As an established company providing bespoke solutions to meet customers’ individual handling requirements, Conveyor Systems Ltd (CSL) was asked to review proposals for a new fully automated lorry loading system handling full pallets.
The requirements had to facilitate the handling of unwrapped wooden CHEP pallets (1200 x 1000mm) weighing in excess of 1.2 tonnes, with anticipated throughput of 250 pallets per hour to be presented as pairs, side by side for loading via an existing vehicle loading system that can fill a 40 feet long trailer in a matter of minutes.
An initial competitor’s proposal included a combination of turntables and chain transfers, but this failed to meet throughput requirements due to the large amount of time taken up by 90 degree movements of individual pallets. Therefore, CSL had to consider a new and innovative design approach to the project in order to achieve the customer’s objectives.
CSL’s bespoke system design was accepted as the best solution and integrated into the existing system. CSL’s proposal incorporated wide heavy duty tapered roller bends to keep the pallets running continuously, which achieved a vastly improved flow and provided the capability to meet the customer’s throughput, whilst accurately presenting the pallets to allow easy loading.
Unwrapped pallets are fed onto the new CSL system from production via a number of conveyors from various parts of the factory. The system had to be a bespoke build as the layout included for a powerful vertical lift system to handle two 1.2 tonne pallets, using encoders for accurate positioning between the height of the existing production conveyors and the vehicles.
The system also included both 90 & 180 degree heavy duty bends. These consisted of chain driven steel tapered rollers together with two triple chain transfers working in tandem for handling pairs of pallets and providing for an accurate 90 degree feed onto the lift, which in turn feeds the 1.2 metre high vehicle loading system.
A spokesperson for the customer reported, “The heavy duty conveyor has been operating successfully, integrating and interfacing with the existing vehicle loading system and meets our operating throughput criteria. The project designed and installed by CSL, has certainly increased efficiencies in throughput, reduced forklift activity considerably and achieved our objectives.”
Jim Farquhar, Sales Manager
Tel: 01283 552255
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