Greater Efficiency thanks to Compact Crate Storage System

Task

A manufacturer of technical springs and functional components requires a storage system for the discharge end of one of its punching machines. The ejected punched parts are collected in small load carriers. Each small load carrier is filled with 15 kg of punched parts in a cycle of approx. 10 minutes. The intention is for the ejection process to run autonomously for up to one hour without having to manually replace the full small load carriers with empty ones.

The solution should involve a conveyor system that feeds the empty small load carriers to the punching machine, discharges them once filled and then buffers them until they are manually removed. A counter on the machine should control how the small load carriers are filled and discharged. In addition, the conveying path has to be adapted to the space available.

Solution from mk

The chosen solution was a compact combination of conveyors, consisting of a GUF-P 2000 belt conveyor and a RBS-P 2065 gravity roller conveyor. Since space is limited, the two systems are arranged at a right angle.

Up to eight empty small load carriers are manually placed on the belt conveyor and conveyed to the punching machine discharge area. A sensor reports when an empty small load carrier is ready for filling. The small load carrier is filled directly from the punching machine via a slide. When the counter reports that the predefined amount is reached, the full small load carrier is conveyed to the push-off position, where it is pushed sideways from the belt conveyor onto the inclined gravity roller conveyor. The belt of the belt conveyor is designed for accumulated operation and can easily compensate for the lateral forces produced by pushing the products out. The small load carriers are stopped at the end stop on the roller conveyor and can be removed manually. Up to five small load carriers can be buffered on the roller conveyor.

The conveyors come with macrolon surfaces to protect them from dirt from above. An inspection flap provides access to the pusher unit.

Customer benefits

• No need for standard goods: adapts to the specific production process and spatial conditions
• Optimised process flows: greater efficiency and time autonomy thanks to the buffer function
• Trusting relationship: personal consulting and proven, durable technology

Products used

> GUF-P 2000 belt conveyor
> RBS-P 2065 gravity roller conveyor