Picking the most appropriate conveyor system for your business can be daunting. Not only do you have to consider the efficiency of the system, but you also have to think about the types of products you wish to convey and the space you have available. In this blog post, you will see how we integrate conveyor systems into your factory floor. You will be asked questions designed to help you determine what factory conveyor system is best for your business. For more information, we recommend consulting with a conveyor manufacturing company.
Questions For Determining the Right Conveyor System
What materials do I need to convey?
Think about the kinds of products that move through your factory floor. Could any of these products damage conveyor belts? Are any of these products fragile? The answers to these types of questions will determine what types of conveyor systems can be used in your factory. For example, fragile items will need to be protected from being broken when traveling through your facility. A conveyor design/build company will be able to account for these concerns with a custom-made new conveyor system.
What space is available in my factory?
To make efficient use of factory space, you’ll want to consider using as much vertical space as possible. For example, the side grip conveyor is able to grip the sides of bottles or other containers to change elevation. The side grip conveyor system is also designed to climb over 20 feet, which saves floor space.
The layout of your factory will determine how conveyor systems are designed and installed. A conveyor system engineer will need to determine where the conveyor will turn, rise, fall, or stop to make the best use of the space you have available.
What maintenance is needed for conveyor systems?
Keep in mind that each addition or upgrade to your conveyor system requires maintenance. Be sure to ask a conveyor system manufacturer how much maintenance is required to keep the conveyor system safe and running at peak efficiency. Conveyor system maintenance is worth the cost because it prevents downtime for repairs and keeps employees safe.
What throughput is needed?
How much weight does the industrial conveyor system need to support? This number can be found by determining what products will be conveyed and the density of products on the conveyor belt system. While all factory owners want to increase throughput, you also have to think about what is feasible for the type of product you need to convey and the space you have available to do it.
What are the long-term plans for my company?
Depending on the market, you may want to diversify the products that come from your factory. If this is the case, you’ll want to reduce how much downtime is associated with changeovers. Any time you have to change from producing one item to another, there’s downtime associated with shutdown, changeover, and start-up tasks. However, parallel operations can reduce some of the time spent on changeovers. Be sure to ask a conveyor manufacturer if you are able to get rid of any serial operations or tasks without compromising worker safety.
Integrate Conveyor Systems with Automation Ideas
Automation Ideas helps factory owners integrate conveyor systems to streamline their operations. If you are interested in conveyor system integration or any of our other services, please give us a call at (616) 874-4041 or request a quote below.
