Creating production and processing space
With space at a premium in any manufacturing and warehousing facility, moving production, processing and storage to an overhead conveying system makes a lot of sense – both financially and logistically. It’s a move that will both improve productivity and provide a safer, more pleasant and efficient working environment.
Incredibly powerful and efficient, overhead conveyors have applications in many industries – from simple paint-lines to complete on-line manufacturing and distribution centres. The key benefits of overhead conveying systems over floor level systems include:
Allowing variable workflow and online manufacturing
Excellent control of production and inventory
Reduction of inventory and storage areas required
Maximising plant usage by freeing up floor space
Removing clutter and associated safety issues from the floor area
Reduction in product damage and rework due to floor trolley banging etc.
Optimising of product accessibility for workers
Reducing bending and lifting involved for workers.
Put simply, an overhead conveyor consists of an overhead track and trolleys and objects are suspended from these trolleys to be transported along the path of the track. The machinery for overhead conveyors is mounted near the ceiling, away from workers and equipment. This can reduce noise levels and safety concerns about pinch points and careless workers, plus the conveyor does the lifting, which reduces worker injuries and claims.
The product travels a fixed path and is less likely to be damaged by accident than if transported on the floor. Overhead equipment additionally rates among the most flexible of materials handling systems and is ideally suited to an enormous range of transfer and processing operations. For transfer of product from one factory area to another, overhead conveyors can be routed at high level, leaving valuable working space free for production. Carrying capacities are incredible: up to 12 tonnes per pendant, though most operate in the ten – 250kg per pendant range, with speeds of up to 20 metres per minute.
Component washing and drying is easily achieved in-line – providing a fast, efficient recycling of (for example), beverage and food trays, bread containers, metal components, and so on.
For more complex operations, the Power and Free overhead (and inverted) conveyors are simply incredible – they can not only go around and around, up and down (and yes, vertically), and upside down, but they can also perform an enormous variety of tasks – from individual components, pallet loads of goods, batches of goods, through to bags and boxes.
Importantly, the system is able to grow with the growth of the business and automation can be added as growth and/or the need for improved productivity dictates. When designing an overhead conveyor system, speed, capacity, work-flow and facility layout must be taken into consideration. A facility can be redesigned by breaking up a linear process into more efficient subassembly workstations, instituting ‘just-in-time’ methods and can ultimately eliminate current inventory storage completely.
Because an overhead conveyor system can have an impact on the way things are done, it should be approached as part of an overall strategic process and operation redesign. JIPL provides design options, ancillary equipment, control systems, installation, and commissioning.
For more information contact:
Chris Jonassen, Tel: 09 479 3952,
or Email: chris@jipl.co.nz
Article from New Zealand Food Technology
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