Laning Conveyors Ideal for Non-round Containers

Loading turntables are a great way to quickly and easily get containers to the main power conveyor system of a packaging line.  However, odd-shaped or simply non-round bottles and containers can present problems for turntables, such as inefficient delivery, bottle jams or just simple ineffectiveness.  Laning conveyors offer an alternative to loading bottles onto a packaging line when non-round bottles are employed, and may even be a better alternative to the turntable for round bottles for some applications.

 

A laning conveyor is a special type of power conveyor that is used to deliver bottles to the main power conveyor that will move bottles through the filling machine, capping machine and other equipment on the packaging line.  Most laning conveyors will be custom fit to accommodate the project at hand, but each will include a loading table and adjustable laning rails.  The specs for the table and lanes will depend on the bottles being used, the packaging of the bottles and other factors.  But in general terms, the operator of the laning conveyor will slide containers along the loading table to one of several lanes set up on the machine.  As each lane is filled up with containers, rows will be delivered automatically to the main power conveyor.  A knife, bar or plate will be used to release these bottles to the main conveyor one row at a time.

 

One advantage of the laning conveyor has already been noted above.  Unlike a loading turntable, the laning conveyor can handle bottles and containers of unique sizes, including square and non-round and other odd shapes.  The loading table and lanes also allow the operator of a packaging line to get a head start on the main power conveyor.  In other words, the speed of the line will not be dictated by how quickly the operator can load the bottles, instead, the operator has the ability to load multiple cycles at once, freeing up time to inspect and observe the line, pack finished product or perform other tasks.

 

In addition, the laning conveyor can be used as a sort of manual unscrambler.  Odd shaped bottles will sometimes need to oriented in a certain fashion on a packaging line, in order to be filled, capped or labeled correctly.  The dividers of the laning conveyor will allow the operator to configure the bottles or other containers as desired, and the laning conveyor and main conveyor, working together, can keep the bottles in the proper position.

 

The laning conveyor also works well for containers that arrive at the packagers site in bags or boxes.  The loading table can serve as a debagger or hold the boxes to make unloading quick and easy.  Bags can be set on the loading table, slit and quickly removed before sliding the containers into the lanes.  Boxes can rest on the table to prevent excessive and repetitive bending and twisting and simply increase efficiency.  Different loading tables will be incorporated into the conveyor to meet the unique needs of each specific project.  

 

For more information on laning conveyors, loading turntables or other packaging machinery options, take a look around the Liquid Packaging Solutions website or contact our offices to speak with a Packaging Professional today.