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Conveyor Technology Applications for Your Business

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

3
Advantages of Using Modular Belt Conveyor Systems in Business

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Practical Applications of Conveyor Technology

8
Choosing a Conveyor Manufacturer That Goes the Extra Mile in Providing Service

11
Taking a Peek at the History of Conveyor Technology

14
Custom Conveyor Belt Design Options That Work Best for Your Industry

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Advantages of Using Modular Belt Conveyor Systems in Business

People working with industrial processes on a regular basis have an idea of how efficiency and productivity are highly valued in the workplace. A small packaging operation for a home-based business, for example, may have required a simple set up consisting of a few people manning tables and being responsible for one task each; a small business making handicrafts may have an assembly line where one person checks each product for complete parts, the next person wraps it in plastic, the next one ties a bow, and the next puts it in a box and seals the flaps. The system can be simple enough for such small scale operations, but for facilities dealing with thousands of
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items at a time, machines need to be fully functional and performing at the optimal level to ensure that the maximum number of quality products is completed every day. It wouldn't make sense anymore to use people for a large assembly line of, say, vehicle parts, coloured pencils, or processed food items. Labour costs can be reduced if systematised mechanisms are utilised in their place and costly repairs or adjustments caused by human error can be greatly avoided. Modular belt conveyor systems permit the quick transport of large volumes of materials throughout the different production stages without the need for (or the risk of disruptions from) human intervention. Belt conveyors are some of the more common conveyor systems available to industries worldwide. These systems consist of rollers that facilitate movement along with belts that are often made with PVC or similar materials. Depending on their usage, conveyor systems can be designed to transport small, loose items like medicine capsules and agricultural grains or slightly larger products like metal components. In the food processing industry, food items may need to be arranged on the belt in neat, organised rows or lines to prepare them for the next stages of productions (like chocolate bonbons about to be stamped with decorative designs or doughnuts about to go through a liquid curtain of glaze); in these kinds of applications, the placement of the products and the timing of the
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different production stages need to be fine-tuned to ensure that each item is processed equally according to quality standards. Because business owners rely on the conveying systems to maintain the timely production, packaging, and delivery of products, it's important to ensure that the systems are in excellent working condition; a single faulty area in the belt or a stuck roller could mean stoppage of operations for a period of time, and this can easily translate to several valuable production and sales opportunities lost. A team of maintenance experts can keep an eye on the systems and make sure that no breakdowns, repairs, or replacements would disrupt the factory operations. With increased productivity, efficient completion times, and

inexpensive materials and maintenance, installing a modular belt conveyor system may be a wise, cost-effective solution for your industrial processes. Products can be completed right on schedule and by the thousands, ready to be distributed and to generate sales for your company.

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Practical Applications of Conveyor Technology

Forming a line is one of the simplest ways to introduce order and organisation into a group of people. As early as kindergarten, children are taught to enter or exit a classroom in single file so that teachers can have a better view of the students present during the activity and to facilitate more organised transfers from one area to another, compared to calling the children to come all at the same time. The same is true for well-loved restaurants or specialty food shops often seen with eager patrons lined up for their turn at a table or the counter, or airport entrances where metal detectors are installed. Forming a line is the easiest way to ensure that each person get a turn to receive a service or be subjected to an organised inspection.
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In many industrial processes, the production line forms the heart of the operations by effectively delivering products in various stages of completion throughout the different areas in a facility. Conveyor technology allows products to be taken through the processing phases in a manner that would ensure that the company's standard of quality is met by each small component or every large item that is placed onto the conveyor belts or hung onto overhead equipment. If you have experienced watching a show on the Discovery Channel showcasing how everyday items are made, you're sure to have witnessed a wide variety of products being taken through different machines and getting different treatments until a finished product is presented. Coloured pencils, for example, are made from large blocks of wood that get whittled down to the right shape and lengths with every passage into a machine. The pigment centre is then incorporated into the pencil, then the conveyor takes them to another area to be spray painted and aerated dry, then to yet another area to be embossed with the brand name and number, sharpened by a spinning metal wheel, and finally slipped into plastic cases and packaged into boxes. Packaging is also an industrial function where conveyor systems come in really handy. Liquids like milk, soft drinks, and juices are efficiently siphoned into a calculated line of cartons or bottles being moved by a conveyor before the packaging is sealed and packed
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into cartons or cases in just the right numbers. Conveyor systems need to be timed appropriately in coordination with the different machines and processes involved, especially if there is a combination of straight and curved lines or stations. Blockages can result in work stoppage, spills, or costly damages to the process. Without a doubt, conveyor technology proves to be a highly valuable aspect of processing functions. Without it, manufacturers would have a more complicatedand definitely less organisedtime turning over large numbers of product and ensuring the quality of each and every item that goes through its facilities.

