Rotary table for buffering and separating glass pots
Task
In the cosmetics industry, glass pots need to be transferred automatically to a filling station. On delivery, the pots are unpacked manually and placed on the feeding system. To avoid the workers having to continuously place individual pots on the feeding system, the pots are loaded in batches, unsorted and with the opening facing upwards. The buffer capacity is to be around 400 parts. The pots then need to be separated into rows and automatically fed to the filling station by the customer’s belt conveyor. Pots with various diameters from 60 to 65 mm are then processed in the filling station.
Solution from mk
It was determined that a combination of rotary table and infeed conveyor was the most suitable solution for buffering and separating the pots.
An infeed conveyor was constructed using a GUF-P 2041 belt conveyor with a length of 1300 mm and a width of 850 mm. The belt conveyor can also be used for setting up the pots, thereby increasing the buffer capacity of the system. To ensure a smooth transfer of the small items to the rotary table, the conveyor is designed with a knife edge on the discharge end. An antistatic, FDA-compliant fabric belt without a coating provides optimum accumulation capacity.
The rotary table with a diameter of 1500 mm consists of an indirectly chain-driven table top covered in stainless steel and a frame made of covered mk series 40 aluminium profiles. This ensures that the drive, which moves the table top at a speed of up to 7 rpm, is compliant with accident prevention regulations. It also guarantees that the pots meet the customer’s hygiene requirements for use as primary cosmetic packaging. Individually positionable diverters are able to successfully guide the pots outwards and separate them into rows.
Following separation, the pots are transferred to the customer’s Versaflex flat top chain conveyor, which then guides the pots to the filling station. The width of the outfeed can be flexibly adjusted to accommodate the different product dimensions.
The small controller provided stops the infeed conveyor when it is empty. A traffic light display mounted above the table also provides a simple, visual indication of the fill level of the buffer and feeding system.
Benefit to the customer
- Simple and affordable buffering and separating
- Storage of up to 400 parts
- High flexibility due to mk profile system
- Installation and commissioning by mk
Products used
