principles. Carrier does not add value, but that does not prevent the need for conveyors Systems.
However, automated material handling equipment is essential for warehouses to place the right parts in the right location at the right time. According to experts, there are over 1287 robots per 10,000 workers in the automotive industry. Moreover, the robotic industry already employs almost 150,000 people worldwide in assembly and engineering jobs.
Regarding automated handling systems, Capital Equipment Spending Survey estimates that one-third of the U.S. assembly plants will purchase conveyors this year, making 2021 the fourth year in which the percentage exceeds 30 percent. All in all, assemblers will spend approximately $97 billion on material handling systems and conveyors in 2021, which is somewhat less than the $100 million they spent on warehouse technology compared to last year.
Let’s have a look at the latest offering of conveyor systems.
Table of Contents
- Modular Pallet Transfer Conveyor
- Modular Transfer System
- Chain Conveyor For Light and Small Products
- Conveyor Tops Mobile Robots
- Pallet Stop Limits Bound Back
Modular Pallet Transfer Conveyor
The T.S. 2plus pallet-transfer conveyor has three conveying media (roller chain, flat-top chain, belt), 26 palate sizes, and various transfer and positioning modules. Every component of the T.S. 2plus system is modular and pre-engineered, allowing engineers to combine roller chains, belts, or flat-top chains according to their preferences and requirements.
Moreover, T.S. 2plus provides versatility and flexibility to add manual and automatic workstations, starting from a simple conveyor for basic assembly and growing into a progressive and complete automated warehouse management assembly system.
Modular pallet transfer conveyor transfers parts on pallets that vary in size from 160 by 160 millimeters to 1,040 by 1,040 millimeters. Furthermore, T.S. 2Plus provides many components for positioning units, transverse conveyors, curves, and drive units. Also, manufacturers of the T.S. 2Plus conveyor system designed this conveyor system to carry the weight up to 240 kilograms.
Modular Transfer System
Engineers can use modular linear transfer systems a create a range of rectilinear assembly line layouts. Automated or manual workstations can work along both transverse and longitudinal tracks. Moreover, operations and processes can be below the workpiece.
Modular transport tracks come in three belt speeds and five widths. The highest length of the way is six meters.
The highest weight per pallet is 20 kilograms. Warehouse workers can transfer pallets from the main assembly line to cycle-independent workstations or parallel tracks to accommodate manual tasks, product variants, or automated operations with long-drawn cycle times.
Chain Conveyor For Light and Small Products
A compact plastic chain conveyor is a useful automated material handling equipment used to manage light, small, and delicate products, ranging from 10 to 100 millimeters. Typically, warehouse workers use chain conveyors to transport perfume bottles, pharmaceutical bottles, medicines, cosmetics, and small packages.
Moreover, chain conveyors also transport pucks for handling small assemblies such as batteries. The flexible plastic chain is 43 millimeters wide, allowing multiple bends and vertical and horizontal transportation of products. Furthermore, the chain can bend from 30 degrees to 180 degrees on the flat plan.
Also, the chain comes in five versions: cleat, conductive friction top, friction top, conductive and plain.
Conveyor Tops Mobile Robots
Warehouse workers increasingly use automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to transport parts throughout the assembly plant. For example, engineers can top autonomous mobile robots with a short conveyor section to relocate pallets from one assembly line to another.
Manufacturers use lightweight aluminum extrusions to develop conveyor toppers to extend battery life and maximize the robot’s payload. T5 teeth around the drive pulley enhance the performance and strength of the conveyor belt.
Lightweight and compact D.C. motors drive conveyors without exhausting the battery. Such conveyors are only 3 inches tall and can handle loads up to 200 pounds.
Pallet Stop Limits Bound Back
The DRE anti-bounce stop is an accessory for automated material handling equipment, especially for pallet transfer conveyors with a low coefficient of friction. As for other functionality, warehouse workers can electrically lower DRE to permit pallets to move backward during reverse operation.
Conclusion
All the latest automated material handling equipment called conveyor systems mentioned above depict that technology will lead us towards an unpredictable future and reshape the dimensions of business operations.
The massive acquisition of robots is looming. The robotic industry brings increased revenue and improvements in every sector of the world. According to specific estimations, collaborative robots (cobots) will constitute 34% of all robot sales by 2025.
Moreover, experts predict that the collaborative robot (cobot) market will evolve, bashing the figure of $24 billion and increasing with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.6% by 2030. Hence, the advent of robotics and the emergence of automated handling systems will completely revolutionize warehouse operations in the upcoming years.
McCombs-Wall Inc. Engineering provides ideal material handling solutions and systems across the United States.
Moreover, their offered technologies include conveyor systems, sortation systems, Goods to Person, order fulfillment, and end of line automation.
Moreover, technology companies they often integrate with but don’t resell include SICK, Cognex, FANUC, Beckhoff, BestPack, and Rockwell Automation.
So stop wasting your time. Instead, please hurry up and contact MWI Solutions out of all material handling automation companies to know more about their products and services today!