Belt Conveyor Systems: the Importance of Speed

 

When discussing belt conveyor systems and speed, the most obvious concern is having the bottles moving through packaging machinery such as liquid fillers, capping machines and labelers at a constant speed.   Constant does not always mean the fastest speed possible however.  Moving containers through too fast may cause bottles to jam, inconsistent fills and inconsistent labeling, among other packaging issues.  Set the conveyor speed too slow and you may also experience inconsistency with certain machinery while also not meeting your daily production quota.  So of course, speed is essential to the movement of the containers on the belt conveyor system, but speed also plays a part in other aspects of the set up and control of automatic conveyors.

 

While finding the correct speed to move bottles along the belt conveyor system may take a little trial and error, the speed controls for the conveyor systems help to make the process of "dialing in" the speed quick and simple.  Almost all automatic conveyors will include variable speed controls.  Some conveyor systems will include a dedicated controller, while the controls for other automatic conveyors will be incorporated into other packaging machinery, such as filling equipment or capping machinery.  Either way, adjusting the speed with which the conveyor belt moves normally consists of simply moving a dial to the left or the right.  

 

Once the obvious speed adjustment is made, production can be run smoothly and consistently through the packaging system.  However, many facilities will not run the same container every day, all day.  Sooner or later production requirements will involve changing over from one bottle size or type to another.  During the changeover process, speed will once again be an important factor with the belt conveyor systems.  

 

Most conveyor systems include guiderails that can be adjusted for height and width based on the bottle being used on the packaging line.  By using slotted brackets and easily adjustable hand knobs, conveyor systems manufactured by Liquid Packaging Solutions, Inc. allow the adjustment process to be both quick and easy.  Operators of the belt conveyor system can simply loosen the adjustment knobs and slide the rail in and out or up and down until at the proper location for the bottle to be run.  The knob is tightened and the changeover process is complete.  The speed of this process allows for less downtime during bottle changeovers and increased time spent producing product.

 

Finally, belt conveyor systems need to be placed on the production floor and remain level while running product.  Simple to adjust leveling legs or feet are available on almost any belt conveyor system.  Threaded rod is used to create a simple adjustment at key locations on the conveyor that allows the machine to quickly be leveled.  Similarly, conveyors can be manufactured with locking casters that allow for easy mobility of the system.  Simply roll the conveyor into place, then lock the wheel to secure it, level it and run production.  The speed offered in the set up and leveling process again decrease downtime while allowing maximum production time on the packaging line.

 

So remember, conveyor system speed is important not just for bottle movement, but also for set up, changeover and mobility.  And keep in mind that the fastest speed is not always the best speed.  For more information on conveyor set-up, conveyor options or any of the packaging equipment manufactured by Liquid Packaging Solutions, Inc., contact us toll free today at 1-888-393-3693.