Movin' On Up, or Down, or Around - Power Conveyor Systems
A popular theme song presents a nice analogy for packagers that are ready to increase their production output. Movin' on up from hand filling, capping and labeling equipment usually indicates an increase in market share, more orders or a general growth of the business. To add efficiency to the use of packaging machinery, and in particular automatic packaging machinery, power conveyors become a necessity, so that time saved in filling, capping and labeling is not immediately lost in transporting bottles from one location to another for different packaging projects. Power Conveyors, as we have stated in the past, are the circulatory system for any automatic packaging line.
Power conveyors, in general, are a pretty simple concept to understand. A moving belt carries bottles or other containers from one packaging machine to the next, using guiderails to keep bottles stable as they move. However, the different designs offer great flexibility in both moving product as well as other packaging tasks. For instance, power conveyors can be used to line up and load bottles onto a main packaging line for transport, as well as to accumulate finished product in some circumstances to assist with packing and shipping. Packaging projects that utilize a hot fill may incorporate special power conveyors to assist in the cooling process once product is placed in the container. Some conveyors are even used for reject systems, where an improperly filled, capped or otherwise packaged bottle will be diverted to a different conveyor to fix the issue.
The design of power conveyors can also assist in producing an efficient packaging system where space may not be ideal for such a system. Curved conveyor sections allow for horseshoe type designs, line heights can be changed to accommodate different functions of a packaging system or allow for tiered sections of conveyor, often done in the cooling conveyor noted above. Custom conveyor systems, direction and height are always options when setting up a packaging solution for a unique project.
The construction material of these bottle and container moving machines can also add not only efficiency, but longevity to the packaging line. Stainless steel conveyors are by far the most popular version of conveyor manufactured by Liquid Packaging Solutions, as the material interacts well with a large array of liquids and bottle materials, in both set up and ordinary wear and tear. However, some liquids will break down stainless steel in a manner that can be quite destructive to the conveyor itself. Acids and other harsh chemicals can corrode the stainless steel and damage the transfer system, causing excessive repair or costly and routine replacement of parts. In these situations, an HDPE construction material may be used to reduce the wear and ensure a long, useful conveyor life.
Of course, there are other factors to consider as well, including, but not limited to, the belt type used and the actual style of conveyor manufactured. Though the function of a conveyor system seems quite simple, choosing the correct layout, design, height, function and style of conveyor for your own individual project can go a long way toward ensuring that the overall packaging process stays efficient, consistent and economical. To learn more about conveyors, their different uses and the varying styles, check out the Conveyors and Turntables section of the LPS website or contact an LPS Packaging Specialist for answers to any of your questions.