Choosing a Conveyor Manufacturer That Goes the Extra Mile in Providing Service

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As consumers, people make a conscious decision to stay loyal to companies or brands that provide the best customer experience. Whether the company offers a luxurious body care product, an innovative recreational gadget, or a superb dining experience, customers are bound to return to the same provider again and again if they are sure that they are getting the best value for money and an unparalleled level of service that makes all other competition pale in comparison. Why waste valuable resources on a company that fails to deliver what it promises or consistently leaves a consumer dissatisfied with a transaction? With trusted brands, consumers can count on having the best experiences which may even improve over time. With service providers, consumers have to be more discriminating in choosing which companies to be loyal to. The people who make repairs on one's home, install important utility connections, provide health care, or perform landscaping around an establishment's premises must be evaluated according to performance, often within the customer's own home or workplace. This creates an opportunity for customers to see their service provider in action as they perform their craft and see the positive or negative effects their service creates. Observations can help consumers identify whether their service provider is a reliable one, especially for potentially costly investments. Industries, for example, would benefit from finding a conveyor manufacturer they can trust with their large-scale operations.
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Different manufacturing or processing facilities may be dedicated to producing different kinds of consumer products, and the equipment and machinery inside their facilities must be perfectly suited to the type of operations they require. While standard conveyor system units are available, customisations may be requested on a regular basis. Highly qualified manufacturers must be able to accommodate these requests and fulfil them in the timeline that is convenient or indicated by their clients. Robotunits Australia, for example, is a conveyor manufacturer that specialises in creating high quality conveyor solutions based on exact customer specifications. The company strives to go the extra mile by sitting down with clients and discussing the requirements of every piece of equipment that they will be making to ensure the best possible results for a client's business. For customers with few restrictions in mind, on the other hand, the company also offers their unique linear motion systems and modular automation system which can utilise the least number of components while offering the maximum of possible solutions, ensuring that the conveyor systems will be fully utilised for the right number of applications. This would mean valuable savings in time and costs, plus the least concerns about design, logistics, storage, and assembly. The company also takes the time to develop innovative measures that would provide customers with additional benefits. Robotunits
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has introduced a new labelling system that provides each conveyor with a unique serial number. In the event that customers would require spare parts, they can simply quote the serial number and the part can be shipped to them right away. What's more, the new labels also indicate important information like basic measurements, motor configuration; build date, and project number. When a service provider or supplier goes out of its way to create a better customer experience, people can be reassured that their needs and project specifications have fallen into the right hands. A conveyor manufacturer with a distinct commitment to its customers will be providing high quality products for a constantly growing list of loyal customers.

