Hardware and software from the conveyor technology specialist
Task
Connect new system components to conveyor technology and implement a comprehensive controller
A photo book manufacturer faced the challenge of expanding the number of machines it used to bind book blocks from four to eight. The goal of doing so was to meet the growing demand for photo books with very small print runs. For the modernisation, the manufacturer not only needed additional conveyor technology to connect the new machines to the existing conveyor system while saving as much space as possible. They also needed to realise a new comprehensive controller for old and new components. This is because the three-sided trimming machine, which had previously been responsible for controlling, also needed to be replaced during the reconstruction.
At first, it seemed that hiring an external system integrator to implement a comprehensive controller was inevitable. However, this would have considerably increased the costs and the project duration. The photo book manufacturer was thus relieved to have found a provider that could master this complex task: mk.
Solution from mk
Integration of precisely fitting conveyor technology into an existing system, including comprehensive control technology
The new automatic binding machines needed to be interlinked with the existing conveyor system, which was a technical design challenge. For one thing, the space available was extremely limited by the expansion. For another, the book blocks leave the binding machines at the side of the machine, which required a 90° tail.
KGF-P 2040.02 curved belt conveyors with a required radius of 1,000 mm were integrated to fulfil this requirement. After the tail, the book blocks are transferred to the existing conveyor system using 1,400-mm-long GUF-P 2000 belt conveyors. This system then transports the blocks into a cooling tower.
Another challenge followed at the exit of the cooling tower. Here, the blocks are also output laterally, which required the integration of an additional curved belt conveyor. However, this one had to be a little smaller, so it was great that mk had the right conveyor in its portfolio for this challenge as well. A KGF-P 2040 curved belt conveyor with a radius of 900 mm could be used without any problems in the layout and without the need for costly special construction designs. Other KGF-P 2040 models with a radius of 900 mm are being used to replace the old lift-and-transfer units of the existing conveying path.
mk’s conveyor technology also makes it possible to compensate for differences in height throughout the track layout. For example, the curved belt conveyor is followed by another GUF-P 2000 belt conveyor after the cooling tower, which allows an incline of about 10° on a linear transport section headed towards the three-sided trimming machine. The conveyor belt holds the book blocks in place securely during this ascent.
mk not only impressed the photo book manufacturer thanks to its expertise as a supplier of modern conveyor technology; it also assumed responsibility for all of the control technology as one of few suppliers. The experts installed and configured a main control cabinet and two sub-control cabinets with digital equipment and wired all of the drives. Central operation is now carried out using an intuitive control panel in the main control cabinet.
With this one-stop-shop approach, the customer realised their modernisation project cost-effectively, quickly and without the need for external integrators.
Customer benefits
- Space-saving conveyor technology: flexible track layout, including 90° tail in confined spaces
- Flexible modular principle: different curved conveyor sizes in the standard range allow flexibility in track layout without expensive special designs
- No external integrator: hardware and controller procured inexpensively from a single source
Products used
> GUF-P 2000 belt conveyor
> KGF-P 2040 curved belt conveyor
> KGF-P 2040.02 curved belt conveyor
> Electrification and programming