Taking a Peek at the History of Conveyor Technology

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Any convenience that the average person is able to enjoy today is the result of an innovative idea that was transformed into a workable prototypeand eventually, a finished productin the past. Household appliances, vehicles, and both functional and recreational technologies popular among people today like laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and music players are highly evolved versions of products that were cooked up in labs and manufacturing facilities several years before. In coming up with an idea for a new product, inventors and creative teams are keen to identify a specific need faced by the general public that has not yet been addressed by currently existing technologies. Thus, new ideas give birth to useful innovations that introduce simpler or more convenient ways of getting things done. Because people were more focused on developing industrial processes rather than recreational pursuits in earlier centuries, productive and cost-effective ways of conducting manual labour came about. Farmers, for example, had to work the fields themselves with the help of plough animals and simple implements, and it wasn't long before machines for ploughing and cultivating the ground and harvesting crops were invented. The next logical inventions, of course, would be devices that would help farmers transport crops from the fields and load them onto ships that would trade them or export them to other countries. As a result, rudimentary conveyor technology was born.
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The 19th century saw the use of simple conveyor systems to transport and load sacks of grains or carry coal, ores, and other heavy mining products. Steel conveyor belts were utilised for the first time by Swedish engineering company Sandvik, and conveyor belts revolutionised the mining industry when they were used in coal mines in 1905. The vehicle manufacturing industry wasn't to be left behind, either; in 1913, Henry Ford introduced conveyor belt assembly lines in the Highland Park, Michigan factory of Ford Motor Company. A high-quality conveyor belt that had a longer life and could withstand heavy loads and friction to prevent wear and tear was patented by the B.F. Goodrich Company in 1957. Since then, the conveyor belt has been used widely in a variety of industrial applications. Overhead conveyors are often used to transport large items like vehicle parts throughout a manufacturing facility, while more conventional belt conveyor types are used to transport, process, and package all sorts of products throughout a processing facility. From pills to agricultural grains, from pencils to potato chips, conveyor technology systems are relied upon to get products from point A to point B without risks of the system being interrupted or inhibited by human intervention (which comes with a considerable margin of error) or risks of contamination or failing to meet the quality standards. Conveyor technology has certainly come a long way from the makeshift versions used to transport and load grain in the early
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days. Today, you can catch sight of conveyor belts in airport baggage carousels, in treadmills at the gym, or on the checkout counter in grocery stores. Because of the need for efficiency and convenience, humans have developed a highly functional technology that is valued in modern-day activities.

Custom Conveyor Belt Design Options That Work Best for Your Industry

Conveyors are popular pieces of equipment that are present in a variety of applications. If you've stepped out of the house today, it's highly likely that you have encountered some form of conveyor system at least once. The checkout counter in grocery stores, the escalators inside shopping malls, the baggage carousel and horizontal walkways in airports, and the treadmills in gyms all utilise a type of conveyor system that allows a simpler means of transport or mobility for products and for people.
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Of course, this equipment's most common application is in industrial facilities. The concept hardly ever changes from factory to factory; simply put, a belt conveyor is comprised of its main components like the motorised roller or drive roller, an idle roller, the conveyor belt itself, and a frame with a slider tray over which the belt can move. The belt is pulled by the drive roller in one direction and runs over the idle roller. This conveyor belt design allows for high payloads; because slippage between the drive roller and the belt is eliminated by the tight pull during operation, the full transfer of torque from the motor to the belt is facilitated. It's important to note that conveyer systems don't have to follow a standard pattern due to the endless number of applications they can be used for. Customers can speak directly and thoroughly with their trusted conveyor manufacturer to identify the specifications that would make a specific conveyor model produce excellent results in a given industrial setting. Plenty of manufacturers are happy to work with their clients to design the best conveyor solution for their particular business. Conveyor belt design can be dictated by both the function it is expected to perform and the facility in which it will be placed. There are simple linear belt conveyors that simply take materials from point A to point B until the finished product is created. Other business, however, may require more complicated processes; the conveyor system may need to wind through a long list of machines
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that perform different industrial functions like cutting, shaping, washing, air drying, finishing, and packaging, among others. As the products begin to take shape, they may need to be conveyed onto different surfaces and directions each time. The physical shape of the facilities may affect the conveyor design, too; lengthy production lines can require the conveyor belt system to make sharp turns, head for loops, or take the product to higher or lower surfaces must as be necessary able to within the given the space. design Manufacturers accommodate

specifications of each client to ensure maximum efficiency of the equipment once installed in its dedicated location. The wide variety of dimensions, belt features, speeds, drive options, and installation details may be too much information to handle, but expert manufacturers will be able to produce just the right conveyor belt design for their clients. For industrial equipment as important as conveyors, consumers must choose the best service providers to accomplish the task of manufacturing equipment in their exact specifications to ensure excellent performance in any production facility.

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